MASKS: Freedom vs. virtue

I was in a recent discussion about mask wearing as a responsible response to COVID-19. An interesting question was asked. “What’s more important, freedom or virtue?” Without hesitating I answered “freedom!” Some were astonished…

Freedom trumps virtue. It always has and always should. Virtue is vital to a society’s healthy culture, but it can easily be manipulated to take away freedom.

The unavoidable fact is that virtue can be inhibited by peoples’ freedoms. Virtues are shared by many, but they are not shared by all. Freedom isn’t shared as much as it is a state of things that protects virtues, all of them. The rub here is reality. One’s virtue isn’t another’s. For instance, not everyone will see mask-waring as a virtuous solution to some COVID-19 inequities.

Freedom survives when inequity isn’t a target of elimination but is a target of compassion and mercy. Serving virtue at the expense of freedom divides a society. Protecting freedom protects virtue and unites a society.

Freedom asks of us to live with a certain amount of inequity and to do all we can to unburden the harm of where it exists. …And to live with our imperfect results. Let freedom ring!

ED DUDDING

Coeur d’Alene