THE TYRANNY OF NECESSITY – BETWEEN VACCINE PASSPORTS AND BACH LICENSES

Sometimes it becomes evident that we are burdened by several generations that need to be taught the meaning of living in a free society. This lot, who were supposed to be the heirs of Hamilton and Jefferson, of valiant pioneers and of brave soldiers, are instead a disinherited bunch. Pride in our great Anglo-Western tradition, of being a citizen-custodian of a free republic, has not been conferred upon them.

And thus they roam about their rootless existence, seeking to force all sorts of things on people. In a way, the last 60 years are the triumph of such people. Every political “reform” we’ve had has not been a victory for individual rights or letting communities mind their own affairs, but for harpies and goblins seeking to impose their beliefs on everybody else: Civil “rights” (where one’s individual rights take second place to racial sensitivity), the immigration act of 1965 (where instead of allowing communities to retain their culture, they are forced to admit the Third-World), the expansion of the administrative state (which takes away power from local institutions in favor of centralized rule-making), you know the drill!

So we shouldn’t expect too much, which is why indeed it’s no surprise to hear so many of our concerned citizens suddenly “discovering” that forcing people to take a vaccine for Covid-19, would be a terrific idea. The logic usually goes like this: “Hey, it benefits the person and benefits others, so why not force it?” Those of us who have read a few books in our lives roll our eyes towards the heavens.

Regardless of the benefits of the vaccine, proved or under question, such logic is extremely silly. Only a disinherited bunch, untrained in the meaning of living freely, can make such an argument. Of course, it can be beneficial to force all sorts of things on people: Let’s not give them jobs unless they go to the gym, their medical bills cost money to all of us! Let’s abolish academic majors such as history and classical studies, only technology helps the economy! Let’s force people to hike and fish, they’ll be more likely to conserve our country’s natural beauty! Let’s demand licenses for parenting, it’s better for the children!

You get the drift. Such arguments are indeed true in a very limited scope. It would benefit society to not have fat people or bad parents. But actually, it wouldn’t. The greatest benefit of all is to have a free society, based on individuals minding their own business, communities managing their own affairs, and citizens-custodians caring for the public interest. Such a society represents an a priori compromise. We know that in certain cases, at least temporarily, we may benefit from greater control, but that would void our society as being a free one. And therefore we retain coercive measures only for very extreme cases.

Covid-19, for all the hysteria, passion, and excitement it bestowed upon our bored corporate class, is not an extreme case. The virus, whose average infection fatality rate is about 0.24%, has an even lower fatality rate for those under 70 – 0.05%. Meaning, universal measures such as hysterical masking, vaccinating, or locking down, are not needed and are highly exaggerated. Evidently, localities and countries that have done pretty much nothing, such as Sweden, Florida, and Texas, produce the same results, or even better ones, as the UK, Michigan, or California, all of which have truly embraced Covidianism.

This is what William Pitt the Younger, Britain’s prime minister witnessing the horrors of the French Revolution, referred to as the tyranny of necessity. “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.” We reserve such encroachments on our liberties only to the most extreme of circumstances.

But hey, if we get to make a wish list of coercive measures, let’s begin with banning pop music. I am tired of you fools blasting your imbecilic repetitive tunes on the train, then gyrating to them on the street. If you can’t listen to Bach you have no room in a civilized society. I call for a Bach passport.