- Aug 8, 2016
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I kind of got a chuckle out of this piece. It's so true and we see the phenomenon play out so often, particularly as of late and predominantly on social/political platforms like this one and others of similar function. Or dysfunction, perhaps, given that the cause of Individual liberty is so often framed as threatening, even dangerous, to the authoritarian busybody.
I'm snipping just enough from the piece to provide the gist of it, so have to follow the link for the philosophical relevance.
It's a little more than the usually recommended 1-3 paragraphs for content, so any problem with it, please advise and I'll retrieve permission from the author to post the piece in full. It's a bit lengthy, however.
Anyway....
''...Let's take an event as simple as the wind blowing. One person perceives and interprets the wind, and decides to put on a jacket. Wearing a jacket is believed to be more beneficial to this person's life than not wearing one. So he acts, and puts the jacket on.
Another individual perceives the wind and decides the exact opposite. He's been working on his roof for hours and is exhausted from baking in the sun. Not only does he not put a jacket on, he takes his shirt off so that the wind can hit his skin directly.
A third person is relaxing and swinging on a hammock. He perceives the wind and does nothing. He doesn't care one way or another. He neither puts a jacket on, nor takes his shirt off. He's perfectly comfortable relaxing as he is and continues to satisfy his most urgent and valuable desires without making any adjustments to the wind.
So we have the same exact event, three completely different interpretations, and three completely different actions; all taken to benefit each individual's life....
...Now, let's warp this harmony by bringing in a completely different mindset: that of busybody authoritarianism.
The busybody first seeks a monopoly on interpretation.
When the wind blows, it means only one thing, and that one thing must be interpreted by everyone in the same way. The busybody determines the single interpretation.
This single interpretation is then repeated over-and-over through every official channel. Everywhere you look, you see the one-and-only interpretation.
Any deviation from the official interpretation must be censored. Should some deplorable or neanderthal individual try to speak the words of a different interpretation, he is to be called a bunch of names and discredited. Any interpretation that is different from the official interpretation must be seen as illegitimate and even dangerous!
After trying to monopolize interpretations, the busybody moves into action....''
Continued - The Futility of Busybody Authoritarianism
I'm snipping just enough from the piece to provide the gist of it, so have to follow the link for the philosophical relevance.
It's a little more than the usually recommended 1-3 paragraphs for content, so any problem with it, please advise and I'll retrieve permission from the author to post the piece in full. It's a bit lengthy, however.
Anyway....
''...Let's take an event as simple as the wind blowing. One person perceives and interprets the wind, and decides to put on a jacket. Wearing a jacket is believed to be more beneficial to this person's life than not wearing one. So he acts, and puts the jacket on.
Another individual perceives the wind and decides the exact opposite. He's been working on his roof for hours and is exhausted from baking in the sun. Not only does he not put a jacket on, he takes his shirt off so that the wind can hit his skin directly.
A third person is relaxing and swinging on a hammock. He perceives the wind and does nothing. He doesn't care one way or another. He neither puts a jacket on, nor takes his shirt off. He's perfectly comfortable relaxing as he is and continues to satisfy his most urgent and valuable desires without making any adjustments to the wind.
So we have the same exact event, three completely different interpretations, and three completely different actions; all taken to benefit each individual's life....
...Now, let's warp this harmony by bringing in a completely different mindset: that of busybody authoritarianism.
The busybody first seeks a monopoly on interpretation.
When the wind blows, it means only one thing, and that one thing must be interpreted by everyone in the same way. The busybody determines the single interpretation.
This single interpretation is then repeated over-and-over through every official channel. Everywhere you look, you see the one-and-only interpretation.
Any deviation from the official interpretation must be censored. Should some deplorable or neanderthal individual try to speak the words of a different interpretation, he is to be called a bunch of names and discredited. Any interpretation that is different from the official interpretation must be seen as illegitimate and even dangerous!
After trying to monopolize interpretations, the busybody moves into action....''
Continued - The Futility of Busybody Authoritarianism
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