Lessig Reading: Shaping our lives

In the Lessig reading, Lessig talks about how our lives can be monitored on a day to day basis. Lessig uses the example of smoking. Smoking is regulated by the market because of the price and quality/quantity of cigarettes available. The law regulates smoking by designating certain areas that are non-smoking and by making it illegal for people under 18 to buy cigarettes. Social norms regulate smoking too – it's not socially acceptable to smoke during meals, in someone's car without asking, etc. Architecture of cigarettes regulates smoking too (how they are designed and built – ex: nicotine makes them more addictive, putting a constraint on the smoker). It is interesting to see how something as simple as a cigarette is a way people can be monitored. This monitoring of our lives also changes who we are and shapes us into characters we might not want to be. Yes, the smoking laws are in place to help those in our society who are against smoking. But at the same time these laws are shaping our society and individuals in our society. The social norms are able to be changed from government intervention. Allowing the government to step in to regulate some activities such as smoking is important. However, there are also issues that do not need to be regulated by the government and should be left alone to let society dictate the outcomes. In all, Lessig addresses a very important point of how monitoring of people comes in all shapes and sizes. It is not just through a computer or wire tap, but can be done indirectly.