Sometimes we’re just like the rest of us
Policy interventions need to be premised on non-arbitrary premises, which is part of the explanation for our reluctance to allow subjective moral standpoints or populist vote-seeking to influence what leaders like Helen Zille propose. But where the data do suggest that a certain course of action is justified, are we able to accept that we (as individuals) should be treated as anonymous data points in an aggregated dataset?
Premier Zille is nudging people to Get Tested
Helen Zille’s ‘Get Tested’ campaign has been accused of being another populist device and also of being somewhat illiberal. But it’s difficult to see whose choices are impinged on by this sort of intervention, and we should instead support this relatively inexpensive attempt to increase the number of people who are aware of their HIV status.
Helen Zille on HIV
Helen Zille’s desire to criminalise HIV, and require mandatory HIV testing is an understandable reaction to a national crisis. But the required policies would not only be illiberal, but probably also ineffective.
More on Foschini’s sexist T-shirts
Drawing a line between hypersensitivity and justified affront is sometimes rather difficult. And while outrage is easy to manufacture, and difficult to ignore, the fact that someone is offended doesn’t mean that they are justified.
Sensationalism, morality and the media
We get the society we deserve, in that we are that society and it takes on the forms we encourage. What the public is interested in is not equivalent to the public interest – and it’s the latter that gives newspapers licence to broadcast what would otherwise be details of someone’s private life.
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