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Originally Posted by RU OX Alum
Addiction's not a form of choice, its a form of disease. And no one who is addicted is of sound mind. But that is a different conversation.
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I'm not so sure that its a completely different conversation. So much of this thread deals in the black and white, as though the situation is either A or Z. As is often the case, reality may be somewhere in the middle.
No, addiction is not a choice per se, and yes, it is a form of disease. But it is a disease that often has at least some roots in choices. People make a choice whether to use drugs or not. If they choose to use drugs despite the risks that come with that use, then that is their choice. Sometimes, choosing to remain addicted rather than seeking help is a choice as well. The reality of addiction and recovery from addiction includes personal responsibility, although that is certainly not all of it.
As for the minimum wage, I doubt anyone here would disagree that someone willing and able to work should be able to find work that provides payment that is fair and adequate to meet basic needs. It's easy to agree that far. But lots of people of all political and philosophical stripes can and do disagree as to whether a mandatory minimum wage helps achieve that goal or hinders achieving it. I don't know the answer, but my guess is that whether minimum wage is the right answer is somewhere between a flat out "yes" and "no," and that it is mixed in with issues of personal responsibility and a variety of competing societal interests.