What an ignorant statement to make. Are you okay with people making "stupid decisions" like smoking in public places ?
Are you okay with people making "stupid decisions" like driving drunk ?
Are you okay with people making "stupid decisions" like shooting up a school ?
Society works when we look out for each other - and not let people do whatever they think is "right".
You think taking what little money poor people have from them via allowing them to spend it on lottery does not have social consequences ?
On one side you have the rights of the individual and on the other side you have the rights of the community.
Some people tend to lean the scale toward individual rights and others toward community rights.
Smaller government tends to handle the balance by staying out of the way until it's necessary that they step in. Bigger government tends to handle the balance by marking clear (or blurry) lines and moving them when necessary.
If a person or group of people does not act in a way that benefits you, they still have not harmed you. It simply means they have not chosen to conform to your expectations.
Of course this is always an awkward line to walk, and the definition of stupid is entirely subjective. Most things that make people happy aren't totally "rational".
How does buying a lottery ticket hurt others?
Yes, because mature adults recognise that smoking in public places is no more offensive than poor bathing hygiene, and less harmful than woodsmoke.
> Society works when we look out for each other - and not let people do whatever they think is "right".
What is right? The majority? That's just a synonym for might.