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I think there's a lot to be said about how "if you ban it people will just lie" is stupid gun control debate logic

This is what I call the "carceral view" of rules: that a rule is 100% useless without a perfect, impartial, and severe system of punishment attached.

In reality, most of the power of a rule is in expectation-setting: it should point to a social norm and clearly communicate what the social expectations are. People don't *like* having to lie, and are likely just to go somewhere else first, because that's easier.

A rule-breaker knows they are violating a rule, and to me this is the primary purpose of the rule. Punishments, if they exist, should be primarily about stopping damage. This sometimes includes bans!