From: Mermaid (hidden@lucifer.com)
Date: Tue Nov 18 2003 - 08:39:14 MST
Thank you, Blunderov! I have never heard of John Barleycorn before..
[Ophis]I'll be the first one to agree that all of these should be dropped. However, replacing current policies with new policies is only going to give rise to a different set of perverse effects.
[Mermaid]How? Current policies is acutally a replacement for the more sensible policy before nixon's time. did you read the full article and the link?
[Ophis]How dare this author pass judgement on million of other people's lifestyle, alcohol, and food consumption decisions?
[Mermaid]Anyone can dare to pass judgement on anyone..:) Unless he is using force, law or violence to stop an individual from pursuing his desired lifestyle, what is wrong with judgements? Are you *gasp* suggesting censorship?
[Ophis]Who is this all-knowing writer that assumes moral authority over what people should eat?
[Mermaid]See..you didnt read the linked article
(cut)
Pollan, a former editor at Harper's Magazine, is the author of The Botany of Desire and several other books that examine the intersections between science and culture. Here, he talks about his experience as a small-scale rancher and his decision to buy a cow and track its journey through the cattle system for The New York Times Magazine. He also discusses the widespread use of antibiotics in the meat industry, and why he thinks the system is fragile and susceptible to microbes and pathogens.(end paste)
[Ophis]I don't think I would qualify as a member of the community described by the author as "couch potatoes" yet my chosen lifestyle includes a lot of microwave dinners and Mc-Donald's burgers. In fact, I eat a lot of cheap junk food precisely because I have a very active and, I dare say, productive life style.
[Mermaid]Ok. Now you are just taking it personally to create an argument and take the contrary position without considering the merits of his argument. Why?
[Ophis]If the author wants to exert influence over what millions of people eat and drink, he or she should focus on non-coercive means, like education and advertising campaigns, to provide dietary information about the various food products available on the market.
[Mermaid]Writing to an audience to reach them and to make them read is a form of education. Which part of the afore mentioned articles did you find 'coercive'?
[Ophis]By calling for new government policies, the author presumes to be in the capacity to dictate what you and I should be allowed to eat.
[Mermaid]That doesnt make any sense at all.
[Ophis]Let each individual make their own mind -and face the consequences of their decisions- about what they want to eat and drink.
[Mermaid]Agree.
[Ophis]Better education and better access to consumer information is the only way to foster sustainable change in the food industry, while respecting an individual's personnal decision about his or her dietary preferences.
[Mermaid]You seem to be under the impression that the article is a gun to your head as you dream of hamburgers. It is not about dictating what people should eat. Its about the really stupid practice of farm subsidies and what it is doing to the economy. It is about the domino effect of the said policy that affects the prices of commodities and the effect it has on people's health..which directly affects the cost that ALL of us bear in the form of insurance, taxes etc. Who do you think is really paying for all those farm subsidies while enjoying cheap burger from McD? Obesity is a blight on the entire society..i could go on..but I am going to let you read it again to gain perspective.
---- This message was posted by Mermaid to the Virus 2003 board on Church of Virus BBS. <http://virus.lucifer.com/bbs/index.php?board=54;action=display;threadid=29678> --- To unsubscribe from the Virus list go to <http://www.lucifer.com/cgi-bin/virus-l>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue Nov 18 2003 - 08:44:01 MST