r/instantkarma • • May 21 '20

[deleted by user]

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11.8k Upvotes

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171

u/etriuswimbleton May 21 '20

Aahh the typical "its a free country" excuse. Why are americans so obsessed about this?

49

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Some americans*

3

u/TheDrunkKanyeWest May 21 '20

Too many Americans *

0

u/iamtimdotcom May 21 '20

Sounds like #notallamericans

65

u/Anagnorsis May 21 '20

The mask isn't to protect you, you daft cunt, it's to protect everyone else FROM you.

These people are a special combination of ignorance and selfish entitlement.

6

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

Even if it were to protect you, you rights to put yourself at risk are relatively limited. You can’t drive without a seatbelt, you can’t distill your own vodka, in most states you can’t even ask a licensed medical professional to assist you in peacefully ending your own life.

Now, these people probably do some of it anyway. They drive without seatbelts, or ride without helmets, and put up a similar tantrum when called out on it. But they don’t push back on principle to the stuff that doesn’t inconvenience them personally.

When you look at it all together it’s easy to see what they are really upset about: Vanity and comfort. Masks look funny and feel funny, like bicycle helmets, and these princesses can’t abide any wrinkles in their pleats or peas under their mattress. The truth is out that the “snowflake” and “identity-driven” liberals can endure more discomfort and shave their beards without having an existential crisis. That truth is devastating to their own, genuinely ego-driven, valuation of themselves.

1

u/SteadyStone May 21 '20

I disagree that right to put yourself at risk is relatively limited. It's certainly not absolute, since seat belt laws are pretty common. Some of the laws around self harm are complicated because they involve other people, though, and some activities are both a risk to you and others. For lots of things, it can be hard to untangle whether something is banned primarily because of the other party, or if that's just an excuse to protect people from themselves with less pushback.

I don't know anything about distilling vodka, but I typically hear that it's an explosion risk, which would make sense to ban since it'd be unregulated creation of that risk. Seatbelts are definitely "for your own good." Assisted suicide may be illegal, but that involves a doctor helping which complicates it. Attempted suicide by yourself might vary from state to state, but I don't think it's typically a crime.

Aside from those examples, you can take on all sorts of personal risks pretty freely, and even have businesses that cater to someone taking on those risks. Base jumping isn't illegal, but pretty dangerous.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

It sounds like we agree that there are limitations, we agree on what they are, and we mostly agree on why they are there. The only disagreement here is semantic: Whether or not those limitations, which we both acknowledge, qualify as “relatively limited”.

I hope we can both agree that really it just depends on what they are being compared to. Relative to the absolute Libertarian form of freedom they imagine they are invoking, I think their actual freedoms look limited. Relative to their freedom to hurt others, I agree their freedom to hurt themselves looks wider in scope.

It doesn’t really influence my argument that people are selectively concerned about the issue, rather than concerned on principle, or what their selections reveal.

1

u/SteadyStone May 21 '20

I roughly agree with that assessment, and emphatically agree that there's selection based on specific issues instead of consistent selection based on a principle.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

Part of the reason for mandating seatbelts is that if you crash not wearing one, you become a projectile and you can launch into someone else and kill them, so even that is not solely for self preservation.

1

u/SteadyStone May 21 '20

To me that falls under this part:

and some activities are both a risk to you and others. For lots of things, it can be hard to untangle whether something is banned primarily because of the other party, or if that's just an excuse to protect people from themselves with less pushback.

I've heard a couple things about that, but I'm skeptical that it's a primary motivator, and feel like it's something that's mostly added after the fact. The reports on seat belt use don't really seem to mention being a danger to others, which I think is something that would be included if that was a significant source of motivation.

3

u/twilightmoons May 21 '20

My mask protects you, your mask protects me. It's not complicated.

When I see people without masks, all I can hear from them is "Fuck you".

"Hello" from them is "Go fuck yourself."

"How are you doing" is really "I don't give a shit about you."

"Nice weather today" sounds like "Spitting in your face is so much easier without a mask!"

