NationStates Jolt Archive

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

EDIT: By the way, this thread definitely does not have any metaphorical implications. Maybe.

Prohibit unhealthy foods, I don't like the idea of selling poison to people. Remember the Opium wars?

We're wasting resources on bad food when, from the way I see it, natural healthy foods are cheaper. Nature takes care of itself, you don't need to hire a chemist. Speaking of chemistry, the average person eats so many preservatives they're carcass doesn't rot in the morgue as fast as it used to. :eek: At least he gets break time now that he doesn't need to do autopsies as soon as the body comes in. :(

What is it about governments that causes people to believe that the group of people in the fancy building are capable of protecting the other groups of people from their personal mistakes?

No, I don't support this- or prohibition, or requiring private businesses to be smoke-free, or extensive drug control or censorship of pornography.

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

Just slap a "sin tax" on it like we do tobacco and alcohol. That could help cover some of the medical $$$ issues (though I won't hold my breath). Then leave it up to the individual.

I was going to say yes, because really, who wants to stuff their faces with unhealthy foods?

But then I thought "Wait a sec.. does this include home made cakes and cookies and candies?"

.. well? Does it?

Prohibit unhealthy foods, I don't like the idea of selling poison to people. Remember the Opium wars?

We're wasting resources on bad food when, from the way I see it, natural healthy foods are cheaper. Nature takes care of itself, you don't need to hire a chemist. Speaking of chemistry, the average person eats so many preservatives they're carcass doesn't rot in the morgue as fast as it used to. :eek: At least he gets break time now that he doesn't need to do autopsies as soon as the body comes in. :(

What about natural unhealthy foods?

I was going to say yes, because really, who wants to stuff their faces with unhealthy foods?

But then I thought "Wait a sec.. does this include home made cakes and cookies and dandies?"

.. well? Does it?

That would be up to the FDA or a newly created government bureau to decide.

What about natural unhealthy foods?

natural= healthy and more practical

unhealthy=corporate poison designed for profit, not to feed

Edit: NSGers love twisting my words :( *sends all the words I typed here to a chiropractor*

natural= healthy and more practical

unhealthy=corporate poison designed for profit, not to feed

LOL!

That would be up to the FDA or a newly created government bureau to decide.

I'm not sure I like the idea of someone telling me what I can and can't cook in my own house. Much like smoking weed.

.. ZOMG! MUNCHIES! Oh wow. How the hell did I not think of munchies? *changes opinion*

No banning unhealthy foods!

natural= healthy and more practical

unhealthy=corporate poison designed for profit, not to feed

...

No, if people want to eat unhealthy food, its kinda their choice.

I'm not sure I like the idea of someone telling me what I can and can't cook in my own house. Much like smoking weed.

.. ZOMG! MUNCHIES! Oh wow. How the hell did I not think of munchies? *changes opinion*

No banning unhealthy foods!

*hands him nuts and viatmin water*

Eat and drink....hehehehe*eyes glow yellow* And soon your path to the not self destructive side of the diet shall be complete! *imperial march comes on*

natural= healthy and more practical

unhealthy=corporate poison designed for profit, not to feed

Most of the foods that are being targeted right now as dangerous are naturally occurring (Trans-fat, Salt, Sugar, etc).

No way! I rather like my chocolate thank you very much.

natural= healthy and more practical

unhealthy=corporate poison designed for profit, not to feed

Edit: NSGers love twisting my words :( *sends all the words I typed here to a chiropractor*

Sugar = Natural

Salt = Natural

Butter = Natural

Lard = Natural

Tobacco = Natural

Cocaine = Natural

etc, etc.

Most of the foods that are being targeted right now as dangerous are naturally occurring (Trans-fat, Salt, Sugar, etc).

So you'd rather eat a plastic burger than a real one? :confused:

God no! If they ban junk food, I'll starve to death.

So you'd rather eat a plastic burger than a real one? :confused:

I'm not sure how that addressed his point. He was stating that there are a series of things in nature that are unhealthy for you.

