Some people are against any form of regulation. They fear socialism and say things like, “What would the world be like if you needed a license for every single one of your possessions? Your phone, your computer, your books, your clothing, and even your dishwasher?”
They worry that you’ll someday need a “card” for everything. We already need a card for shopping in grocery stores. What if it was taken even further? Do you want to attend a metal concert? First, you must get your “heavy metal” card. A country concert? First, you need your “country” card. Imagine trying to buy a concert ticket and being told, “you’re not metal enough, you don’t get a metal card!” Taken to the extreme, regulation is scary.
But taken to the other extreme, the absence of regulation is even more scary. We need some regulations. For instance, fishing licenses are necessary to control the fish population so we don’t deplete the seafood. Environmental regulations are important, so that we can all have safe drinking water. As an individual, I want my freedoms, but I also want clean water, and some woods and trees and clean rivers for future generations. I would like us to not decimate every single animal on the planet. Well, except for skeeters. I don’t ever want to see another mosquito.
You are likely practicing some sort of self-regulation if you are living on this planet. You just cannot do everything you want to do! For instance, you can eat a burger, but not the entire cow. You can eat an ear of corn, but not the entire cornfield. You can eat a serving of ice cream, but not the entire container (well, that one is a lie.) There is virtually no good thing done to the extreme that is still a good thing. Even beneficial exercises such as running and lifting weights are bad when they are done too often. Chicken should be cooked, but not overcooked. Brownie mix should be stirred, but not over-stirred. Veggies should be eaten at lunch, but you shouldn’t eat 200 carrots at lunch. You should be ok with some self-regulation, and you should be ok with some regulation in your society. We need some regulations. But not too many.
Anyone who is seriously against any regulations should at least acknowledge that the world population is currently at about 7.6 billion. Back in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was issued, and the world population was less than a billion, personal liberty and freedom made more sense. But now, with 7.6 billion people on this planet, we are a cluster-f*ck of chaos. Do you want 7.6 billion people doing whatever the f*ck they want to do? Do you want 7.6 billion people to be armed with guns?! Probably not. We need some regulations. But not too many.
How do you balance regulation with personal freedom? It’s difficult. Striving for balance is important, and it’s also important to understand that the world is just a bit nuanced. You cannot escape regulation entirely. But it should be limited to what is absolutely necessary. Too much regulation is never a good thing. But too little, and our world will disintegrate even faster than it is, now.
I think I’ll stop writing for today, and go finish my container of Rocky Road ice cream! Don’t worry, it’s just a pint, not a half-gallon!