Ah, Devil's Advocate,it's good to know what I'm dealing with here, at least.
Of course society needs authorities and regulations. It doesn't need to demand absolute control over everybody's lives. Society exists for the benefit of people, not the other way round, and that means one of its duties is to human dignity. Being able to raise one's own children is something so fundamental to being human that the state should never be allowed to dictate on it, although I'm all for providing good education so that people can make their own informed decisions. And I can't say I'm in favour of rewarding social irresponsibility with cash hand-outs and council house priority. These things were largely a necessary response to the effects of WWII, but it's difficult to take it away now without people complaining about their 'rights'.
(Of course society needs authorities and regulations. It doesn't need to demand absolute control over everybody's lives. Society exists for the benefit of people, not the other way round, and that means one of its duties is to human dignity. Being able to raise one's own children is something so fundamental to being human that the state should never be allowed to dictate on it, although I'm all for providing good education so that people can make their own informed decisions. And I can't say I'm in favour of rewarding social irresponsibility with cash hand-outs and council house priority. These things were largely a necessary response to the effects of WWII, but it's difficult to take it away now without people complaining about their 'rights'.
Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag,
Tue 4 Aug 2009, 9:55,
archived)