Rational people do not always agree on the proper course of action. They may not possess the same knowledge of the issue or put more emphasis on some facts. They may have different values or goals.
When rational people disagree on the proper course of action, they attempt to persuade one another. They present facts and reasons. And if they cannot come to an agreement, they go their separate ways. They respect the rights of others to disagree and act on their own judgment.
But when an individual abandons reason, he does not try to persuade those who hold a different view. He resorts to force, substituting a gun for facts and reasons. An armed robber, for example, uses force to obtain what he could not get from others voluntarily. He renders his victim’s judgment irrelevant. His only “argument” is the threat of harm if the victim does not act as he–the robber–demands.
In shutting down the economy, government officials have taken the armed robber approach. They have abandoned reason and resorted to force. They did not present a case for social distancing and then allow individuals to judge that advice. Instead, they made it a crime to disobey their orders. They did not present reasons why restaurants and bars should take measures to reduce social contact. Instead, they made it a crime to be open for sit down service.
If government officials had valid reasons for suggesting social distancing and reduced social contact, they should have made those reasons known to the public and then let individuals judge the validity of that information. Government officials would have used persuasion. Instead, they resorted to force.
When the facts are on one’s side, one will confidently state those facts and respect the right of others to disagree and act accordingly. But when the facts are not on one’s side, the only “argument” that can be offered is the threat of harm–acting on a disagreement will not be allowed.
When we disagree, we can choose reason and logic or a gun. When we choose reason and logic, we respect the right of others to judge for themselves. When we choose a gun, we render other’s judgment irrelevant. In rendering our own judgment irrelevant, government officials imply that we are too irrational to make wise decisions. They imply that they know what is best for us, and to prove it, they will force us into submission.