Sunday, June 01, 2014

Emotions drive away reason

Is there any issue that makes you get really emotional?

I'm sure there is- and that should be a warning to you. Emotional issues are difficult to think rationally about. Maybe even impossible.

Almost everyone has been hurt, emotionally, in some way.

I have had dear friends murdered by people using a gun as their tool of death. Should my emotions at losing my friends override my rational brain and cause me to advocate against gun ownership? That does seem to be the standard reaction.

I hate litter so much I can almost lose reason when I see it. Do I support "laws" against litter? No. If your litter ends up on my property, I may consider you a trespasser of sorts, but that is for me to deal with. Advocating for more "laws" will only litter my world worse.

Other people's emotional triggers can be things like rape, drunk driving, or protecting the helpless or damaged.

This seems to be one of the "buts" that trip up many people. Coercive government and its "laws" are wrong, "but I'll support the government's enforcement against [emotional issue] because I hate it!"

That plays right into the bad guys' hands.

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