Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

The Words We Say

I've been saying things much like this about the recent shooting, just shorter.
Tags: networking, politics, safety
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  • 83 comments
...go 9 levels up... Expand
haikujaguar

haikujaguar

January 10 2011, 15:40:06 UTC 10 years ago

Much apologies. I forget that when I say 'ban' my assumption is social, not legal, because I believe in using social pressure to enforce proper behavior, while other people believe in subjecting all behavior to legal arbitration and regulation. :P
ysabetwordsmith

Thoughts

ysabetwordsmith

January 10 2011, 20:25:47 UTC 10 years ago

Custom is FAR more powerful an influence than law. My observation with laws is that, by the time you need a law for something, you are usually past the point where having a law will help. The pressure driving people to that undesirable action is too high. You won't fix it by corking it; something will explode. You have to backtrack and relieve the pressure and find other options. Laws are mainly useful for providing general guidelines ("Don't kill each other.") and stopgaps to disastrous behavior until social means can catch up with practical needs ("You can't enslave other human beings anymore."). It is always more efficient and effective to teach and support good behavior than to punish bad behavior.

Sadly America is gung-ho on prisons (we're ahead of CHINA!!) and indifferent or hostile to teaching social skills. GIGO.