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> but perhaps the biggest problem is one of personal responsibility. How is it a kid's responsibility when they are fed with junk food from their parents or th

> but perhaps the biggest problem is one of personal responsibility. How is it a kid's responsibility when they are fed with junk food from their parents or their school? Freedom of choice and personal responsibility is all fine, but one shouldn't underestimate the brainwashing power of big food corporations. Mac Donald's and the like devote a lot of energy into convincing people to eat their stuff. It's their incentive to sell as much food as they can, making people obese as a side effect, and they're very successful at it. Apparently this is fine, but if the government tries to somehow counterbalance it, it's viewed as an inacceptable threat to our fundamental rights. I just don't get it.

wallace_f 9y ago
I wasn't making that argument, though. In my post I already noted some agreement with you -- it is fair to say all those things you mention play a role, and I said that. In fact, I would go a step further with improving government intervention and am in favor of abolishing farm subsidies for corn (which subsidizes junk food and corn syrup). I even think taxes on junk food and sugar is a great idea. So I am with you most of the way. However, at the end of the day should we be teaching people they are not responsible for their choices? Ultimately, when even with McD as your only option you can lose weight and still be relatively healthy, is the individual without fault? And regardless of the answer, even in the extreme case of no-fault, I just don't see the lack of responsibility productive. Additionally, I am weary of why we put some failings in a "can't blame them basket," while others not, when everything comes down to environmental influences--A person left to age from birth in a dark, silent room will not be a person the way you and I understand it. So should we just give up on personal responsibility and blame everything on everyone else? There is not one shred of taking individual responsibility in that article.

wallace_f 9y ago

I wasn't making that argument, though. In my post I already noted some agreement with you -- it is fair to say all those things you mention play a role, and I said that. In fact, I would go a step further with improving government intervention and am in favor of abolishing farm subsidies for corn (which subsidizes junk food and corn syrup). I even think taxes on junk food and sugar is a great idea. So I am with you most of the way. However, at the end of the day should we be teaching people they are not responsible for their choices? Ultimately, when even with McD as your only option you can lose weight and still be relatively healthy, is the individual without fault? And regardless of the answer, even in the extreme case of no-fault, I just don't see the lack of responsibility productive. Additionally, I am weary of why we put some failings in a "can't blame them basket," while others not, when everything comes down to environmental influences--A person left to age from birth in a dark, silent room will not be a person the way you and I understand it. So should we just give up on personal responsibility and blame everything on everyone else? There is not one shred of taking individual responsibility in that article.