Rebelling against sanity

Defying sound health advice on COVID-19 won't save the economy

Protesters.
(Image credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

This is the editor's letter in the current issue of The Week magazine.

Our country was born in rebellion against authority, so it's no surprise Americans have always had a strong libertarian streak. We bristle at being told what to do, especially by the ­government — even when it's demonstrably in the public interest. Millions of Americans angrily objected when health officials and the government began warning that cigarettes could kill them, and banned indoor smoking, and required motorists to wear — ugh — seat belts. Such bondage! Each of these impositions on personal freedom saved immeasurable suffering and many, many lives. Government can also overreach, of course; finding the right balance between individual liberty and the common good is a perpetual struggle. Now, in the midst of a catastrophic pandemic, it is masks, social distancing, and the closures of public places and businesses that have provoked cries of nanny-state tyranny from such diverse voices as a Dallas beauty salon owner and Elon Musk.

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William Falk

William Falk is editor-in-chief of The Week, and has held that role since the magazine's first issue in 2001. He has previously been a reporter, columnist, and editor at the Gannett Westchester Newspapers and at Newsday, where he was part of two reporting teams that won Pulitzer Prizes.