Re:Evil much (Score 1)

Why not? People without children pay taxes to run elementary schools. People without cars pay taxes to build roads. Living in a civilized society means sometimes making sacrifices for the benefit of the group as a whole.

Uh, no. If the argument cannot stand on its own merits then it is unprincipled and fails. Associating it with something else, whether practiced or not, doesn't make the argument stronger. In fact, the current state of how elementary schools and roads are funded doesn't make their existence right or wrong. If the current manner that these are funded are unprincipled then you have just made an argument for progressing down a slippery slope.

Civilized society is a society where each is able to attach their own value to their own choices - not have some over-arching law that mandates a value to everyone. Don't be afraid to let someone else value something less - or even more - than you do. Regardless of how others value something, you are more than welcome to send your money to the RIAA, the schools and/or the roads whether the rest of society does or not.

Civilized society allows me to be philanthropic, charitable and humane of my own accord. The moment that I am forced to make sacrifices for the benefit of the whole then it is no longer a sacrificed and much of the benefit/growth sacrifice is taken from me.

Why is it that people fear that the sick and poor (and even the RIAA) will not be taken care of unless everyone is forced to do it? My best guess is that those that want to use the threat of force (i.e. government) to cause everyone to do this actually fear themselves. They fear that unless government makes them sacrifice that they wouldn't do it themselves and so they have no expectation that others would sacrifice without the force/threat of government.

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

-- George Washington