Oh come on

Oh come on
by ndtnguy (2019-01-10 14:04:10)

In reply to: This is laughably offensive paternalism posted by KeoughCharles05

We have rules as a society because we make generalized judgments about what is good for people and what is not. Some of those rules prevent people from doing things that they might enjoy, but that take place in situations the lend themselves to exploitation. Cf., e.g., statutory rape laws.

"Paternalism" is an easy slur to throw around, but it's not some kind of magic bullet. Well-functioning societies (which, in general, the NCAA is not, but that's another matter) have "paternalistic" rules. It's what keeps them well-functioning, as opposed to being Hobbesian libertarian dystopias.

Generally

we don't tell adults that earning a bunch of money is bad for them.

About the only time we do this purportedly for their own protection is prostitution. I can't really think of another example outside of children.

We have plenty of laws telling people they can't do things we think are harmful to others. And we have some laws telling people they can't do things that are harmful to themselves.

But telling adults that they can do an activity, just not earn money for it, is a pretty rare restriction.

And selling organs.

Which, along with prostitution, is along the lines of how professional football has become to be demonized in the past few years.