“to shape social norms” — Nazi Germany did this, too. Trains ran on time, that’s the metaphor.
Do all the fines you want for messing up public space, and if neighborhoods make HOAs they all sign onto, well and good.
But “shape social norms” is a dead collectivist giveaway. It gives government too much power. It’s too steep a price to pay for clean. I saw the legendary clean subways in the 1987 Soviet Union — impressive, but at what cost in freedoms?
You can’t even chew gum in public there.
I wonder what the people who have to quit smoking are going to do...
““to shape social norms” — Nazi Germany did this, too. Trains ran on time, that’s the metaphor.”
What? You don’t think we do it? Every country does it through their laws, public education curriculum, and their media.
So it’s not a question of whether you do or you don’t, it’s about how you shape society to be. And it absolutely depresses me the way our laws and institutions are currently shaping our “social norms”. I would much prefer what Singapore is doing. What they are asking of people is common sense, something that I would feel quite comfortable living with. And I’m sure you would to. Do you spit or throw gum on the sidewalk, do you throw trash around? Do you do drugs and get drunk in public? I don’t know, maybe you do.
Freedom does not include disrespect for others, decency, personal responsibility, accountability for offensive actions to others and so forth. Freedom is not anarchy. Most people seem to think that is exactly what it is. Just do what you want to do when you want to do it.