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Old 04-12-2010, 07:55 PM   #44 (permalink)
The_Dunedan
Junkie
 
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Then why have laws of any kind?
In order to ensure that everyone knows "the rules of the game" and has no excuse for breaking them.

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Why outlaw murder? Why outlaw stealing?
Because they unprovokedly harm others without their consent, which is breaking the rules.

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Why have punishments for breaking those laws?
In order to;
1: Remove serious threats from society (long term imprisonment, exile, outlawry, execution) either permanently or until they accomplish
2: Rehabilitation where possible.

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but without regulations you have anarchy
Bullshit. Do you need regulations telling you not to murder people? No, because you're a normal, functional human being. The more people there are like you out there (and the more heavily they are armed and trained), the less there will be of the far more dangerous type which is inclined towards murder and rape and violence and violation of all types, laws and regulations be damned. Regulations have never stopped those who simply didn't care about them.

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there's no incentive or consequence when it comes to personal responsibility.
There is when certain types of irresponsibility will get you sued or ostracized, others will get you imprisoned, and the most serious varieties will get your face shot off. I dunno about you, but I have (all other considerations aside) a purely selfish attachment to my money, my freedom, and my supraorbital taurii. I'd like to keep all three, if possible; so would most people. And while I may feel for the families of those who shoot themselves accidentally, and for the memories and tortured souls of those who likewise end the lives of others, I have never had any luck summoning up any pity for those who by idiocy end their own lives with a firearm. Likewise those shot in self-defense by their intended victims.

Your entire argument here comes down to saying that the only reason people don't rampantly murder, rape, and rob one another in a Cthulian orgy of looting and rapine is that we have laws against it. This is to say that the only thing preventing -you- from acting in such a way is said laws. I think we both know this is crap, because we both know you'd do no such thing unless you're one of those brain-fucked few who make life miserable for the rest of us. I don't know you, so I'm giving you benefit of the doubt by virtue of the fact that the vast majority of humanity is not represented by my neighbors. However, I'm willing to lay fairly heavy odds to my being right.
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