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Forcibly restricting what people eat is one of the worst kinds of violence. Any ruling class that tries to tell it's subjects what they can eat needs to be brut

Forcibly restricting what people eat is one of the worst kinds of violence. Any ruling class that tries to tell it's subjects what they can eat needs to be brutally opposed. Ironically this would be common sense if it was happening in a far off country, but somehow in the western world we seem cool with casual authoritarianism, even the most violent kind

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
LunarAurora 4y ago
That is the magic of modernity...: You create factories that, proudly, slaughter up to a million pig [1] a year, and then sell that (subsidized) meat so cheap, most people will just get accustomed (almost addicted) to eating so much of it. Now, what happens when you restrict an addict? what did you call that again? "the worst kinds of violence". Yeah, I agree. It is violent. Who's to blame ? [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/25/chinas-26-storey-pig-skyscraper-ready-to-produce-1-million-pigs-a-year https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/25/chinas-2...
- linksnapzz 4y ago
  "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under of robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some points be satiated; but those who torment us for their own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to heaven yet at the same time likely to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be “cured” against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on the level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals." -C.S. Lewis
superchroma 4y ago
No, I disagree. We've tried it the american way and americans have shown us what they're capable of. With their much vaunted freedom, they have allowed corporations to devise ultra-processed foods, loaded with chemicals and contaminants, predicated on atrocious animal welfare, unsustainable farming practices, with insufficient labelling, and out of this they proceed to make awful meals. They pair these ingredients with an atrocious average level of education and awareness and zero sense of personal responsibility, leading to huge amounts of obesity and obesity related diseases. And on top of that, the purveyors of some of the worst kinds of american poison - fast food vendors - are seen as defacto welfare providers, particularly in poor areas, which is curious considering they pay a median of $8.65 an hour whilst the 10 largest fast-food chains made more than $15 billion in profits in 2012. McDonalds in particular had employees collecting $1.2 billion in public assistance in four federal-state programs. The entire point of the ruling class is to make responsible choices that the populace isn't likely to make for themselves, and balance this goal against a need for freedom and liberty. This function is essential particularly when the cards are stacked against the individual, and they are disincentivized from making the right choices on their own. Allowing Americans to eat themselves to extinction in poverty and squalor is not a noble goal.
- hackrnusr 4y ago
  Countless species have already gone extinct over the eons. Why not one more?
  - superchroma 4y ago
    It seems wasteful.
    - hackrnusr 4y ago
      Just let evolution continue working its magic. Can always hope that what comes next after humans is kinder and gentler.
sp332 4y ago
We don't have to force anything. We could just stop subsidizing livestock ranchers billions of dollars per year, plus subsidizing feedstock farmers billions per year.
- whythre 4y ago
  Sounds like a great way to remove significant sources of food for the poor.
  - sp332 4y ago
    If we had the political will to make sure poor people could eat, we could just redirect some of the subsidy money.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

LunarAurora 4y ago

That is the magic of modernity...: You create factories that, proudly, slaughter up to a million pig [1] a year, and then sell that (subsidized) meat so cheap, most people will just get accustomed (almost addicted) to eating so much of it. Now, what happens when you restrict an addict? what did you call that again? "the worst kinds of violence". Yeah, I agree. It is violent. Who's to blame ? [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/25/chinas-26-storey-pig-skyscraper-ready-to-produce-1-million-pigs-a-year https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/25/chinas-2...

linksnapzz 4y ago
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under of robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some points be satiated; but those who torment us for their own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to heaven yet at the same time likely to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be “cured” against one’s will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on the level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals." -C.S. Lewis

superchroma 4y ago

No, I disagree. We've tried it the american way and americans have shown us what they're capable of. With their much vaunted freedom, they have allowed corporations to devise ultra-processed foods, loaded with chemicals and contaminants, predicated on atrocious animal welfare, unsustainable farming practices, with insufficient labelling, and out of this they proceed to make awful meals. They pair these ingredients with an atrocious average level of education and awareness and zero sense of personal responsibility, leading to huge amounts of obesity and obesity related diseases. And on top of that, the purveyors of some of the worst kinds of american poison - fast food vendors - are seen as defacto welfare providers, particularly in poor areas, which is curious considering they pay a median of $8.65 an hour whilst the 10 largest fast-food chains made more than $15 billion in profits in 2012. McDonalds in particular had employees collecting $1.2 billion in public assistance in four federal-state programs. The entire point of the ruling class is to make responsible choices that the populace isn't likely to make for themselves, and balance this goal against a need for freedom and liberty. This function is essential particularly when the cards are stacked against the individual, and they are disincentivized from making the right choices on their own. Allowing Americans to eat themselves to extinction in poverty and squalor is not a noble goal.

hackrnusr 4y ago
Countless species have already gone extinct over the eons. Why not one more?
- superchroma 4y ago
  It seems wasteful.
  - hackrnusr 4y ago
    Just let evolution continue working its magic. Can always hope that what comes next after humans is kinder and gentler.

sp332 4y ago

We don't have to force anything. We could just stop subsidizing livestock ranchers billions of dollars per year, plus subsidizing feedstock farmers billions per year.

whythre 4y ago
Sounds like a great way to remove significant sources of food for the poor.
- sp332 4y ago
  If we had the political will to make sure poor people could eat, we could just redirect some of the subsidy money.