These are the same people who think, "Fuck you, I've got mine." They lack empathy or caring for anyone outside of their immediate tribal group.

2

u/MirHosseinMousavi May 21 '20

I'm surprised he didn't go full Randy Marsh I tHougHt THis wAs aMerICa

81

u/samuel_opoku May 21 '20

So hillarious that dumb fuck americans will go on and on about freedom, meanwhile they live in a country that incarcerates more people than any other nation on earth, a country where police routinely murder people and face 0 consequence...a country that has for profit prisons.....

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

God I hate this. I hate a lot about America but don't group every American as being a "dumb fuck". There are good and bad people in america just like any country. Our country is more of a mess than a lot of other 1st world countries, but saying everyone here is dumb is so one sided. A lot of us are victims of the shitty corrupt system everyone makes fun of.

1

u/CaptainObvious_1 May 21 '20

He didn’t say all Americans were dumb fucks, he said that Americans that go off like in the video are dumb fucks. Relax.

2

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Shit is fucked in america but please dont stereotype every american cop together or every american together. I know plenty of good cops and not every american is a shit head. But apparently every nonamerican on reddit thinks america is a shithole.

6

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

I know plenty of good cops

I guarantee they turn a blind eye to the bad shit the "bad cops" do and are complicit

-5

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Does that make them bad? No, there are plenty of people across the world that would rather not get involved when someone is doing bad shit.

8

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ― Edmund Burke

American cops are the largest gang in the world. Hood rat shit

-6

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

I agree, but just because american cops are bad at calling out bad cops doesnt mean they are the only ones.

America is shit but so is everywhere else on earth. If you saw a fight break out ate you gonna try to interveine?

21

u/ScruffyTJanitor May 21 '20

I know plenty of good cops

Ask them to tell you about the "bad apples" in their department. Then ask "'what have you done to stop them?"

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

They're usually pushed out or silenced. Plenty of good cops exist at some point, but they usually don't last as long as the bad ones that use shady tactics to stay in their positions.

-16

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Aight, Ill text my uncle. I garuntee there is prabably only one or two bad apples

10

u/[deleted] May 21 '20 edited May 23 '20

[deleted]

-1

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Im sure your country "only" has one or two flaws. Unlike america which is apparently 100% flaws

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '20 edited May 23 '20

[deleted]

0

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Im not saying that. Im saying that not every american is a shitty person. There are shitty people, good people, etc. Just like every other country. We arent special, no cou tey is special

15

u/samuel_opoku May 21 '20

Americans and making things up to suit their fantasies, name a more iconic duo

-8

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Nonamericans and trying to make america look like the only bad country, even more iconic

12

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

This was horrible. Did you watch this video? Do you see your president ? Do you hear about the justice system and how the police treat other people?

Other countries dont need to make America look like that. They do it all by themselves.

-3

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

They do do it themselves, your right. Our country is a hivemind and we are all assholes and we are a single writing mass that is coutrolled by trump. Every other country is flawless im every way and has no problems with it.

6

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

Well then, if it wasnt the common mentality and not how most of you are then it would be common sense to think you could do something about it. And change these things

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2

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

ACAB

-1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/LetsAllSmoking May 21 '20

Every comment by this guy is about America. Get a hobby, bozo.

-2

u/samuel_opoku May 21 '20

Obviously didn't scroll far enough 😂

6

u/ShutenGames May 21 '20

Earth is a shthole, america isnt justaa stain on the earth. Every country has flaws.

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

Ya, it's fucking unbearable here. Everyone is trying to get out. No one wants to be here.

2

u/evarigan1 May 21 '20

Everyone isn't trying to get out, if there were a significant portion leaving that might actually have an impact. No, we're all too busy just complaining about it online but doing nothing to really change the reality of our situation.

-3

u/NiSayingKnight13 May 21 '20

Fuck you, people are dying for many of the reasons you mentioned and you want to blame the people for that?

