Humor can be a powerful tool to mock that which is evil. But when humor is used to attack a profound value, that attempt at humor reveals the despicable character of its author. A letter to the editor (shown on the right) that recently made the rounds on Facebook serves as an example.
In the letter, the author mocks individual liberty, and specifically the freedom of each individual to make choices regarding his own life. In the fictitious “Freedom Café,” employees are allowed to do whatever they choose to prepare and serve food. This might include refusing to wear a mask, not washing their hands after using the restroom, fondling a diner’s food, and undercooking poultry. Admitting that food poisoning might result, the author concludes that “it’s a small price to pay for the sweet freedom of no one ever being told what to do….” Freedom, the author wants us to believe, means a license to do whatever one feels like doing. Those who object to mask mandates in the name of freedom, she wants us to believe, are nothing more than ridiculous, callous jerks.
This characterization of freedom is a straw man.
The author makes no distinction between the orders issued by government and the orders issued by an employer. When the government issues an order, an individual who disagrees must comply or be thrown in jail, have his property seized, or both. When an employer issues an order, an individual who disagrees can choose whether to comply, object, or find another job. When the government issues an order, individuals cannot act on their own choices. When an employer issues an order, individuals remain free to act on their choices.
In the context of a business, telling employees what to do is a part of achieving success. The owner/ managers must guide and direct employees towards the company’s goals. This means issuing orders regarding customer service, the provision of services, sanitation, appearance, and anything else that is necessary to accomplish those goals. A business that refuses to issue orders is inviting chaos, and it likely won’t remain a business for long. And an employee who repeatedly refuses to follow orders likely won’t remain an employee for long.
Freedom does not mean that each individual can act without any concern for others and regardless of the context. Nor does it mean not being told what to do. In a political context, wrote Ayn Rand, freedom
means freedom from government coercion. It does not mean freedom from the landlord, or freedom from the employer, or freedom from the laws of nature which do not provide men with automatic prosperity. It means freedom from the coercive power of the state—and nothing else.
Mask mandates are an example of government coercion. The orders issued by an employer are not. To equate the two and mock freedom is neither amusing nor intellectually honest.