'Criminalizing' our way to Utopia?
"Laws" will never make the world a better place, and long ago actually started making it worse. Each day we see more and more things criminalized. For what? Usually because someone, somewhere was upset that something unfortunate happened. Yet, unfortunate things will continue to happen no matter how many "laws" are dreamed up.
If you have been reading my thoughts for long, you will recognize my term for this situation: "law pollution". And it is a real threat that grows more critical by the day.
At this point in the history of civilization each new "law" only means that another "danger" will rise up to take its place, once again threatening the small number of people who might actually be saved as a direct consequence of the new prohibition. That is because the world is not static, and neither is human behavior. When you add in the number of people killed in order to finance and enforce the new "law" you have entered negative territory; you are losing ground. Each new "law" results in more people harmed than the "problem" it was (supposedly) intended to fix. Don't pretend that "laws" are not the direct cause of death, because every one of them is.
Just one example (out of an almost infinite number) is the "texting and driving prohibition" nonsense. Innocent people have been harmed and killed by irresponsible people texting and driving (and not only in cars) all over the world, and Albuquerque is no exception. I don't dispute this fact. What I do dispute is the magical thinking that believes that enough "laws" can eventually be passed to make innocent and/or fearful people mostly safe. It can't happen because it violates the way the Universe really operates and pretending it can happen is delusional in the extreme. Do I think people will die as a result of being "legally prohibited" from texting and driving? No. Sensible people will ignore the counterfeit "law" if they need to. But the tragedy is that in today's world, every encounter with a LEO is a potentially lethal situation. Anything that gets a cop's attention and makes him notice you can get you killed. LEOs and all other governmental employees are paid with stolen money- stolen from those in society who produce something of value. Resist or try to keep your own property for your own use and eventually, at some point, as agents of the government continue to escalate the coercion and violence with each of your refusals to be willingly stolen from, you will be killed.
It is time to start thinking from a new direction about solutions for the real dangers that exist. New technology can ameliorate many of them. Removing governmental coercion and minding your own business can get rid of many more. In other words, when you are heading the wrong direction it is time to stop and turn around. Continuing on your suicidal path is not "progress". Life is not safe, nor will it ever be. "Safety" and "living well" have never been compatible.
