I just want to influence people to stay back 2 meters at all times, I find if you yell very loudly at them 'BACK THE FUCK UP!' that you can influence people in a highly effective manner.

I suppose nobody has an implicit "right" to force you to isolate for the safety of the community. But then I suppose nobody has the right to stop somebody from tazing you and putting you in a cage for our health.

Yes, it is right to legislate, and enforce regulations like the "stay at home" or "social distancing." It's just common sense. If we want to get a handle on the spread of the virus and minimize the ultimate impact, then yes it is necessary.

Viruses need hosts. If you deprive the virus of potential hosts, it will die back giving the population an opportunity to develop a herd immunity. The other choices are; 1) to send everybody out, infect as many possible, allow large numbers to die until hard immunity is achieved, or 2) keep re-circulating the disease as islands of population appear to develop immunity, only to have someone travel into the area and re-introduce it in the population and infect those who it missed the first round.

Like the Black Plague, this is bigger than any one individuals desire not to be told what to do. As much as these selfish persons believe, they do have a redponsibility to the larger community which supercede their own percieved inconvenience.

Ummmm, that would be Public Health experts begging everybody to stay home......and it is the law now in a lot of places. Do not understand your post At All!

Of course we do have the right... and we have for thousands of years. Since the dawn of civilization when groups banded together for safety and survival. Individuals were expected to follow rules or laws to ensure the survival of the tribe, klan, or village... and those who refused to support the greater public welfare were banished.

My mother always said "my right to swing my arm ends at your nose." well, your right to go to a party ends at my lungs. Yeah, as a group we have a right to insist on a few things. It's called having a society and even a culture instead of chaos.

g

this is the internet. we are all (i think) humans just screaming into the void. except that some of it is recorded here, and shared.

By example and then answer any questions.

You can't make anybody do anything. There will always be those who will do the exact opposite of what they "should" do out of stubbornness or spite. We're watching it happen on a national level right now. As much as my heart aches for the innocents who will suffer and die in the crossfire, we may see the average IQ of our species rise a few points simply due to natural selection, before this ends.

No. We have no rights except to own ourselves and do the best we can. Why are you interested in trying to influence people?

Everyone, Atheist, Agnostic, God-botherer, etc, etc, SHOULD adhere to what may best for ALL until this pandemic is completely over/conquered and gone.
After all, it IS the right and decent thing to do, is it not?

Yes.

Anyone has the right to suggest what they think is proper. I personally don't try to influence anyone to think what I think. I would like people to practice physical distancing because it affects the spread of a virus that threatens my life. As far as my opinions, they're mine, others are entitled to their own. Don't infringe on my rights in the process. I say live and let live.

Only if they’re our children or loved ones. Randoms on the internet probably not.
How will we influence them? By directing them to factual information from experts in their field.
Is there anyone more appropriate to refer people to?

[en.wikipedia.org]

If one ask you you can give them a suggestion. But no, you don't tell people to do what you want them to do.

You can write pretty much anything here. Telling others what YOU want them to do is fine. You will get some feedback, good and bad.

And, by posting, others will learn what you think about, and therefore, where on the political grid you stand.

Tell them no but give logical advice yes

I only try to influence others by bombardment of information, and trying my best to choose the best information. Don't really think being agnostic or not has anything to do with it.

We have as much right to do so as Theist's have always done and I'm sure will continue to do so.

Self isolation is a choice. I was practicing it way before the virus threat came roaring onto the scene. I agree with KKGator in that the best we can do is hope to influence others. We do not always get what we want.

Not sure I really understand your post.
However, one thing I do know is that we can only control our own actions.
We are fairly incapable of controlling the actions of others.
Case in point, laws meant to control us are broken all the time.

Influence is another matter entirely. Some people are more susceptible to
influencing than others.

If I haven't answered your question, please rephrase.

To be clear, as some below have attempted::: there is no RIGHT to anything on AG. It is a privately owned interface. The owners, and some moderators, can ban you from posting here if they think you have violated AG's terms of service.

I have had posts deleted mostly because my words hurt some SJW's feelings. But mostly it is other members who are most stupid about FEELING offended, usually on the part of someone who doesn't care.

So, have at it. Write what you want. Tell us how we should behave. And do not FEEL offended when one of the miscreants spew vile crap in your general direction.

i try to stick with recommendations or expressing my opinion, and don't get too specific unless asked for instructions, which seldom happens.