Poll: For FREEDOM!!!

[Zen Toombs]

Because I am dumb and think about these things way too much...

Conceptually, which is worse: for you to be forced to do something or for you to be restricted from doing something? Also, why?

Keep in mind, you can be forced to do something that you want to do anyway, and you can be banned from doing something you never wanted to do in the first place.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

Mathematically, there are a vast number of things that can be done. There are only a small number of things I can and will do. It is therefore more likely for a law that makes me do something to get in my way than one that keeps me from doing something. Think Dwarf Fortress. At any time, would you rather the Nobles put a trade embargo on something, or make you craft something. I'm pretty certain it would be the former.

 

[haruvister]

Restrictions on freedom are commonplace. Being from the UK, I live under a Tory government after all. Paradoxically, restrictions can be empowering, because they give one a set of negative values against which to fight. Coercion, on the other hand, implies not only the removal of free will, but the misappropriation of that will for the purposes of another's agenda, which is surely worse.

 

[Chevalier noir]

I HATE being told I am not allowed to do something. Just HATE it. Even if its something I wouldn't have done, the principle of the thing greatly bothers me.

Being forced to do things you don't want to is part of life, like paying rent, or working a night shift. So that doesn't bother me quite as much.

 

[Boggelz]

It's a pretty vague question, but i suppose to be restricted. Because then the curiosity will always plague you

 

[MrMixelPixel]

I'd really dislike having to do something I don't want to do.

I'd rather have my favorite thing restricted than be forced to do whatever my least favorite thing is.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Am I being forced to choose an option or am I not allowed to answer?

I kid.

I would go for the latter because I don't want to be forced into something my code of ethics would not stand for, like slaughtering 'enemies of the state' in a hypothetical autocratic Canadian state. If I'm not allowed to do something, I learn to deal without it.

 

[Zen Toombs]

It's a pretty vague question, but i suppose to be restricted. Because then the curiosity will always plague you

&​

i think the question should be, would you rather be forced to do something you hate, or not be alowed to do something you love

OP here, and I chose to make the question vague because I was tying to look at which was worse at a conceptual level (Deal with me being a quasi-Philosphy Major!)

However, if I did chose to make the question more specific, I would probably go with something like what Tenno said.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

Let's see what hypothetical scenarios i can come up with for examples...


Being forced to beat children to death or being barred from constructing fusion bombs

Being forced to pay taxes that help lazy people or being barred from wearing a hat in school


Such options... i chose being forced since it seems less exploitable

 

[wooty]

I honestly couldnt say, I never listened to anyone telling me that I had to or couldnt do.something.

Hence why I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger

 

[Bunnymarn]

At least being forced to do something involves some form of experience and, who knows, you may enjoy it. I think I'd much rather be forced to experience something, rather than be denied an experience at all.

EDIT: At a purely conceptual level, it really comes down to experiencing something vs. not experiencing something. Whether or not it's good or bad would be subject to the circumstances and context.

 

[Ziggy the wolf]

i would much rather to just not be able to do something and be a good reason why then to be forced to do something against my well.

 

[Mr Fixit]

Being forced to do something is the only reason i never joined the military...

 

[teisjm]

Those two things are more or less the same.
In many cases, excluding one option will force you into another, and forcing you to do one thing, will exclude you from doing others.

Though i guess in the end, i'll rather have someone forbid me to do something, cause that most likely leaves mroe options open, than beeing forced to pick one specific option.

Also, noone can truly force you, or ban you from doing something, they can only try to prenevnt you from doing/not doing it, or punish you.

 

[Adellebella]

I'd think it's not being able to do something.

Maybe it's just my curiosity, and general stubbornness, but it would bother the hell out of me to not have the choice to do something.

But again, with my stubbornness, being forced to do something would make me not want to do it.

This sucks.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Depends situation by situation to the point where I can't come down one side or the other.

Being forced to murder a puppy is not exactly something I'd like to do, whereas I am forced to go to work to earn money to live, since there isn't another way to independently live your life in this world. But I quite like going to work.

Not being allowed to stick my hand in a plug socket is probably a very sensible decision on someone else's part, and one I would agree with completely, but if someone forced me to not write or play the guitar ever again i'd go insane, probably quite literally.

So it depends on the situation. And also whether I have the illusion of choice or not.