Against Autonomy is a defense of paternalistic laws; that is, laws that make you do things, or prevent you from doing things, for your own good. I argue that autonomy, or the freedom to act in accordance with your own decisions, is overrated—that the common high evaluation of the importance of autonomy is based on a belief that we are much more rational than we actually are. We now have lots of evidence from psychology and behavioral economics that we are often very bad at choosing effective means to our ends. In such cases, we need the help of others—and in particular, of government regulation—to keep us from going wrong.Breath-taking arrogance, it would seem, in a book with a wide-ranging list of prescriptions for 'cures' for modern ills, including state-controlled food rationing and strictly enforced limits on childbirth. What distinguishes the enlightened engineer from the stupid meat-puppet would appear to be nothing more than that they are the few who would dare to believe they have the right to instruct the herd.
Doing things to people 'for their own good' can pass under various banners of moral, progressive and beneficial entities, but the oft-unasked question is cui bono? - since, while it is done in the name of the individual's best interests, their objections or demurring are hotly discounted by the do-gooders, not as authentic protest, but as stemming from another, external place: addiction, mental illness, bigotry.
An attempt to achieve the good by force is like an attempt to provide a man with a picture gallery at the price of cutting out his eyes. Values cannot exist (cannot be valued) outside the full context of a man’s life, needs, goals, and knowledge. (Ayn Rand, 'What Is Capitalism?', Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal)
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