There's a difference between what is best for us, as a society, to allow, and what constitutes the best form of life. It seems to me to be pretty clear that, as far as we know, the best form of society is the one that allows for maximal choice as to forms of life. The value of most forms of life derives in part from our own endorsement of that form of life, and allowing maximal choice strengthens our own endorsement of the form of life we have chosen. The more we know about alternate options, the more our choice of form of life is our choice, and not merely something forced upon us.
The reason I say "maximal choice" rather than "unfettered choice" is because some forms of life are in fact incompatible with other forms of life. This is why we say that "my right to swing my arm ends at your nose". I'm allowed to choose my own form of life, but only to the extent that my choice of a form of life does not interfere with yours. Obviously, it's a lot more complicated than this, but I trust you get the idea.
The difference between this and personal morality is this. The statement that society ought to allow for maximal choice regarding forms of life does not entail that one of these forms of life is not in fact the best. Even given the standpoint I outlined above, one can still say that there are better and worse forms of life, or even that there is a best form of life. I happen to believe that there is a best form of life. I also happen to believe that most people believe that there is a best form of life. Every time someone says something along the lines of "You need to be more tolerant" or "Science has disproved God" or "You need to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour", they're endorsing one form of life over another. And there nothing wrong with that, as long as we merely seek to encourage people to join our form of life, rather than seeking to impose it on people.
__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."
"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
|