Through the research I have conducted for this blog, I have learned of many ways in which the government, or an institution of authority, has a say in my privacy as a citizen of the United States. The common laws/rules such as smoking bans, seat belt laws, and dress codes are pretty much accepted these days.
What about those laws/ rules that we may not be so accusted too? What about the Head Start program providing tracking mechanisms for children. What about the school that is allowed to degenderize their bathrooms so to not single anyone out?
This brings up the issue of "who owns us?"
In a lecture from Michael Sandel from Harvard University, http://www.justiceharvard.org/
he brings this concept up in his talk on liberalism. Mr. Sandel questions his students if we have lost "self-possession". By inflicting laws and rules, Sandel argues if we have lost our ability to decide for ourselves what we do for ourselves.
So who owns me?
The government requires me to pay taxes and have Social Security drawn from my paycheck. I must wear my seatbelt when in a vehicle. I cannot talk on my cell phone while driving through cetain comunities. If I did smoke, I can only do it in certain areas.
Can I be trusted to own myself?
Maybe I am not trustworthy enough to make my own decisions. Maybe my rights need to be controlled and monitored because my decision will go against the "norm". Maybe the rules are necessary?
What if I owned myself? Would no one have a say as to what I did? Would I be able to go and do whatever it was that I wanted or needed with no interference? Will self-possession ever be possible?
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