The Curious Task Bill Wirtz - Why Do Governments Hate Fun?
Matt Bufton is joined by Bill Wirtz of the Consumer Choice Centre to explore why governments often crack down on fun—from drinking and smoking to gambling and vaping. They dive into the cultural and political roots of paternalistic policies, how public health rhetoric masks deeper control impulses, and why Canada offers a revealing case study in state-imposed virtue. Wirtz also highlights how prohibitionist instincts persist even when evidence contradicts their effectiveness.
References“Children Are the Future: Authoritarianism, Culture War and Making Model Citizens” by Alan Elrod
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/children-are-the-future-authoritarianism-culture-war-and-making-model-citizens/
That Which is Seen and That Which is Not Seen by Frédéric Bastiat
https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/bastiat-selected-essays-on-political-economy#lf0181_head_009
The Fun Police – Podcast Series by Bill Wirtz
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/fun-police/id1714265675
World Health Organization – Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
https://fctc.who.int/
Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose” (PBS Series)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dngqR9gcDDw&list=PLt27lKoC5LS4wbD28Jkv95UUm9H7wbVO4
Including Kris Rondolo, Amy Willis, and Christopher McDonald. To support the podcast, visit:
https://patreon.com/curioustask