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Comment by avianlyric | Hacker News Reader

I would still disagree with that. Enforcement is part of their role, but not their entire role.

You can absolutely tell a police officer to piss off, and if you’re not doing anything illegal there’s nothing they can or will do.

Police officers don’t just get involved in crimes. They also have a huge role in discouraging asocial (but completely legal) behaviour. The idea that policing can only be done with enforcement and a stick is completely false.

With regards to your point regarding a HN person on the internet. They’re on the internet, not in front of me, that’s a much bigger factor than if they’re a police officer or not.

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> With regards to your point regarding a HN person on the internet. They’re on the internet, not in front of me, that’s a much bigger factor than if they’re a police officer or not.

The web context is our context though.

And there is a question about what policing is without enforcement. The reason why police can scare people with mere conversation is because they're not sure about the law in any situation. I presume that an attitude of "I know the law" is a dangerous play anywhere in the world with the police.

Just because American police have become incredibly militarized and rely on violence and the threat of violence to get their way, doesn't mean it has to be that way.

It's also possible to get people to do things because they respect the authority of the officer. "If this cop says I am being an asshat and should stop, maybe I am being an asshat and should stop." This is what people mean when they talk about soft power.

> It's also possible to get people to do things because they respect the authority of the officer. "If this cop says I am being an asshat and should stop, maybe I am being an asshat and should stop." This is what people mean when they talk about soft power.

Blindly following what the authority says is a gateway behaviour to fascism.

Regardless, this does not seem like a soft power and it is going to happen in the police of any counrty. If you do not follow what they said you are going to be in trouble after all. And no matter the country they DO rely on the threat of violence, this is the whole point of the police, their words are backed with a legal (or illegal) threat of violence.

Compare it to some random citizen telling you not to talk loudly because their child is sleeping. They do not have a state-backed ability to cause violence, and if they did try to attack you, you could go to the authorities.

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