The
Social Contract at Work
Contract theory posits that people are governed only by consent. In return for giving up certain liberties, they receive other rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is illustrated very well at Washington-Dulles International Airport, where I work for the Transportation Security Administration. Those who have knowledge of the philosophy of contract theory understand this better, and are more willing to submit to the screening process, which makes my job a lot easier.
When airline passengers pass through the T.S.A. security checkpoints, by law, there are certain points at which they implicitly consent to screening of their travel documents, of their baggage and of themselves. Should they refuse any part of the screening process once they have already passed the point of implicit consent, then they are denied the privilege of flight. After all, the law guarantees American citizens the right to travel, but does not specify the method by which that travel is guaranteed. Therefore, travel by air is a privilege, and in order to receive that privilege, travelers must relinquish some of their rights and cooperate with the screening process.
When those denied access through the checkpoints complain or claim that their rights are being taken away, my job becomes a lot more difficult, because I then have to explain to them that they have already consented to screening. If the passengers become even more belligerent, then supervisors and managers get involved, and someone eventually has to write a report, which takes that person away from an already under-staffed checkpoint for sometimes more than an hour. This leaves the rest of us without that person’s help, usually during the busiest time of the day.
In return for the rights that passengers give up, they receive the knowledge that their right to life has not been curtailed by someone wishing to take down their airplane. This could, in a way, also be seen as the pursuit of happiness, because worrying over possible terrorist acts could curtail happiness. Consenting to the security screening process also guarantees that the passengers are still at liberty to travel using the method they prefer: flight.
An understanding of contract theory helps not only those who work for the state, but also those who live in or travel through it, as illustrated at the T.S.A. checkpoints at Dulles Airport every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment