Preferring Savage to the Brave New World

Someone reading about John Edwards' proposal to force all Americans to submit to medical treatment, whether they want to or not, might be tempted to dismiss the idea as indefensible; however, defenses are being attempted. Thus, Frank Pasquale attempts to support the concept by tagging opponents with the "L word:"

[Ann] Althouse's lament is part of a more general libertarian pincer movement to erode social solidarity.

Ah, so those who oppose this intrusion on our personal freedoms are categorized as libertarians?

In the course of responding to that silly notion, Professor Bainbridge provides a needed reminder from Milton Friedman that freedom is messy business:

I think a major reason why intellectuals tend to move towards collectivism is that the collectivist answer is a simple one. If there’s something wrong, pass a law and do something about it.

That is sadly true. Nonetheless, many Americans (one begins to wonder if it is still most) would prefer to live in a world that is sometimes chaotic yet free.