So you'd rather eat a plastic burger than a real one? :confused:

:confused: Natural food is not inherently healthy!

I'm not sure how that addressed his point. He was stating that there are a series of things in nature that are unhealthy for you.

The real deal is better for you. Because it appears in nature, thats what the human body is meant to deal with. Trans-fat I believe is artificial. Salt and sugar are good for you provided you eat it moderately. The reason its causing health hazards is because we are ODing on the stuff. What our ancestors ate naturally before regarding salt and sugar is nothing compared to what we eat today. We are consuming more than our bodies need and thats causing health issues. It not only applies to sugar and salt, it even applies to water! Remember the wii chick who died?

Cocaine = Natural

The coca leaf is natural, cocaine is processed.

The real deal is better for you. Because it appears in nature, thats what the human body is meant to deal with.

We were meant to deal with belladonna? What about hemlock? The toxin secreted by poison arrow frogs?

Sugar = Natural

Salt = Natural

Butter = Natural

Lard = Natural

Tobacco = Natural

Cocaine = Natural

etc, etc.

We're talking about foods, drugs don't count.

And all the rest listed do no harm if they're eaten moderately. The health problems are from having more than the human body was meant to have.

The real deal is better for you. Because it appears in nature, thats what the human body is meant to deal with. Trans-fat I believe is artificial. Salt and sugar are good for you provided you eat it moderately. The reason its causing health hazards is because we are ODing on the stuff. What our ancestors ate naturally before regarding salt and sugar is nothing compared to what we eat today. We are consuming more than our bodies need and thats causing health issues. It not only applies to sugar and salt, it even applies to water! Remember the wii chick who died?

Trans-fats are fully natural. Our ancestors were not more healthy than we are, at least according to lifespan.

The real deal is better for you. Because it appears in nature, thats what the human body is meant to deal with.

you mean like...hemlock? Arsenic? Cyanide? Uranium?

Trans-fat I believe is artificial.

And you'd be wrong

Salt and sugar are good for you provided you eat it moderately.

Most things are not harmful for you if done in moderation

The reason its causing health hazards is because we are ODing on the stuff.

What stuff? The fully natural stuff like salt and sugar?

What our ancestors ate naturally before regarding salt and sugar is nothing compared to what we eat today.

So...you admit that even fully natural foods can be unhealthy if eatten outside of moderation?

We are consuming more than our bodies need and thats causing health issues. It not only applies to sugar and salt,

Those all natural things again.

it even applies to water! Remember the wii chick who died?

Yeah interesting case that. You know what killed her? Reverse osmosis in her brain cells, brought about by an electrolite imbalance. That imbalance was caused by drinking too much clean, pure, fully natural H20.

In this case the water was actually TOO pure. It was the very LACK of additives in the water that killed her. If instead of drinking pure, clean, all natural filtered water she instead drank an artifical sports drink like gatoraid she would have lived.

We were meant to deal with belladonna? What about hemlock? The toxin secreted by poison arrow frogs?

You forget that humans were once forest dwellers and that we have a connection to the environment and the ecosystem. I'd rather we went with nature sometimes rather than always fighting it. And the things listed above are not foods.

I don't think they should ban foods, unless we are talking people dropping dead from it after eating it a couple of times.

It's up to an individual to decide what is right for him/her or not. It's just taking away more freedom. :headbang: :mp5:

My body. My choice.

SL, you can take your health-nut-totalitarianism, cover it with tofu juice and palm fronds and eat til your excrement is singing "Kumbaya" for all I care. I want my greasy "plastic" burgers and my soda, thank you.

You forget that humans were once forest dwellers and that we have a connection to the environment and the ecosystem. I'd rather we went with nature sometimes rather than always fighting it. And the things listed above are not foods.

What exactly do you define as "food"? There are numerous berries and fish that are extremely toxic.

Your argument of "all natural food is good for you" becomes so totally nonsensical if you define food as only those things that can't kill you, which of course means nothing since, as you yourself pointed out, too much water, perhaps the most natural thing there is, can kill you.

