(Photo credit: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)
Before you hate me just by assuming that I am a “communist” or I am pro-authoritarianism, I am actually a liberal/libertarian. I strongly believe that, as a general rule, if your action does not have an impact on other people, then it should not be regulated/intervened by the government. Freedom is one central element to happiness. The government should just stay away unless something is going to create what is known as “negative externality” (the negative impact on the outside world).
I do not care if you watch porn, for example. But I care when you turn the volume up so high that your neighbors are forced to hear that, or when you watch it in front of young kids. A responsible legislature has to make laws to regulate that, and a responsible government should enforce it.
Liberties: History’s legacy
When the 13 states became independent and formed the Union, everyone was trying so hard to prevent the miseries they had as colonies. So, they decided to form republic governments that are restrained by the law and democracy so that the people (okay at least white males) would never be under suppression. Ever since then, Americans have been fighting for all kinds of individual liberty for different groups for the past 200+ years. This history has led to the protection of and emphasis on individual rights and freedoms.
The other side of the coin
But this does not come without costs. Although JFK famously said,
Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,
People’s sense of community/society has never been very strong. It is always about MY freedoms, MY benefits, etc. If we look at Asia, many cultures are much less individualistic and emphasize more on collectivism: before you act, you have to think about your family, your community, your company, your country, etc.
When dealing with the spread of COVID-19, many countries chose to shut down most economic activities temporarily, encouraging or even forcing people to practice physical distancing, and later on doing the same for wearing masks. You see very little push-backs in East Asia, for example, not just because people want to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus, but also they know very well that it is for the good of the whole. Sacrificing a little for common benefits is highly understandable and is rooted in the cultures.
But in the West, especially in the United States, there are much more push-backs…
Keep reading here.
Before you hate me just by assuming that I am a “communist” or I am pro-authoritarianism, I am actually a liberal/libertarian. I strongly believe that, as a general rule, if your action does not have an impact on other people, then it should not be regulated/intervened by the government. Freedom is one central element to happiness. The government should just stay away unless something is going to create what is known as “negative externality” (the negative impact on the outside world).
I do not care if you watch porn, for example. But I care when you turn the volume up so high that your neighbors are forced to hear that, or when you watch it in front of young kids. A responsible legislature has to make laws to regulate that, and a responsible government should enforce it.
Liberties: History’s legacy
When the 13 states became independent and formed the Union, everyone was trying so hard to prevent the miseries they had as colonies. So, they decided to form republic governments that are restrained by the law and democracy so that the people (okay at least white males) would never be under suppression. Ever since then, Americans have been fighting for all kinds of individual liberty for different groups for the past 200+ years. This history has led to the protection of and emphasis on individual rights and freedoms.
The other side of the coin
But this does not come without costs. Although JFK famously said,
Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,
People’s sense of community/society has never been very strong. It is always about MY freedoms, MY benefits, etc. If we look at Asia, many cultures are much less individualistic and emphasize more on collectivism: before you act, you have to think about your family, your community, your company, your country, etc.
When dealing with the spread of COVID-19, many countries chose to shut down most economic activities temporarily, encouraging or even forcing people to practice physical distancing, and later on doing the same for wearing masks. You see very little push-backs in East Asia, for example, not just because people want to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus, but also they know very well that it is for the good of the whole. Sacrificing a little for common benefits is highly understandable and is rooted in the cultures.
But in the West, especially in the United States, there are much more push-backs…
Keep reading here.
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