Posted on 08/30/2021 8:12:50 AM PDT by Jacquerie
A nation of individuals recognizing no responsibilities towards others is on its way to collapse.
The politicization of coronavirus vaccines and mask-wearing has been a depressing reminder of the downside of American individualism. The successful functioning of a free republic depends on people taking personal responsibility for their actions.
Too often now that translates into a disregard for the rights of others, coupled with an insistence that our own opinions, even if they are founded on the shifting sands of rumor, must be given as much respect as any expert’s.
Anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers (usually but not always the same people) could choose to stay home so as not to endanger others by their choices, and perhaps some do. But many claim a right to go where they please, be served in whatever businesses they wish to frequent and send their children unmasked to schools that they insist must be open.
COVID-19 is not the only example of the damage that ensues when a large segment of society elevates the rights of individuals over obligations to society. Second Amendment absolutism has led to the peculiar result that the right to own a gun is valued more highly in law than the right not to be killed by one.
I would argue that the refusal on the part of a vocal minority to even acknowledge climate change and the role of humans in causing it similarly has its roots in American individualism. To concede we are in a crisis is to accept the need for action to counter the rise in atmospheric CO2.
Though the collective benefits of action are enormous (extending even to the ability of our civilization to endure), some individual sacrifice has to happen in the short term. Yet for some people, individual sacrifice in the service of the greater good is unthinkable. What’s in it for them?
It may feel impossible to have a serious conversation about rights and responsibilities when our public sphere is so contaminated by falsehoods, mistrust and conspiracy theories. But we still have to try, because the ability of our society to navigate the many challenges ahead of us depends on a consensus about what we owe to one another.
Successfully tackling the big issues – both familiar ones like the economy, racial and wealth inequality, and threats from abroad, and emerging threats like cyberterrorism, climate chaos, plastic pollution and looming ecological collapse — requires collective action.
A nation of individuals all fiercely guarding their individual rights and recognizing no responsibilities towards others is on its way to collapse.
Ivy Main is a lawyer and a longtime volunteer with the Sierra Club’s Virginia chapter. A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employee, she is currently the Sierra Club’s renewable energy chairperson.
We need to throw away our Liberty and Rights, because Dictatorships are better for unit cohesion. GOT IT...
Communist agitprop.
Ivy is Godless and clueless.
OMG. I can’t read on. Just a skim made me puke.
You should’ve put on the Helen Thomas barf alert.
My response: NATURAL IMMUNITY whenever possible.
Either you own your body or you are a slave.
Those are the only two choices—there is no “moderate” position.
Figures.
Only issue with background is that she should LOVE the COVID if it’s killing evil humans, especially the white American kind.
Again, I volunteer her to sacrifice herself for the sake of the planet.
If you are vaxxed and masked what other people do should not matter.
That is as simple as it gets. Your personal risk profile says mask and vax? Please do it by all means. Someone else doing so or not has zero effect on you.
Hmm. No mention of the welfare leeches who expect society to provide for their individual needs,
Yes, shame on all those who insist on “my body, my choice” and “you can’t require mentally ill people to take medication”. Shame on those who dictate others can’t drive SUVs while jetting around on private planes to lecture the unwashed. Shame on those who say make all drugs legal and insist that anyone should be allowed across the border, regardless of the threat to citizens of this country. Shame on those who demand the right to disrespect the flag and burn and loot at will, regardless of who else is harmed. How dare these people insist on individual rights over the well-being of the commonweal.
Hey Ivy,
I working on getting natural immunity. Too late for you. But you can thank me later.
I would argue that the refusal on the part of a vocal minority to even acknowledge climate change and the role of humans in causing it similarly has its roots in American individualism. To concede we are in a crisis is to accept the need for action to counter the rise in atmospheric CO2.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CO2 is essentila for life on earth.
CO2 is NOT a dangerous pollutant.
CO2 has nothing to do with the temperature.
If everyone who believes that CO2 is a dangerous pollutant would stop exhaling it, we could solve that problem overnight.
I think they owe us that.
Individual freedom as long as the other cult members approve?
If they believe that the masks and vaccines work, why are they worried about the rest of us?
A collectivist's straw man.
🐄💩😫
Here’s a novel concept, Ivy: I am not, in fact, responsible for you, nor you for me. Take responsibility for yourself and mind your own business.
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