Because, of course, the entire fast food industry is, in fact, a global communi-...fascis-...libe-...
...
WHATEVER! ITS ALL A CONSPIARACY MAN! THEYRE OUT TO GET US MAN! THEY WANT TO POISON OUR BRAINS WITH CHEMICALS MAN!

Because it is a well known fact that 'chemicals' are bad for you.

you mean like...hemlock? Arsenic? Cyanide? Uranium?

Ahem...foods....

Most things are not harmful for you if done in moderation

Not easy to eat moderately if your addicted to plastic and chemicals.

What stuff? The fully natural stuff like salt and sugar?

Yes.

So...you admit that even fully natural foods can be unhealthy if eatten outside of moderation?

We're talking about eating healthy right? Eating the right foods is half the battle, moderation is also a factor as I stated earlier. Eating good food is better than eating chemicals that are meant to make you think it's food.
You can live your whole life eating real food (as our bodies were meant to) but if you eat McDonalds for a whole month you start to die. Remember "Super Size Me"? That guy had the doctors worried.

Yeah interesting case that. You know what killed her? Reverse osmosis in her brain cells, brought about by an electrolite imbalance. That imbalance was caused by drinking too much clean, pure, fully natural H20.

In this case the water was actually TOO pure. It was the very LACK of additives in the water that killed her. If instead of drinking pure, clean, all natural filtered water she instead drank an artifical sports drink like gatoraid she would have lived.

So eating salt and sugar in large amounts DOES'NT create an imbalance? I'm pretty sure if it was gatoraid that it would have still caused some imbalance in homeostatis as well. Thanks for seconding my point taht eating without moderation creates unhealthy imbalances.

My body. My choice.

SL, you can take your health-nut-totalitarianism, cover it with tofu juice and palm fronds and eat til your excrement is singing "Kumbaya" for all I care. I want my greasy "plastic" burgers and my soda, thank you.

Enjoy digging your grave with a knife and fork and funding corporations who profit off poisoning others. :) *waves*

Enjoy digging your grave with a knife and fork and funding corporations who profit off poisoning others. :) *waves*

He has the freedom to do so, it's more about the right to choose what YOU want to eat.

Enjoy digging your grave with a knife and fork and funding corporations who profit off poisoning others. :) *waves*

Yeah, foolish person, doesn't he know that if he only eats healthy he'll.....still die...

What exactly do you define as "food"? There are numerous berries and fish that are extremely toxic.

Your argument of "all natural food is good for you" becomes so totally nonsensical if you define food as only those things that can't kill you, which of course means nothing since, as you yourself pointed out, too much water, perhaps the most natural thing there is, can kill you.

Edible things that aren't poison that when eaten moderately are good for you.

Edible things that aren't poison that when eaten moderately are good for you.

so in fact you concede that there are a GREAT many things in nature that are not at all good for you? That your statement of "Because it appears in nature, thats what the human body is meant to deal with." is in fact absolutly untrue?

Enjoy digging your grave with a knife and fork and funding corporations who profit off poisoning others. :) *waves*

Thanks!

I'm a capitalist so your "corporations! evil profit!" argument is not really going to have the desire emotional appeal you are aiming for with me. ;)

And did you know? Hitler was also a diehard vegetarian. Not that you're Hitler, but it's interesting you seem to echo his belief that the government should enforce good health by prohibiting things. You probably also want cigarettes banned, yes?

Yeah, foolish person, doesn't he know that if he only eats healthy he'll.....still die...

Hypocrite, you know how dumb that sounded?! LOL. "BEING HEALTHY IS BAD FOR YOU" Well at least I'll be digging my grave with a cyber shovel rather than a knife and fork. :p

The fact is though, at the end, generally, you're right.

In general the best way to stay healthy is to eat good and healthy foods in moderation. This is the most surefire way to ensure you stay healthy.

The fact is though, whether one chooses to be healthy or not is entirely ones own choice. What I choose to eat is my choice. What I choose to drink is my choice. What i choose to smoke...my choice.

Yes, we know that good foods, eatten in moderation is one of the best ways to stay healthy. We all know that. We don't need you to tell us that.

