Undercurrents
Wednesday 17 May 2006 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
As obesity, alcohol abuse, debt and addiction become the scourge of the modern age Night Waves examines the new idea offered as a remedy - soft paternalism.
Playlist
This Saturday, the 20th May, marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Stuart Mill, the philosopher who is perhaps best known for arguing that the state should only interfere in the life of the individual when harm is threatened to others.
On Night Waves Undercurrents Paul Allen examines the relevance of this position in an age where some of our greatest problems involve the harm individuals do to themselves. Spiralling alcohol abuse, rising obesity, sustained tobacco and gambling addiction - particularly with its new online manifestation - all appear to testify to this.
Abuse of credit has partly led to record numbers of self-declared bankruptcies and some of the blame for our pensions crises stems from our not having taken up the offer of company pension funds.
Night Waves looks at the emerging idea of neo-paternalism - a form of state interference that allows the individual to protect themselves from their own demons. Are self-imposed bans from casinos and compulsory smoker's ID cards the way forward for a population sagging under the weight of too much alcohol, smoke, debt and food?
How much has the evolution of attitudes towards virtue, desire and temptation led us to arrive at this sorry state? Is this all the fault of secularism and the sixties?
