Speaking Against Popular Vices

I decided to wrap up this month by sharing something I saw shared on a friend's Facebook page.

Don't like the way society is headed? Get over it. Stop trying to change the world for the better. Just sit back and watch the world burn.

I posted the comment just below the photo on the copy of the photo on my friend's Facebook page, then deleted that comment, deciding that if I was going to argue against the points made by that image, I should do it in my own area, because my friend probably didn't want to start an argument by sharing that image.

In fact, the image itself seems very non-argumentative. We don't have to force people not to do things that we, ourselves, don't want to do. But I have at least two problems with that argument. One, each action has a ripple effect. If someone near you does drugs and alcohol, and happens to own a gun, that can have a very strong impact on your personal safety. Anyone who smokes upwind of you will have an impact on your quality of living. But, more importantly, as things become more and more accepted and acceptable by society, they become more and more attractive to my future kids. Yes, my kids will have the freedom to make their own choices, but as long as society is urging them to make bad decisions, I'm going to let them know that I think those things are bad decisions by voting and speaking against them.

My second problem with the photo's argument is that it only considers the rights of one side. As I said in the paragraph just above this one, "We don't have to force people not to do things that we, ourselves, don't want to do." And, in this case, "things we don't want to do" include voting and speaking against drugs, sex, and abortions. If you don't like that I vote and speak against those things then, by your own argument, all you have to do is not speak and vote against them. You can do what you want (drugs, sex, etc), and I can do what I want (peaceful protests, voting, etc.). Live and let live, right?

But what really grinds my gears about this image is that some of these things are just plain bad ideas. What are the benefits of smoking? It helps you relax? Learn some deep breathing exercises! Technically, you'll be "breathing deeply" anyway. And the detriments of smoking include lung cancer, poor breathing, and death. Nice trade-off. Plus, cigarettes are expensive. Honestly, why would anyone argue in favor of smoking? At least the detriments of the other things on their list are easier to hide under their supposed benefits. Illegitimate sex is fun, or so I'm told; never mind the emotional side-effects and risks of STDs and unwanted pregnancy. You could just get an abortion anyway. It's not like it would kill anyone or cause even more emotional scarring.

It occurs to me that I'm being extremely rude to anyone who has ever gotten an abortion and now regrets that decision. I'm sorry for being so crass. But the fact that such people exist kind of proves my point.

I believe that almost everything on the photo's list (with the exception of responsible gun-ownership) has a high chance of leading to regrets. I think that if a person participates in any of those things, they will eventually come to regret it. By speaking and voting against these things, I'm not trying to take away your freedom - I'm trying to dissuade you (and more importantly, my future kids) from doing things that'll cause regret.

I'm trying to make the world a better place, and it's my humble opinion that the world would be a better place without drug abuse, alcohol consumption, smoking, pornography, illegitimate sex, drop-of-the-hat abortions, and even same-sex marriages. If you disagree with me, feel free to speak and vote however your conscience dictates. But as for me, I have rights, too. And among them are the rights to speak and vote against the vices you support.