3 ms·

You're making up stawmans, nobody's talking about that. Just some extra taxation like with cigarettes. We're discussing ideas on how to get a hold on the obesi

by cies 9y ago

You're making up stawmans, nobody's talking about that. Just some extra taxation like with cigarettes. We're discussing ideas on how to get a hold on the obesity crisis. I suggested some extra taxes. Yes some gov't regulation. You suggested me to use the free market, but food is already on the free market. So I fail to understand what you are actually suggesting. At the same time you say "get rid of the crap", while not defining how to do so (without gov't regulation accordin to your own preferences) and without defining what in your eyes crap then means... Please make a real argument. And why should any solution be "consistent with American values"; obesity in the US is VERY CONSISTENT with American values. Maybe to turn the tide on it we have to look in a diff direction.

JoeAltmaier 9y ago
To make it clear: what people eat and how they exercise is a very personal matter. Social engineering is intrusive and objectionable. When done with a shakedown its particularly intrusive. I'm sensitive to this topic. Live in a University town. Periodically some idealistic students petition the City Council for some totalitarian ban as part of a social engineering agenda. The latest was, Permit only Organic Coffee to be sold in the city limits. This clueless banning/taxing/penalizing folks for living as they please is inconsistent with American values. More typical of nanny states and other less savory government styles.
- cies 9y ago
  > This clueless banning/taxing/penalizing folks for living as they please is inconsistent with American values. More typical of nanny states and other less savory government styles. Bollocks. Read your law books. Weed is only recently legal in some states. Ciggies are taxed heavily, so is petrol. Try walking butt naked in the streets. My point: your values are arbitrary. And calling them American(TM) does not give them any credibility in my eyes. In fact what you are doing is similar to what you despise in others: setting some standard and calling it "universal" (ok US-niversal) > To make it clear: what people eat and how they exercise is a very personal matter. Except: When there is a public healthcare system that takes care of you fuck up. When advertising is everywhere shoving "eat unhealthy crap" messages into our collective sub-conscience. When some sentient being needs to suffer/die/have-children-taken-away-at-birth/is-forcefully-impregnated-(also-called-rape)... What I'm saying is that I see cases around me of diet not being a strictly personal choice. I think if you try hard you can see it too. It's not so black-white as you make yourself believe.
  - JoeAltmaier 9y ago
    Food is different. Very different. Blurring that with strawmen is easy but not helpful.

by cies 9y ago

JoeAltmaier 9y ago

To make it clear: what people eat and how they exercise is a very personal matter. Social engineering is intrusive and objectionable. When done with a shakedown its particularly intrusive. I'm sensitive to this topic. Live in a University town. Periodically some idealistic students petition the City Council for some totalitarian ban as part of a social engineering agenda. The latest was, Permit only Organic Coffee to be sold in the city limits. This clueless banning/taxing/penalizing folks for living as they please is inconsistent with American values. More typical of nanny states and other less savory government styles.

cies 9y ago
> This clueless banning/taxing/penalizing folks for living as they please is inconsistent with American values. More typical of nanny states and other less savory government styles. Bollocks. Read your law books. Weed is only recently legal in some states. Ciggies are taxed heavily, so is petrol. Try walking butt naked in the streets. My point: your values are arbitrary. And calling them American(TM) does not give them any credibility in my eyes. In fact what you are doing is similar to what you despise in others: setting some standard and calling it "universal" (ok US-niversal) > To make it clear: what people eat and how they exercise is a very personal matter. Except: When there is a public healthcare system that takes care of you fuck up. When advertising is everywhere shoving "eat unhealthy crap" messages into our collective sub-conscience. When some sentient being needs to suffer/die/have-children-taken-away-at-birth/is-forcefully-impregnated-(also-called-rape)... What I'm saying is that I see cases around me of diet not being a strictly personal choice. I think if you try hard you can see it too. It's not so black-white as you make yourself believe.
- JoeAltmaier 9y ago
  Food is different. Very different. Blurring that with strawmen is easy but not helpful.