3 ms·

Please. You really think the government hasn't decided anything in your life? The very infrastructure of the USA and why it is an oil-guzzling, car-crazy countr

Please. You really think the government hasn't decided anything in your life? The very infrastructure of the USA and why it is an oil-guzzling, car-crazy country is thanks to government design. The ghettoisation of urban neighbourhoods, resulting in poor education and high crime rates came about thanks to government legislation. Unless you have a very comfortable income so you can buy your way into a relatively "government-safe" situation (which is made available to the rich thanks to more government intervention btw), then you are very much at the whim of the government (or powerful corporations, which are essentially the same thing) for much of your basic day-to-day operations.

ams6110 9y ago
The USA developed the way it has because there is tons of open space available and as shocking as it may be to some of the current generation, people like owning their own home and little plot of land and a car. FTA: Discover what consumers want to buy and give it to them with both barrels explains almost everything. Note that "what they want to buy" isn't necessarily what they like the best or without influence. As you've noted, governments and other lobbyists can have an impact. McDonalds used to fry their french fries in beef lard. It made for crispy fries and it tasted good. The government and their subsidized agitators such as the CSPI got involved and started telling everyone that animal fat was bad. McDonalds switched to a vegetable/seed oil blend that is actually worse for you to eat and also produces an inferior product -- but so strong was the "no saturated fat" activism that they gave consumers what they were asking for even when blind taste-tests showed that they liked something else better.
waynecochran 9y ago
Yes, and if the writer of this article had their way it would be far worse.

ams6110 9y ago

The USA developed the way it has because there is tons of open space available and as shocking as it may be to some of the current generation, people like owning their own home and little plot of land and a car. FTA: Discover what consumers want to buy and give it to them with both barrels explains almost everything. Note that "what they want to buy" isn't necessarily what they like the best or without influence. As you've noted, governments and other lobbyists can have an impact. McDonalds used to fry their french fries in beef lard. It made for crispy fries and it tasted good. The government and their subsidized agitators such as the CSPI got involved and started telling everyone that animal fat was bad. McDonalds switched to a vegetable/seed oil blend that is actually worse for you to eat and also produces an inferior product -- but so strong was the "no saturated fat" activism that they gave consumers what they were asking for even when blind taste-tests showed that they liked something else better.

waynecochran 9y ago

Yes, and if the writer of this article had their way it would be far worse.