Safety vs Freedom: Should Adults be Forced to Wear Seatbelts?

[Hosakawa Tito]

Originally Posted by Hosakawa Tito
Bite me.

Uhm, whyyyyyy....?

The urban dictionary should clear it up.

There's an oft forgotten corollary to freedom and that is responsibility. We like to go on about freedoms and their infringements but we rarely note that all freedom comes with heavy responsibilities to our fellows in society.

A truly free society has citizens more dedicated to the well-being of their compatriots than interested in self-aggrandisement. Such a society needs few laws and little government. Sadly, humanity has proven time and time again that most people use freedoms for their own benefit, not for that of their group. Thus society chooses to regulate, and freedoms are curtailed to the degree made necessary by the lack of responsibility - more government inevitably arises with more individualism.

In this example then, seat belts are inarguably safer for oneself and others. Therefore no law should be necessary if people do the intelligent thing and take responsibility for their safety and that of others. However, too many people eschew this responsibility, endangering themselves and others, and thus society imposes laws.

Could not have 'splained it better. Well done BG.