Increasing Restrictions on Individuals' Lives

In fact this blog post's title is slightly mis-leading. Of course there are many more restrictions on the way in which one may lead one's life than there used to be but perhaps much of this comes with the increase in choices that has taken place since WWII, at least in the UK. One of the costs of the increase may be being paid with new restrictions that were not applicable a generation ago.

Take air flight for example. The cost of an airline flight has reduced rapidly over the years though this may now be changing partly on account of Russia's war against Ukraine but also partly on account of global warming. 

As  plane fares reduced so did the personal freedoms about accessing the aircraft  and 'enjoying' the flight. Thus some 40 years ago I recall flying back from Ireland  with mrs maytrees and our then two small children, late at night on a BEA aircraft. We were the only passengers and a stewardess came up  to invite us all into the pilots' cabin where the children were given toys and we enjoyed chatting with the pilots.  Today this would not be permitted although the air fares would now be far cheaper than they were then.

The EU is soon to copy the USA and impose bureaucratic visa/pass restrictions on gaining access to  most if not all EU countries though these new restrictions will presumably not  (yet) be as severe as those now applicable to travellers to many other countries. As an aside, maybe travel between the UK and Ireland will be exempt?

The restrictions on taking alcoholic drink in football stadia just imposed by Qatar which for some reason (not logic or the wishes of the fans) is hosting the World Cup for the next couple of weeks,  have  been widely criticised. However that country has banned anyone from having a bacon and egg breakfast there for years and this is hardly commented upon. Of course eating pig meat is frowned upon by Muslim and Jewish religious leaders but why should those religious matters affect those of other faiths or none?

Sadly though as the Russian war illustrates only too well, religious beliefs or none, do not seem to reflect man's great points as well as they do, his appalling ones.

So on balance, choice has been positive, eg the current generation of mankind has not suffered a world war which giving credit to the EU, may also be in part caused by that group including both France and Germany, which countries previously were at war. 

However has  the high tide of choice has  now been reached?