That is not the question for this thread. The question is whether unhealthy food should be prohibited.

And the answer to that is a resounding no.

Thanks!

I'm a capitalist so your "corporations! evil profit!" argument is not really going to have the desire emotional appeal you are aiming for with me. ;)

And did you know? Hitler was also a diehard vegetarian. Not that you're Hitler, but it's interesting you seem to echo his belief that the government should enforce good health by prohibiting things. You probably also want cigarettes banned, yes?

Hitler is a disgrace to fascism. He gave up the weapon of the age in WWII just because of senseless racism.

Hypocrite,

I'm not sure that word means what you think it means

you know how dumb that sounded?! LOL. "BEING HEALTHY IS BAD FOR YOU"

Ladies and gentlemen of NSG, I leave it up to you. Shall I bother to respond to this, or let it stand as is?

It's my body and if i so choose to eat shit i should be able to.God can strike me down now if he feels im doing somthing wrong.

Hypocrite, you know how dumb that sounded?! LOL. "BEING HEALTHY IS BAD FOR YOU" Well at least I'll be digging my grave with a cyber shovel rather than a knife and fork. :p

I think his point was that everybody dies. It doesnt matter if you eat only tofu, take a vitamin suppliment every day, and go for early morning runs.
You still die.

I think his point was that everybody dies. It doesnt matter if you eat only tofu, take a vitamin suppliment every day, and go for early morning runs.
You still die.

it pains me that someone actually had to explain this.

Definitely no. It's my choice what I put into my body.

Besides, how would they go about that? Basically anything made by those "evil corporations intent on poisoning us" can be made at home. Even the preservatives and all can be bought, though I doubt many people actually would add those things to their food. They can outlaw pre-made cake, but as long as there is still sugar, butter, flour, etc, there will be cake.

Let them eat cake, god damn it.

Hitler is a disgrace to fascism. He gave up the weapon of the age in WWII just because of senseless racism.

Yeah, damn that Hitler, ruining the good name of fascism...

I think his point was that everybody dies. It doesnt matter if you eat only tofu, take a vitamin suppliment every day, and go for early morning runs.
You still die.

I know that but diet is a factor in longevity. Healthy diets can increase your life expectancy.

Yeah, damn that Hitler, ruining the good name of fascism...

seriously, what's his deal? Destroying it for the rest of us otherwise upstanding and quite respectable fascists

it pains me that someone actually had to explain this.

Sorry, it had the implication that diet had NO effect on lifespan whatsoever.

Let them eat cake, god damn it.

Thank you for flying Church of England, cake or death?

Hitler is a disgrace to fascism. He gave up the weapon of the age in WWII just because of senseless racism.

Yeah, that is the reason Hitler was an asshole...

I know that but diet is a factor in longevity. Healthy diets can increase your life expectancy.

Wow. Thanks for the newsflash, Captain Obvious. I almost didn't recognize you without your cape.

What, exactly is your point? Are you saying unhealthy foods should be outlawed, or just that moderation is a good thing? You seem to be debating...nothing.

Besides, sometimes fun costs you. 50 good years are better than 100 shitty ones.

Sorry, it had the implication that diet had NO effect on lifespan whatsoever.

I am not sure how:

doesn't he know that if he only eats healthy he'll.....still die...

creates an implications that diet has no effect on anything, save ones mortality.

seriously, what's his deal? Destroying it for the rest of us otherwise upstanding and quite respectable fascists

He also ruined the Hitler Mustache, goose-stepping and the Swastika.

:(

That bastard.

Thank you for flying Church of England, cake or death?

Um...death please. I mean cake, CAKE!

I know that but diet is a factor in longevity. Healthy diets can increase your life expectancy.

Ten to twenty years, give or take.
But these days, considering the avalible medical technology, living past the average life expectancy is more or less random. Certainly you can modify your odds with your diet, but it seems that a lot of it comes down to genes, willpower, and money.
Britney Spears, I imagine, will live quite a bit longer than, say, a similarly aged relative of yours.
Of course, her face will most likely disentigrate in a few years, but that is another issue, isnt it?

