What Vaccine Mandates Teach Us About Collective Responsibility and Ethical Leadership

Scales of justice with Individual freedom on one side, and collective responsibility on the other.

Originally published on LinkedIn on September 26, 2025.

Florida’s decision to cancel childhood vaccine mandates in schools is being framed as a win for “individual freedom.” But when it comes to collective responsibility in public health (and the environment for that matter), freedom without responsibility is not freedom at all.

Society, by its very definition, balances rights and responsibilities. We grant individuals the freedom to pursue activities they value - but also limit actions that endanger others. That’s why there are speed limits in school zones, and why we restrict flying drones near airports. 

This principle applies equally to public health. Vaccines are not only about protecting oneself, but about protecting others - our families, our neighbours, and the most vulnerable among us. Eliminating vaccine mandates places personal preference above collective safety. It elevates “my freedom” over “our responsibility.” 

As I argue in Climate and the Courage of Leadership, leadership requires recognizing boundaries: the point at which one person’s choices cross into another person’s right to life and wellbeing. 

True freedom does not mean doing whatever we please. It means exercising choice responsibly, within limits that ensure everyone can thrive. When we forget this balance, we risk eroding the very foundation of society. 

The question is not “Should I have the right?” but “How do my choices affect the rights of others?” That is the kind of courageous leadership we need today. 

- Royce William Warren