Ah yes, the old: "This action harms no one but yourself, but we wish to protect you from yourself, so the solution is to turn you into a criminal when you perform said action. For your own good of course."
Paying a ransom is the opposite of this. The action only helps yourself, but harms everyone else, but providing funds to the ransomer.
Reminds me of my relationship with the people who call themselves the taxing authorities.