3 ms·

I'm more concerned about Big Food as the new Big Tabacco. You don't get cancer consuming tech products as much as you get from Big "food".

drewcoo 3y ago
I'm seeing religion that way. It's hard to go to dinner without the prayer drifting over from other tables, and even in LA most restaurants don't have no prayer zones yet. We have known for years that it's not good for anyone, but they have tough lobbyists, so getting rid of the problem just seems impossible. We all accept somehow that sports figures and celebrities endorse the product - they're adults. We accept that adults should be allowed to make their own decision. But just when we had religion-free zones for children, here comes the 10 commandments on the wall and creationism in biology class. No "this is your brain on religion" commercials yet that I know of. Etc. Just like there was never a "war on tobacco," there will never be a "war on religion." Just like tobacco, there's too much money in religion for that to work.
- eindiran 3y ago
  I legitimately can't tell if this is satire or not. > [E]ven in LA most restaurants don't have no prayer zones yet No municipality in a region with a bill of rights providing freedom of religion is going to create no prayer zones. > It's hard to go to dinner without the prayer drifting over from other tables This makes me think this is satire...
  - ke88y 3y ago
    > I legitimately can't tell if this is satire or not. I mean... really? It's clearly satire. And fairly well constructed prose imo. What the author's actual point is, though, I have absolutely no idea. Maybe there is no point, and it's just pretty prose.
    - eindiran 3y ago
      > What the author's actual point is, though, I have absolutely no idea. This is what makes me unsure its satire; what is it poking fun at exactly? What is the metaphor? > It's clearly satire. I don't think it's "clearly" satire, though I lean in the direction that it probably is satire; I have heard plenty of SF rationalist types say similar things before, so on HN the probability that it isn't satire is much higher than in the outside world. > And fairly well constructed prose imo. Agreed. It is fun and well-constructed prose, which definitely earns it several points in the "probably satire" column.
- boeingUH60 3y ago
  Huh? Where do you live that people pray at restaurants loudly enough to distract you, lol
musicale 3y ago
Big food is a lot closer to being the sort of industry that promotes habit-forming products that kill their consumers (via obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) The unhealthy food industry also lobbies against regulation (such as sugar or snack taxes, or banning unhealthy foods in schools), and blames the consumers of their products. I wouldn't be surprised if they funded biased scientific studies as well. Meanwhile sugar subsidies cost US taxpayers billions of dollars. Also consider the "low-fat" movement that blamed fat for obesity, disease, and death while ignoring soda and highly processed foods loaded with sugar, simple carbs, sodium, and additives.

drewcoo 3y ago

I'm seeing religion that way. It's hard to go to dinner without the prayer drifting over from other tables, and even in LA most restaurants don't have no prayer zones yet. We have known for years that it's not good for anyone, but they have tough lobbyists, so getting rid of the problem just seems impossible. We all accept somehow that sports figures and celebrities endorse the product - they're adults. We accept that adults should be allowed to make their own decision. But just when we had religion-free zones for children, here comes the 10 commandments on the wall and creationism in biology class. No "this is your brain on religion" commercials yet that I know of. Etc. Just like there was never a "war on tobacco," there will never be a "war on religion." Just like tobacco, there's too much money in religion for that to work.

eindiran 3y ago
I legitimately can't tell if this is satire or not. > [E]ven in LA most restaurants don't have no prayer zones yet No municipality in a region with a bill of rights providing freedom of religion is going to create no prayer zones. > It's hard to go to dinner without the prayer drifting over from other tables This makes me think this is satire...
- ke88y 3y ago
  > I legitimately can't tell if this is satire or not. I mean... really? It's clearly satire. And fairly well constructed prose imo. What the author's actual point is, though, I have absolutely no idea. Maybe there is no point, and it's just pretty prose.
  - eindiran 3y ago
    > What the author's actual point is, though, I have absolutely no idea. This is what makes me unsure its satire; what is it poking fun at exactly? What is the metaphor? > It's clearly satire. I don't think it's "clearly" satire, though I lean in the direction that it probably is satire; I have heard plenty of SF rationalist types say similar things before, so on HN the probability that it isn't satire is much higher than in the outside world. > And fairly well constructed prose imo. Agreed. It is fun and well-constructed prose, which definitely earns it several points in the "probably satire" column.
boeingUH60 3y ago
Huh? Where do you live that people pray at restaurants loudly enough to distract you, lol

musicale 3y ago

Big food is a lot closer to being the sort of industry that promotes habit-forming products that kill their consumers (via obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) The unhealthy food industry also lobbies against regulation (such as sugar or snack taxes, or banning unhealthy foods in schools), and blames the consumers of their products. I wouldn't be surprised if they funded biased scientific studies as well. Meanwhile sugar subsidies cost US taxpayers billions of dollars. Also consider the "low-fat" movement that blamed fat for obesity, disease, and death while ignoring soda and highly processed foods loaded with sugar, simple carbs, sodium, and additives.