take video games for example. there are some extremely violent ones. do they help society? no. should they be outlawed? not in a free country, son! this is the quandry. but why do we think we need legislation? can we not trust most of us to do the righter thing? can we not trust our own selves?

so, make a set of voluntary laws, recommendations, that correspond where necessary, to existing laws. this lets society know as a whole what is legal, but also what is better.

simplified examples:

recommend: not burning the flag

recommend: your company does not make violent video games

recommend: your sitcom show a little more respect for the audience

recommend: dont retail cigarettes

recommend: make your fast food at least this healthy

recommend: dont eat beef so much

recommend: manufacture only fuel efficient cars

recommend: disarm 50% of our missles

etc

people and corporations must abide by the law, and it's still a free country as that is a crucial principle. but the more virtuous companies who abide by the more ethical standards get some sort of seal they can proudly display.

you like violent movies and suvs? fine, there will always be a supply in a free country. nothing is compromised. but there may be less produced, which is not the least bit unhelpful, and many would say, very helpful for our longterm survival.

there is little incentive to do the righter thing in a greed-based economy. this may be just a little incentive, for it gets everyone on the same page- "if we want to survive, lets all do more of this and less of this." then we can either do it or blow up.
-- gnormal, Nov 17 2002

Epinions http://www.epinions.com/
More recommendations. [phoenix, Oct 21 2004]

MPAA, CCA, FCC, CARA, etc. No legislation, but the net effect is the same. What's the point in wasting lawmakers' time discussing what amounts to unenforced law?
-- phoenix, Nov 17 2002


// endeavoring to strip money from the less deserving and to redistribute it to the more virtuous. //

We need to find these people, and stop them. Quickly. As a representative, of greedy, insensetive and undeserving people everywhere (including myself), I feel obliged to put the opposite point of view.
-- 8th of 7, Nov 18 2002


Reminds me of when Reagan invented the word "volunteerism".
-- LoriZ, Nov 19 2002


Likewise, many (most?) industries have voluntary guidelines / practices or self regulating bodies. I think their only purpose is to project a positive appearance.
-- snarfyguy, Jan 15 2003


In the US this should be one of the roles of the President; to ask the American people to do certain things for the good of their country.

JFK seemed to have this down, with his emphasis on self sacrifice. Pres. Bush just seems to asks us to shop and spend money.
-- talldave, Jul 07 2003


Rhetorical question. Isn't legislation the law?
-- thecat, Jul 11 2003



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