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Today's
Meditation:
I
believe that some of us do reach this point in our lives,
a point at which the laws of our society are no longer
necessary for us. After all, if we no longer have
any urge whatsoever to do anything harmful to our fellow
citizens, then laws become irrelevant. Laws are made
for the protection of the people of a society, and if we
pose no threat at all, then what point laws?
Personally,
I've always been amazed at the number of people who get
nervous around police officers. I've never been
nervous myself, for I know that I have nothing to be
nervous about. Police officers are there to enforce
laws that are broken, and since I'm not breaking any laws
I don't feel at all intimidated by their presence.
And since the city's laws are in place to regulate the
city, once we are no longer in a place in which laws
affect us, we functionally are no longer a part of the
city except in paying taxes and fees.
Of
course, Aristotle wrote these words before the advent of
the automobile, which led to many traffic laws that are
easier to break-- even inadvertently-- than laws that
protect our fellow citizens from harm. He wrote this
before we were taxed on almost everything we own, before
we became subject to literally thousands of laws ranging
from noise regulations to the copying of music in our own
homes.
But
his basic message remains intact-- adopting a life of
virtue gives us freedom, a freedom that we can love and
appreciate. Our lives become richer and more full
when our virtue keeps us free from worry. I never
worry about the police coming to my home to conduct a
raid, for I simply don't feel a need or desire to break
any major laws, and therefore those who enforce and make
the laws really have no influence over me. My
actions are guided by my desire to lead a good life, not
by my fear of facing retribution if I break a law.
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