Comments on: Mandatory Vaccination http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/ It is all obvious or trivial except... Thu, 24 May 2012 16:36:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Person of Choler http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/comment-page-1/#comment-12285 Person of Choler Mon, 12 May 2008 05:34:02 +0000 http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/#comment-12285 Let the parents do what they want about vaccination, and let Darwin sort out the results. Let the parents do what they want about vaccination, and let Darwin sort out the results.

]]> By: John Fembup http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/comment-page-1/#comment-12272 John Fembup Sun, 11 May 2008 13:14:54 +0000 http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/#comment-12272 "It’s one thing to say that children should be vaccinated, another to insist that they must." Indeed. And it's also one thing to agree that people should have insurance - and another to require they must, using the mechanism of the State and its laws. When the State has itself, and everyone else, convinced that it is paying for everyone's care, it will sooner or later assert the right to tell you what care you shall receive, and what care you shall not. In effect, we exchange our civil liberties - willingly or not, and at least on this point - for a mess of pottage as it were. And so we come to live under a veterinary ethic and see it as not only normal, but desireable. The state claims to treat us benignly - as we treat our own pets. The State has a veterinary interest to act in our best interests, just as we have a veterinary duty to act in Rover's interest. And all the while decisions are made based in large part on convenience and financial interest of the caretaker. This may be agreeable to the majority of people, or it may not. Regardless, why should it surprise anyone? “It’s one thing to say that children should be vaccinated, another to insist that they must.”

Indeed. And it’s also one thing to agree that people should have insurance – and another to require they must, using the mechanism of the State and its laws.

When the State has itself, and everyone else, convinced that it is paying for everyone’s care, it will sooner or later assert the right to tell you what care you shall receive, and what care you shall not. In effect, we exchange our civil liberties – willingly or not, and at least on this point – for a mess of pottage as it were.

And so we come to live under a veterinary ethic and see it as not only normal, but desireable.

The state claims to treat us benignly – as we treat our own pets. The State has a veterinary interest to act in our best interests, just as we have a veterinary duty to act in Rover’s interest. And all the while decisions are made based in large part on convenience and financial interest of the caretaker.

This may be agreeable to the majority of people, or it may not. Regardless, why should it surprise anyone?

]]> By: dearieme http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/comment-page-1/#comment-12271 dearieme Sun, 11 May 2008 13:05:37 +0000 http://timworstall.com/2008/05/11/mandatory-vaccination/#comment-12271 Public health issues - here, the business of herd immunities - does call for us to accept restrictions on our freedoms - I see no way around it. Typhoid Mary had to be locked up, or you have to accept the risk (or, in her case, certainty) of spreading deadly infection. The problem here is just that we know that New Labour will eff it up: they'll insist on injections for those who, on medical grounds, should be exempted. It's the combination of guaranteed incompetence with their preference for the illiberal that persuades me that we should hang 'em all. Soon. Public health issues – here, the business of herd immunities – does call for us to accept restrictions on our freedoms – I see no way around it. Typhoid Mary had to be locked up, or you have to accept the risk (or, in her case, certainty) of spreading deadly infection. The problem here is just that we know that New Labour will eff it up: they’ll insist on injections for those who, on medical grounds, should be exempted. It’s the combination of guaranteed incompetence with their preference for the illiberal that persuades me that we should hang ‘em all. Soon.

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