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Limitations
on Freedom in
Society
In Finland, people can't buy alcohol if they want it. Every weekend, many people cross the border to go and drink huge quantities of alcohol in cafes. They come back home completely drunk and a lot of them have accidents. In the 20s, prohibition in the U.S. triggered an enormous black market that filled the pockets of unscrupulous men, but didn't show down alcohol consumption. To preserve nature, you can't hike where you want. You have to take the marked trails. To picnic, you have to eat in crowded picnic areas. You can't sit on the grass. In that condition, where is the interest in being in nature. In museums you can't bring your backpack on your back in order not to disturb other people. You must bring it in your hands. Pets are prohibited in most hotels, public places and state parks. In public places you can't smoke and you can't drink alcohol. You can't sit where you want, like on the steps in front of buildings. Instead of ruling on so many little things of everyday life, we had better show everyone what is good to do and make them conscious and responsible. People can smoke in public places if they respect non-smokers, and they can drink beer in the street if they control the quantity they absorb. People can eat anywhere if they take care of their trash and keep it until they can find a trash can. Individual and collective freedom is a problem of awareness and education. It's not a problem of restriction and prohibition. Limitation of freedom means limitation of responsibility.
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