3 ms·

I’d like to ask you to do a mental exercise, sincerely. Whenever you find yourself using the word “toxin”, define it for yourself. What is a toxin, in specific

by devmor 1y ago

I’d like to ask you to do a mental exercise, sincerely. Whenever you find yourself using the word “toxin”, define it for yourself. What is a toxin, in specific terms? This is a nebulous term that is most frequently used by quacks and snake oil salesmen to make a claim of health that can never be proven or disproven. I’m not asking you for a reply to me, you can keep it for yourself, but I think if you do this, you’ll find yourself questioning whether or not you are propagating pseudoscience and it will lead you to better rational thought.

citizenpaul 1y ago
I know some of the nuances of "toxin" for instance water has a toxicity limit. Its not an toxic/not toxic line. I'm not saying floride is bad/good. Just that I don't trust the government and its often very low quality workers to properly dispense a chemical with tight toxicity tolerances. Especially when it's purpose is basically to benifit people whom don't have the desire to take care of themselves. Why do I have to be exposed to something unwillingly because other people are lazy?
- devmor 1y ago
  > I don't trust the government and its often very low quality workers to properly dispense a chemical with tight toxicity tolerances. I have never particularly heard anyone regard civil engineers as "low quality workers" - but you don't have to trust. Water fluoridation levels can be measured for about $20 with a mail in kit, or you could even get a specialized interferometer for a couple hundred. It should be noted that we already measure these levels in municipal water facilities though. > Especially when it's purpose is basically to benifit people whom don't have the desire to take care of themselves. Why do I have to be exposed to something unwillingly because other people are lazy? The primary benefit of water fluoridation is the dental health of developing children and the destitute poor. I don't really want to get into an ideological argument on hacker news, suffice to say "you should care about other people because that is how a society functions." Case in point, fluoride in my water would make my medication stop working. I still support it in the water I can't even drink without filtering because it's a net benefit to society that ultimately impacts me positively in numerous ways.
  - citizenpaul 1y ago
    >particularly heard anyone regard civil engineers as "low quality workers" You still haven't. I never specified such a thing. Nice straw-man though. On a side note I wasn't even thinking about this but I actually personally know two civil engineers(or did). One is a gambling addict. The other moved to a different state because he researched that they had more prostitutes there. I promise you the public welfare is low on their list of concerns. I do care. However when the government is involved care is often manipulated(think of the children) into giving unquestioned authority against people's best interest because its for their own good after all....

by devmor 1y ago

citizenpaul 1y ago

I know some of the nuances of "toxin" for instance water has a toxicity limit. Its not an toxic/not toxic line. I'm not saying floride is bad/good. Just that I don't trust the government and its often very low quality workers to properly dispense a chemical with tight toxicity tolerances. Especially when it's purpose is basically to benifit people whom don't have the desire to take care of themselves. Why do I have to be exposed to something unwillingly because other people are lazy?

devmor 1y ago
> I don't trust the government and its often very low quality workers to properly dispense a chemical with tight toxicity tolerances. I have never particularly heard anyone regard civil engineers as "low quality workers" - but you don't have to trust. Water fluoridation levels can be measured for about $20 with a mail in kit, or you could even get a specialized interferometer for a couple hundred. It should be noted that we already measure these levels in municipal water facilities though. > Especially when it's purpose is basically to benifit people whom don't have the desire to take care of themselves. Why do I have to be exposed to something unwillingly because other people are lazy? The primary benefit of water fluoridation is the dental health of developing children and the destitute poor. I don't really want to get into an ideological argument on hacker news, suffice to say "you should care about other people because that is how a society functions." Case in point, fluoride in my water would make my medication stop working. I still support it in the water I can't even drink without filtering because it's a net benefit to society that ultimately impacts me positively in numerous ways.
- citizenpaul 1y ago
  >particularly heard anyone regard civil engineers as "low quality workers" You still haven't. I never specified such a thing. Nice straw-man though. On a side note I wasn't even thinking about this but I actually personally know two civil engineers(or did). One is a gambling addict. The other moved to a different state because he researched that they had more prostitutes there. I promise you the public welfare is low on their list of concerns. I do care. However when the government is involved care is often manipulated(think of the children) into giving unquestioned authority against people's best interest because its for their own good after all....