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First, it's not a slippery slope, because there is a simple and logical progression for it, and examples in other fields - seatbelt laws, for example. Also, the

First, it's not a slippery slope, because there is a simple and logical progression for it, and examples in other fields - seatbelt laws, for example. Also, the article itself mentions tracking alcohol use and weight. Why would you track smoking? Because the company pays more for insurance. So, it makes sense to track other things that are indicators for worse health outcomes, also causing higher insurance payments.

jbob2000 8y ago
> seatbelt laws What are you saying here? You've lost me. Seatbelts are good and the laws we have in place are there to keep ignorance about them from spreading (ie. if you've never gotten in an accident, why would you wear a seatbelt?). So I definitely agree that we slipped on this slope for a good reason.
- ameister14 8y ago
  The reason seatbelt laws exist is not because they are intrinsically good, or to prevent ignorance. They exist because it is expensive to pay for someone that has slammed through a windshield and requires intensive care. They passed in large part through the argument that putting them in place would lower insurance rates. That's where a lot of the money lobbying for their use came from. They also passed so that the automakers wouldn't be forced to put airbags into cars.
GordonS 8y ago
> seatbelt laws, for example I was all up with agreeing with you until this point - but I honestly find it quite incredible that there are still people that think seatbelts are a bad thing.
- ameister14 8y ago
  I'm not saying seatbelts are bad, I'm saying the reason the laws exist is in part based on a combination of NHTS data opened up with Reagan's move to regulate federal drinking laws and the idea that mandatory seatbelts would lower insurance costs. It's an example of one thing being tracked moving down the line to something that the majority of people opposed also being tracked and legislated.

jbob2000 8y ago

> seatbelt laws What are you saying here? You've lost me. Seatbelts are good and the laws we have in place are there to keep ignorance about them from spreading (ie. if you've never gotten in an accident, why would you wear a seatbelt?). So I definitely agree that we slipped on this slope for a good reason.

ameister14 8y ago
The reason seatbelt laws exist is not because they are intrinsically good, or to prevent ignorance. They exist because it is expensive to pay for someone that has slammed through a windshield and requires intensive care. They passed in large part through the argument that putting them in place would lower insurance rates. That's where a lot of the money lobbying for their use came from. They also passed so that the automakers wouldn't be forced to put airbags into cars.

GordonS 8y ago

> seatbelt laws, for example I was all up with agreeing with you until this point - but I honestly find it quite incredible that there are still people that think seatbelts are a bad thing.

ameister14 8y ago
I'm not saying seatbelts are bad, I'm saying the reason the laws exist is in part based on a combination of NHTS data opened up with Reagan's move to regulate federal drinking laws and the idea that mandatory seatbelts would lower insurance costs. It's an example of one thing being tracked moving down the line to something that the majority of people opposed also being tracked and legislated.