Who's more free?

[hydrometeor]

Ok, here's the scenario:

Two people each want to purchase some goods for themselves. Person A's decision on what to buy isn't limited by any government regulation, but he can only afford one of the 5 cheapest products on the market. Person B's decision on what to buy is limited by government regulation, but he can afford to buy any of the 10 approved products on the market.

In your opinion, who has more "freedom of choice", Person A or Person B?

 

[B.Calhoun]

Person A.

Hes jsut broke and needs to get his bum-ass a job to afford the other products.

 

[Pulse]

I went with Person A, simply because he has the choice of the products he wants, rather than having his choice restricted by government regulations. And yes I suspect he needs more money and should get a job as B. Calhoun suggested. Damn loafers.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

Person A because of he has free choice of anything, not just what the government wants him to buy.

 

[Stigmata]

I guess Person A.

Nice loaded question though.

 

[Qonfused]

Well he tried to load it, but it doesn't work. A better question would be "what do you think is better?" That question would result in a lot more deviance among the answers. The question he asked is simple: who has more freedom of choice, which the answer would almost always be A unless you look at it in a very obscure way.

 

[TechnoHippyChic]

Person A because of he has free choice of anything, not just what the government wants him to buy.

Exactly. Person B is just a more successful consumer, not more free.

 

[French Ninja]

A
Inb4Solaris

 

[Asus]

With the aim of this topic I'd say 1st is more 'free'. But I'm going to go out of the way and say both seem to be what I would value as free though. Neither have to change who they are, be made to believe in what they do not or forbidden to do what they believe is right.

Things and products matter not.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Person A, he can get another job and is no longer simply unable to afford it. B can't do a damn thing (maybe court...probably not likely to succeed).

 

[StardogChampion]

I voted A but he's going to die if nothing follows government safety regulations.

 

[Kula Meenur]

I didn't really like communism, capitalism reigns supreme!

Person A is more free imo

 

[co05]

I'm guessing he wants us to say A, so I'm going to say B.

 

[hydrometeor]

I voted B

 

[co05]

O rly?

 

[Dan]

I thought it was pretty clear that B has more freedom of choice in the technical sense. 10 choices vs 5 choices. Poverty is just as much a restriction of freedom as government is.

 

[co05]

I thought it was pretty clear that B has more freedom of choice in the technical sense. 10 choices vs 5 choices. Poverty is just as much a restriction of freedom as government is.

I think it's the "Government's controlling you" thing that everybody distrusts.

 

[Jintor]

Yeah, it's probably slightly easier to get away from poverty than from TEH EVAL GOVERNMENTS!1!11!1!!.

Actually, looks like noone trusts the government.

 

[The Monkey]

Person A, because he has a chance to change his situation, and thus buy more products.

 

[15357]

Person A.



Otherwise you are a communist and should be arrested immediately for the good of the stability of society.

 

[PvtRyan]

B, cause I'd rather be that person

 

[Jintor]

Person A.



Otherwise you are a communist and should be arrested immediately for the good of the stability of society.

I'm surprised. I thought you'd be a government pawn.

 

[Pulse]

I voted B

Why?

 

[15357]

I'm surprised. I thought you'd be a government pawn.

What? I'm a libertarian, at least in economic terms.

 

[Jintor]

What? I'm a libertarian, at least in economic terms.

I was under the impression you were the tool of the state.

 

[15357]

I was under the impression you were the tool of the state.

One of the best tools they have.

 

[Cormeh]

A tool for infiltrating the west via teh interwebz?

 

[CyberPitz]

Person A, simply because if you vote otherwise, you don't understand the question, are being funny, or have no idea what "freedom of choice" is..

 

[PvtRyan]

Person A, simply because if you vote otherwise, you don't understand the question, are being funny, or have no idea what "freedom of choice" is..

Thank you.

 

[Smoke]

One of the best tools they have.

I was under the impression you were the tool of the state.

All I read out of this thread.

 

[CyberPitz]

Thank you.

no prob lover.

 

[Krynn72]

A is more free, but I think i'd rather be in B's position. Then I could buy any of the products that passed government regulations on quality standards. I may not be getting the best stuff, but I am guaranteed decent stuff from the government, whereas without govt input people might just sell me shit, and if im poor, then im getting some terrible stuff.

Assuming we're not in a 3rd world country and our government is capable of making intelligent decisions.

 

[kirovman]

Person B. He can choose from 10 different products, whilst person A can only choose a total of 1! That is a choice of whether to buy it or not. Person B not only has the choice of buying it or not, he can choose from 10 different products, albeit regulated.

It's delusional to suggest that having a choice of one product is a greater freedom of choice than being able to choose from 10!

limited by government regulation

So let's say Person A is in China(government very loose in product regulations), and Person B is in America(government regulates products very strictly to tight standards). I feel this a fair and practical representation of the question posed.

I hear a lot of people claiming that Person A, (in China), has a lot more choice than Person B, (in America).

I'm sure that Person A will be happy to hear that when he buys the only aftershave he can afford (that dissolves his skin), and the cheapest toothpaste (that poisons his children). Thank god that Chinese business doesn't have to suffer the regulations that the American government imposes on them!

They have more freedom of choice?


Health and Safety standards, Quality standards, Environmental standards, these things are regulations.

edit: I think I interpreted it slightly wrong. Well done alcohol.

In that case, it's difficult to judge. You need to know what the specific regulations are, and what the products are. It's too vague, you can't make a judgement with so little information.

But you should still heed what I said about Government regulations being safety standards, etc.

 

[tehsolace]

kiro has a good argument.

Does a poor man have less freedom of choice than a rich man? After all... the poor man has less opportunities to choose what he wants.

 

[Absinthe]

Fundamentally, I'd say Person A.
Practically, I'd say Person B.

I'd rather be Person B.

 

[hydrometeor]

It is person B because he has more possible choices, and thus has more "freedom of choice". It's really as simple as that. Both your wealth and the government are restrictions on your freedom. A starving man in North Korea is hardly different than a starving man in a capitalist country.

 

[15357]

It is person B because he has more possible choices, and thus has more "freedom of choice". It's really as simple as that. Both your wealth and the government are restrictions on your freedom. A starving man in North Korea is hardly different than a starving man in a capitalist country.

Except that a starving man in North Korea can't do shit about his situation.

 

[co05]

A starving man in North Korea is hardly different than a starving man in a capitalist country.

'Cept his government leaders are crazy, their economy blows and he'll probably die if he tries to escape.