“Most of us are in favour of freedom, as long as your actions don’t hurt someone else. But, as Hamlet would say, there’s the rub.”— Dr. Elliot MalametShould mask-wearing during a pandemic be universal public policy or a personal decision?This episode of the Living Jewishly podcast introduces What Would You Do?, the new ethics podcast from Dr. Elliot Malamet.This episode centres on a topic that has become hotly debated over the past year, sparking protests, violence, and countless conversations: what happens when public health policy seems to infringe on individual agency and choice?Our society is experiencing a huge split in opinion over mask wearing, with one side arguing for the importance of civil liberty in democratic societies and the other side drawing the line at personal freedoms when one’s actions can harm someone else.Anti-maskers often appeal to science and claim that masks are ineffective, but their true motivations lie in protecting what they see as their personal freedom.And therein lies the rub: when personal freedoms result in harm to others, where do we draw the line?When it comes to masks and morality, should individuals be able to opt-out of measures that protect the lives of those around them? And should we be heaping praise on people for simply choosing to behave in a minimally ethical way?To answer these questions, Dr. Malamet looks at a Florida anti-masking trial, an Italian flu vaccination story, and the work of philosopher John Stuart Mill.This introductory episode of What Would You Do? discusses: Why we as a society are so hesitant to impose coercive policies, even when they’re designed to save livesHow we can apply the philosophy of John Stuart Mill to the modern act of mask-wearingWhat kind of a world do we create when we consider basic morality to be newsworthy? “In today’s world, just doing the ordinarily right thing is apparently a cause for celebration.”— Dr. Elliot Malamet Highlights: 00:40 Introducing What Would You Do?01:52 Personal liberty v. social harm03:08 The Piedmont flu vaccinations04:16 Praising v. state intervention05:56 Vaccination requirements & consequences07:32 John Stuart Mill & the Florida mask lawsuit11:03 Freedom stops where harm begins13:03 ‘Crossing the unsafe bridge’16:14 Teenagers & judgment19:42 What can we do?21:46 Responsibility to discloseLinks: To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:Visit our website: https://livingjewishly.org Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishlyWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzwor send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org. Shalom!