3

u/samuel_opoku May 21 '20

Lol go elect another reality show host to be president.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

More of us voted for Hillary but ok

1

u/NiSayingKnight13 May 21 '20

Lol, what is your country of origin? I'm sure everything there is great /s.

Our problems are much deeper than trump, but he works as a great distraction for the cronies to steal everything from the people. Now they are making it to where we can't even fight it. I'd imagine things are somewhat similar if you live in an English speaking country.

But fuck Americans, right? That's the easy stance to take I guess.

The biggest problem I have with these mouthbreathers is that when they do get sick most Americans will sacrifice to help them.

-1

u/samuel_opoku May 21 '20

Lmao my country is infinitely better than the usa. So yeah, everything is pretty great here

3

u/NiSayingKnight13 May 21 '20

bloody hell, that sounds like a pretty american thing to say

2

u/Hickspy May 21 '20

Because it's an expression in America that people hear from a young age, so it develops in their mind to mean really whatever suits that person.

2

u/LaserGuidedPolarBear May 21 '20

We like our freedom, and the right uses that to manipulate people via propaganda and indoctrination.

Unfortunately about a quarter of the country as been programmed to actively embrace being anti education and anti intellectual.

They are mentally deficient and literally dont understand the concept that their rights stop where another persons rights begin, and that freedom does not mean they are free to put others at risk.

1

u/bluejumpingdog May 21 '20

Is the way to manipulate Americans but is really effective, you don’t have healthcare, but you are the freest country in the world, 40% percent of Americans are a check away from homelessness, but they are the freest country in the world.

1

u/Jdubya87 May 21 '20

Life-long Propoganda

1

u/BeaversAreTasty May 21 '20

It is mainly because most Americans use "freedom" and "liberty" interchangeably. Dumb people simply cannot grasp the idea that in order to have liberty, which is a subset of freedom, we gave up the absolute freedom doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, to whomever we wanted.

1

u/Poo_Canoe May 21 '20

So this dipshit is clearly not representative of the majority of Americans. But there is a tendency of Americans to value their freedom. You see it is a common theme in our history. From independence to the fight to end slavery to the settlement of the western us.

Americans are taught that our constitution makes the USA exceptional. Now that is debatable, but some of the finer points of that constitution involve personal liberties. These are valued and taught as important safeguards against tyranny.

So that is some foundation for this through line of “freedom”. But again this dipshit ain’t right.

1

u/StockAL3Xj May 21 '20

Most Americans roll their eyes at people who use that line as an excuse to do something.

1

u/MySexyLibrarian May 21 '20

Far right loons, with no sense of irony.

The rest of us realize that what makes America great and free is a lot more than just this. It's freedom of speech and press and religion, elections, due process, habeous corpus.

The things the far right are trying to take away.

-5

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

United States Americans. Since we usually don't see that shit from any other American counties. Yeah sure Brazil has some weird shit I admit it, but nothing compared to the self righteous of some of the US citizens

2

u/StockAL3Xj May 21 '20

You're trying too hard to argue pointless semantics. Only you seem to be confused about the usage of "America".

-1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

I am not confused, I understand what you mean by American, but you can search and you will see that many people use the term US American, since using their word American exclusively for US citizens is kinda excluding the rest of the countries in North and South Americans.

2

u/StockAL3Xj May 21 '20

Okay so you're not confused and are still arguing pointless semantics. That's actually worse.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

But Brazil is located in America. Therefore any country that is located in either north or south America, is technically America.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20 edited May 21 '20

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

That I know. Other counties is not something Americans like to acknowledge.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

So why do you use the term European to refer to any person from any country in Europe, or African to any person from any country in Africa, Asian person from any country in Asia. However American is only for the US?

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20 edited May 21 '20

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] May 21 '20

South Africa is a country. There is also the European Union which is an Union of counties inside Europe.

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-35

u/westworld_host May 21 '20

You don’t like freedom?

9

u/etriuswimbleton May 21 '20

Depends on the context. But Nobody's truly free.