I am about half way through a the book Predictably Irrational. In the book, psychologist Dan Ariely summarizes and applies psychological studies which show how the brain consistently makes logical mistakes. The book is both interesting and informative. And if I were to summarize it in one sentence it would be: emotions are not logical. Whenever we are experiencing anger, arousal, or another strong emotion, our brains just don't work as well as we want them to.
This has always been the problem with libertarianism for me. Libertarianism is premised on rational choice: individuals using the free market to choose what is best for themselves rather than the government interfering with their options. The human brain is a marvelous thing, but it is far from perfect. What we intend to do and what we actually do are frequently too different. If anyone wants proof, just look to any fat person trying to lose weight or any over-spender struggling to save for retirement. The fat person knows that if they eat healthier foods in smaller portions, he or she will lose weight. But, when one is hungry, too often the brain cannot sacrifice short-term rewards for long-term rewards. These common problems in human reasoning prevent anyone from achieving their optimum long-term utility.
It is time for everyone to recognize and admit that for society to best succeed, society must sometimes do things we don't like.
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