Humans: We Know We Know
A New York State Senator wants to outlaw the use of ipods, cell phones, and hand-held computer devices when people cross the street. I commend this state senator for attempting to pass a law banning electronic device use while crossing the street. It's obviously a very dangerous activity. Humans need a government to tell them how to live and how to walk. I love laws and would like to see more of them passed. I hate thinking for myself or having any choice on how to live. If the government makes my life choices for me, and my life sucks, then I can blame the government. Now, I can only partially blame the government because the government only makes some of my life choices. Which means right now I’m making half—HALF!—of my life decisions. That’s way too many. With that many decisions left up to me I have to take at least some of the responsibility for my disappointing life.
Laws are evidence that humans are a higher species of animal than all others. Most animals walk instinctively. Humans, on the other hand, have a consciousness. Not only do humans know they are alive, they know they are walking. If you know you and others in your species are walking then you can have a debate about walking which can eventually lead to laws on walking. Which I think is why cars are not outlawed. Cars have no consciousness. They don't know they are driving, so they can't self regulate. And just like humans don't fine squirrels, deer, and salamanders for crossing the street while listening to an mp3 player, we do not fine cars for crossing streets while people or animals might be in front of them whether or not those animals have an electronic device activated.
I think it's similar to the banning of cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoke is harmful to humans and other animals. We can pass a law prohibiting smoking because humans smoke and humans know they smoke. However, we can not ban the burning of the very harmful coal because factories burn coal and factories are buildings and building are not self-aware. Buildings have no consciousness. You can't tell a building to stop burning coal. Actually, you could but buildings don't speak English, and buildings are obstinate--they never listen. Also, of course, they don't know they are burning coal, so how could they stop?
Laws are evidence that humans are a higher species of animal than all others. Most animals walk instinctively. Humans, on the other hand, have a consciousness. Not only do humans know they are alive, they know they are walking. If you know you and others in your species are walking then you can have a debate about walking which can eventually lead to laws on walking. Which I think is why cars are not outlawed. Cars have no consciousness. They don't know they are driving, so they can't self regulate. And just like humans don't fine squirrels, deer, and salamanders for crossing the street while listening to an mp3 player, we do not fine cars for crossing streets while people or animals might be in front of them whether or not those animals have an electronic device activated.
I think it's similar to the banning of cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoke is harmful to humans and other animals. We can pass a law prohibiting smoking because humans smoke and humans know they smoke. However, we can not ban the burning of the very harmful coal because factories burn coal and factories are buildings and building are not self-aware. Buildings have no consciousness. You can't tell a building to stop burning coal. Actually, you could but buildings don't speak English, and buildings are obstinate--they never listen. Also, of course, they don't know they are burning coal, so how could they stop?
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