Writing against British bans on cigarettes and social media for young people — although the former will automatically expand to include every Briton — Corinne Cowan writes,

The Western tradition has historically understood that freedom comes with the moral responsibility to choose the right thing. Freedom asks that free individuals take up the mantle of choice for themselves. It’s a heavy burden, but a deeply necessary one. The responsibility of choice is meant to habituate good moral conduct. It turns boys into men and men into citizens.

The Western tradition has historically understood that freedom comes with the moral responsibility to choose the right thing. Freedom asks that free individuals take up the mantle of choice for themselves. It’s a heavy burden, but a deeply necessary one. The responsibility of choice is meant to habituate good moral conduct. It turns boys into men and men into citizens.

This is true, but it is only a partial truth. The Western tradition has also allowed for a limited but real........

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