Quote:
|
Originally Posted by MooseMan3000
A well reasoned and coherent response to an interesting question if ever I read one. Thank you for your rational, respectful reply.
Not to mention that your entire post is about smoking, not about the topic actually being discussed in this thread. So if I may, let me sum up your entire response to this article:
"Politicophile, you make me really mad."
There. That's all you said in relation to the thread. But thanks for that information on smoking in Colorado and getting hummers from hookers on dirty toilet seats.
World's King is not, however, the only one to respond in such a manner. It's only the most blatant. Most of the responses I've read in this thread have been either a) completely irrelevant to the original question (i.e. lambasting Politicophile for his particular morals) or b) just plain irrelevant.
In response to the original question: I believe that society by its nature must impose a certain set of morals in order to exist. There are some absolutes, some of which have been mentioned, namely "don't intentionally harm others who are not harming you." If you can't agree with this, then you have no place in a society that provides you any sort of protections or freedoms. You are an anarchist.
If you do agree with this, and you enjoy the safety and stability of government and society at large, then you agree with the original poster. Of course there are different shades of grey between the two standpoints, but I think most of you are getting caught up in the emotions of disagreeing with Politicophile's lofty opinion of himself. Ultimately, that is irrelevant to the argument.
Allow me to recap the general idea, for the many of you who either forgot or intentionally skipped that part of the post:
Moral imposition and direction is necessary for a society to remain stable. Without laws and directives based in an agreed upon code of morality, society cannot exist.
The large portion of you arguing about everything else, you're missing the point.
I agree in a large part with the original point, mainly for the reasons already stated: a society, by its definition, must have laws. Those laws, in order to be effective at keeping the peace, must be based on something, and that something is moral imposition. Morality will shift with time, as will laws. There is no end to this game, no one right answer. The answer is, instead, to continue to challenge everything, to continue to share, learn, and grow as a society.
|
That was really a small part of a post designed to proclaim the 'I'm right/you're wrong' view held; by saying the society has morals, therefore laws, so I have morals, therefore, rules, that are correct. Other statements were meant to be inflammatory and argumentative, but then the OP pulls back and says, 'that's not what I meant'. Uh, yea...it was and it was reiterated as things progressed.
The society we live in takes the middle road when it comes to the majority of lawmaking and does so with at least a modicum of research. The laws do not finger point. That task is taken up by individuals.
Wanna live with 4 women? No law says you can't, it's a personal, moral choice. If it goes against my values, who cares?
Yes, secondhand smoke can affect people, specially if they're unhealthy to begin with. But here's a little hint: stay away from things that make you sick. I can't handle perfumes, so I don't wear any and if someone comes near me marinating in it, I leave quckly. I don't stand on the NJ turnpike because it might kill me to do so...same thought. But, dumb as it may be, I won't tell someone else not to do it unless it's my kid or anyone else I truly care about.
The OP is not saying stay away from his asthmatic child, please...he did, in essence, compare smokers to killers and rapists and morally corrupt individuals.
That's his own judgment and knowing many smokers, I can assure you they are no more 'morally corrupt' than anyone else and I dare say, some, if not most, are damn cool people. *winks at Shanifaye*
It's not what we put in our mouths that make us good or bad, it's what we give from our hearts.