Smash The System: Stop Banning Things

From Unfocusgroup.org

Many people seem to think that in a democracy, if the majority of people call for a ban on something, then it should be banned.

Unfortunately, banning things rarely solves problems. It just annoys people, and makes them hide their behaviour.

For example:

• Banning underage sex has not led to a reduction in teenage pregnancies.
• Banning street drinking has led to people drinking in back-streets that are not patrolled by police officers.
• Prohibition in the 1930s was a disaster.
• The prohibition of teenage drinking has caused teenagers to see alcohol as a form of "forbidden fruit", thus enhancing its appeal.
• The drug laws and the "war on drugs" are quite frankly a joke.

Of course, there are some things that should be banned. If an action directly harms another person, then it is clearly wrong. We can't live in a society where, for example, murder or theft were allowed.

But the idea that behaviour should be micro-regulated is ridiculous. Most bans on non-harmful behaviour generally have the reverse effect because of the fact that people conceal their behaviour. This also causes a form of social disengagement.

If people are given myriad rules to live by, they stop thinking for themselves. Communities cease to exist as forums whereby people think about their behaviour and its consequences. Instead, people become unthinking automata, blindly following rules without thinking about ethics. The system has become similar to religious dogma: you're not allowed to do this, but the reason why this rule exists is irrelevant.

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