Comments on: Nanny state at it again http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/ A barrister gossips & rants on intellectual property law, the legal system and civil liberties. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:40:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: geeklawyer http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19628 geeklawyer Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:28:27 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19628 In my defence DavidC I would offer the Clinton defence: <i>"I read it, but I didn't inhale"</i> In my defence DavidC I would offer the Clinton defence: “I read it, but I didn’t inhale”

]]> By: David Cantrell http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19627 David Cantrell Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:45:52 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19627 Geeklawyer, you should be ashamed of yourself not just for <em>reading</em> the Daily Heil, but for actually thinking there might be even the tiniest hint of a grain of truth in anything they print without finding corroboration in an actual news source. Geeklawyer, you should be ashamed of yourself not just for reading the Daily Heil, but for actually thinking there might be even the tiniest hint of a grain of truth in anything they print without finding corroboration in an actual news source.

]]> By: simply wondered http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19626 simply wondered Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:50:47 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19626 by doing what the fuck we want anyway, as we have always done for goodness' sake chaps! i despair of my fellow members of the middle classes... you do not get to state your nanny in any state except the one you personally run. this myth of a laissez faire society with nobody in charge, is what has kept the same boring old tossers in charge for ever. it's like the daily telegraph - without the good cricket reporting. by doing what the fuck we want anyway, as we have always done

for goodness’ sake chaps! i despair of my fellow members of the middle classes…
you do not get to state your nanny in any state except the one you personally run.
this myth of a laissez faire society with nobody in charge, is what has kept the same boring old tossers in charge for ever. it’s like the daily telegraph - without the good cricket reporting.

]]> By: moon23 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19625 moon23 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:27:49 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19625 Oh one more thing, how are we meant to learn to walk on our own two feet if we have the nanny telling us what is or isn't good for us? Oh one more thing, how are we meant to learn to walk on our own two feet if we have the nanny telling us what is or isn’t good for us?

]]> By: moon23 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19624 moon23 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:26:36 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19624 Liberal Paternalism has its roots in the notion of Positive Liberty as developed by Isaiah Berlin in 1958. It has an intellectual tradition in socialist thought, and thinkers such as Rousseau. The notion is of course that the State should provide and help for people in order for them to achieve a state of liberty. In this sense it could mean that the state should force people to be educated, as only educated people are capable of exercising their liberty, or it could just mean providing a welfare system so people have their basic needs met. The ‘nanny state’ however takes this concept and applies it with zeal to notions of health and personal well-being. Not only does it state that it provides a health care system, it also seeks to prescribe that we need to live healthy lives. In this pursuit everything from cigarettes, fireworks, alcohol, riding a bike without a helmet, taking magic mushrooms etc. is seen as a target. Personally I’m surprised that condoms haven’t been made compulsory in light of the STD epidemic. I’m not against positive freedom per se, but it has to be supportive rather than prescriptive. The current situation is rapidly getting out of control, and it seems the smoking ban has only encouraged the confidence of those wishing to ban things. I am quite worried that we may end up living in an incredibly healthy yet dull society. Liberal Paternalism has its roots in the notion of Positive Liberty as developed by Isaiah Berlin in 1958. It has an intellectual tradition in socialist thought, and thinkers such as Rousseau. The notion is of course that the State should provide and help for people in order for them to achieve a state of liberty. In this sense it could mean that the state should force people to be educated, as only educated people are capable of exercising their liberty, or it could just mean providing a welfare system so people have their basic needs met.

The ‘nanny state’ however takes this concept and applies it with zeal to notions of health and personal well-being. Not only does it state that it provides a health care system, it also seeks to prescribe that we need to live healthy lives. In this pursuit everything from cigarettes, fireworks, alcohol, riding a bike without a helmet, taking magic mushrooms etc. is seen as a target. Personally I’m surprised that condoms haven’t been made compulsory in light of the STD epidemic.

I’m not against positive freedom per se, but it has to be supportive rather than prescriptive. The current situation is rapidly getting out of control, and it seems the smoking ban has only encouraged the confidence of those wishing to ban things.

I am quite worried that we may end up living in an incredibly healthy yet dull society.

]]> By: Not a Criminal Lawyer http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19623 Not a Criminal Lawyer Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:50:18 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19623 Re Newcastle(s): Could Newcastle under Lyme be at risk of prosecution for theft, if their failure to give the money back is dishonest in the Ghosh sense? Is it even possible to prosecute a local authority? Back on topic, what chance is there that imposing a tax on the right to smoke will be offset by reducing the tax on purchasing tobacco? Will there be a points system, with points imposed to penalise those who smoke in no-smoking zones? Re Newcastle(s): Could Newcastle under Lyme be at risk of prosecution for theft, if their failure to give the money back is dishonest in the Ghosh sense?

Is it even possible to prosecute a local authority?

Back on topic, what chance is there that imposing a tax on the right to smoke will be offset by reducing the tax on purchasing tobacco? Will there be a points system, with points imposed to penalise those who smoke in no-smoking zones?

]]> By: james c http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19622 james c Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:51:52 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19622 Dear Simply Wondered, You do not get to state your nanny in the nanny state. Dear Geek, I wasn't thinking of closing the Telegraph, but restoring it to its former glory. Sacking Jeff Randall would be a start. Dear Simply Wondered,

You do not get to state your nanny in the nanny state.

Dear Geek,

I wasn’t thinking of closing the Telegraph, but restoring it to its former glory. Sacking Jeff Randall would be a start.

]]> By: simply wondered http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19621 simply wondered Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:10:50 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19621 james c - i agreed with your one-point nanny agenda and i agree with your hugely expanded 300% extra free plan for a better world. you can be our nanny (please negotiate with ms r over costume rights). i volunteer to do no4 - must just nip down the garage for a moment - anyone got a box of matches? you see how much we can achieve when we work together. oww - some bastard in a wig hit me! no3 surely does not extend to law students??? nanny should do something about that. give him a good spanking. err maybe not. james c - i agreed with your one-point nanny agenda and i agree with your hugely expanded 300% extra free plan for a better world. you can be our nanny (please negotiate with ms r over costume rights).
i volunteer to do no4 - must just nip down the garage for a moment - anyone got a box of matches?
you see how much we can achieve when we work together.

oww - some bastard in a wig hit me! no3 surely does not extend to law students??? nanny should do something about that. give him a good spanking.
err maybe not.

]]> By: theladyrobinson http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19620 theladyrobinson Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:23:08 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19620 Thank you SW. They do indeed dream of such things but sadly they must only dream. Thank you SW. They do indeed dream of such things but sadly they must only dream.

]]> By: geeklawyer http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19619 geeklawyer Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:43:50 +0000 http://blog.geeklawyer.org/2008/02/17/nanny-state-at-it-again/#comment-19619 Simply Wondered: MsR may have more to say on 'costumes' of a sort later in the week :) Simply Wondered: MsR may have more to say on ‘costumes’ of a sort later in the week :)

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