Quote from: Mike Christ on January 20, 2014, 10:33:27 PM

We have been; the majority of everyday life decisions, short-term and long-term, is born from rational self-interest. To imply we cannot self-govern is to imply we can make no decision of our own; if this is true, that none can self-govern, then we should not pretend that a government of elected officials who also cannot self-govern can manage to find the capacity to govern others, a far more difficult task, nor should we pretend that they make our every decision for us, for if they did, what need do we have for democracy?

I agree with all of that - but is management of any type unnecessary then (and under any circumstance), in your opinion ?

I know that William Blake said that if a fool were to persist in their foolishness they would become wise - but on that I'd have to disagree with him Wink

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If my kids start playing with matches whilst in my garage right next to a tank of petrol I'm not going to stand by and watch.

And what if my rational self interest should clash with that of someone elses rational self interest ? Who is to arbitrate ? What if my everyday life decisions are demarcated by illness - or by old age, or by any other form of under privilege/disadvantage ? Who then will intervene when the man whose everyday life decisions aren't so constrained as my own takes from me all I have and hold dear ?