Originally Posted by tore

Then I think you're right in that we think fundamentally different. I believe the way to improve the lives of people in a society is to improve the society they live in. Although it's impossible to know beforehand, if giving up a personal freedom will make the overall quality of life go up in a society, then I think giving up that freedom may be justified.

I accept that in society, I won't be completely free to do whatever and I'm fine with that. I'd take happiness and less personal freedoms over freedom and misery any day. Freedoms we give up are usually freedoms we can do without, not things that are crucial to our quality of life.