Utterly incompatible mindsets

Another mile-post on the long march to Hell:

Councils are recruiting 'citizen snoopers' to report litter louts, dog foulers and even people who fail to sort out their rubbish properly.

The 'environment volunteers' will also be responsible for encouraging neighbours to cut down on waste.

The Eco-Stasi is already making inroads with this despicable tactic in California; San Francisco Sodom of the West is already enacting a policy that can fine the plebians up to $1000 for not sorting their trash. While the cry of j'accuse! is not subsidized (yet), it's almost worse that one's neighbors, in the mindset that we must all be Good Germans, are doing this without bribe.

Expect to see similar policies enacted across Amerika; while I maintain the position that I am for having clean air and clean water, it can be done in such a way that is market-driven, not state-mandated. We owe it to ourselves to be good stewards of this planet, but not in such a way that cripples our personal liberties or destroys our ability to generate wealth.

Furthermore, in a consumption-based society, these competing ideologies are going to clash in such a way that the average suburban slob, mindlessly chanting a mantra laced with "freedom", "hope", "change" and "duty", is going to suffer greatly for. I can think of no more greatly injurious act to freedom than making the slave pay for his own chains, and leading him to believe that he is happier and healthier for the privilege.

Lastly, a thought from one of my favorite authors regarding the subject material:

"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies, The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

- C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man