Responsibility and free choice

We commonly hear the argument about people being responsible for their own decisions:

• if someone wants to smoke despite knowing the health risks, then that is their choice
• if adults want to watch pornography, they are free to choose to do so
• if people want to drink to excess, then they are responsible for their own actions.

In each case the argument is that people are responsible for their own actions and choices; it is not for anyone else to interfere or restrict their freedom. So the gainsayers are routinely dismissed as restricting free choice and taking responsibility from people for their own decisions.

So tobacco firms state that consumers are free to make up their own minds about smoking cigarettes; those who produce pornography state that adults can choose to watch whatever they wish; and drinks manufacturers and distributors say it up to the drinker to be sensible.

But where does responsibility actually lie?

It is true that each person must take responsibility for his or her own actions. But all the above examples - although they sound reasonable - only look at one end of the transaction; they tell just half of the story:

• Manufacturers of cigarettes are also responsible for their actions, and, as they know that cigarettes harm people's health, they produce goods and make a profit by helping people to harm themselves
• The producers of pornography are also responsible for their actions, and do work that degrades and can be dangerous to their actors, and which encourages damaging attitudes to sexuality amongst their viewers
• And retailers who sell alcoholic drinks in promotional multi-packs below cost price are also responsible for their actions in promoting irresponsible drinking.

So, while each individual is responsible for their own choices and actions and cannot simply blame the manufacturers, the manufacturers cannot evade their own responsibility by hiding behind the 'freedom of choice' argument; to do so is disingenuous. Denying their own responsibility and making a profit by helping people to harm themselves in one way or another is not just unethical, they are also responsible!