Back in school, I've been studying, to some extent, the history of culture in humanity. Mostly to figure out how religion came about/is useful to human beings as a whole. However, in doing so, I began to think of Rousseau and Hobbes (and Locke, yes, but who wants to talk about Locke), who both discussed why we decided to give up autonomy to live in civil society. The main reason, to reduce large philosophical texts to sound bites, was for safety. We say, okay, I don't need to have total control over my life, so that my life may be extended, and lived in relative safety.
The other day, I realized that, to be completely honest in determining how these social contracts best pertain to me, the greatest advantage I have in giving up some basic freedoms to stay secure is that I can sleep during the day. Yes, that's right. One of the best reasons I have for appreciating social constraints is the nap.
The state of nature is dangerous. Were we still the "noble savage" in the case of Rousseau, there would be feral animals out there to harm me. My cave would not be adequate in protecting me from creatures that could maim or kill me while I slept during the day. Were we still in the state of nature as describes by Hobbes, other humans would will me harm so that they could possess what is mine. But now, in my apartment - whose locks cannot actually protect me from other people - society has all but deemed me secure. Which means I can lie dormant on the couch during daylight hours literally oblivious to the world around me. I'll be clear: this could not be the case were it not that I had given up my natural state. And that, sadly, is the best reason I can find for appreciating the fact that we have given up some freedoms and have decided to be governed by law. So I can pass out during the afternoon.
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