Let people eat what they want? If people want to eat unhealthy, way 1000 pounds, and die in their 40s let them! Besides, everyone likes a little unhealthy junk food every now and then!

He also ruined the Hitler Mustache, goose-stepping and the Swastika.

:(

That bastard.

*sniff*

Good old goose stepping....GRRR! He had to ruin that! And the mustache....Thanks to him no one can get a tache up like Charlie Chaplin's anymore! :mad:

He also ruined the Hitler Mustache, goose-stepping and the Swastika.

:(

That bastard.

gotten to the point where a fellow can't grow a mustache and goose step down mainstreet wearing brown anymore.

Let people eat what they want? If people want to eat unhealthy, way 1000 pounds, and die in their 40s let them! Besides, everyone likes a little unhealthy junk food every now and then!

Its gotten out of hand, the majority is doing it, would you seriously allow a populace to destroy itself in such a gross way?

What is S.J.O.?

Hitler is a disgrace to fascism. He gave up the weapon of the age in WWII just because of senseless racism.

It has always seemed to me that all those in favor of a fascist style of government seem far too convinced that in that system they will end up as the oppressors, despite the overwhelming odds that they'd end up part of the oppressed.

Stalinist Russia was great, if you were Stalin. For eveyone else, not so much.

There was only one stalin. And a whole lot of the everyone else. Yet, everyone always thinks they can be Stalin.

Its gotten out of hand, the majority is doing it, would you seriously allow a populace to destroy itself in such a gross way?

would I allow the populace to choose, out of their own free will, what to do with their own bodies?

yes, every time.

Its gotten out of hand, the majority is doing it, would you seriously allow a populace to destroy itself in such a gross way?

If they want to. Who are you to tell someone what they can and can't do with their body?

Its gotten out of hand, the majority is doing it, would you seriously allow a populace to destroy itself in such a gross way?

What would you suggest as a better way for a population to destroy itself?

It is up to the individual. I eat healthy 99% of the time, but sometimes I want a nice, artery clogging meal that my bowels won't forget for about a decade. Nice. And guess what? My decision. I don't need a nanny to tell me what's good for me. But I wouldn't mind the spankings.

What is S.J.O.?

Standard joke option™.

Its gotten out of hand, the majority is doing it, would you seriously allow a populace to destroy itself in such a gross way?

In what way do you say the populace is destroying itself?

Western lifespans are longer than anywhere else. We have more elderly people than anyone else. We have massive populations. We have long, productive and affluent lives.

Your claim is nonsensical and based on nothing other than your own health-nut bias.

Fine then, if you people want America to be a bunch of fat people with multiple medical disorders rather than people who can pull their weight around and get the job done fine. You have chose the impatriotic choice of giving the US a bad image.

In what way do you say the populace is destroying itself?

Western lifespans are longer than anywhere else. We have more elderly people than anyone else. We have massive populations. We have long, productive and affluent lives.

Your claim is nonsensical and based on nothing other than your own health-nut bias.

I say the populace shouldn't destroy itself at all but given the overpopulation problem I think its more sensical to do away with people quickly than have them die slow horrible deaths over decades of time. They consume resources as they're slowly dying. Thats where my idea for marshall law comes in. :D They die quick no resources lost. If all the criminals were just shot that would significantly reduce the population and raise living standards.

Fine then, if you people want America to be a bunch of fat people with multiple medical disorders rather than people who can pull their weight around and get the job done fine. You have chose the impatriotic choice of giving the US a bad image.

Impatriotic? No, depriving people of a basic right to even choose what to fucking EAT is what's impatriotic. America is supposed to be the land of the free, not the land of the fascist, remember?

As for a "bad image," I think our foreign policy does that FAR more than what we choose to eat. Do you honestly believe that if we endorse Health Nut Totalitarian Fascism, people in other countries will respect us? "Their government prohibits trans-fat and artificial sugars through harsh regulation! How AWESOME the United States must be!"

Jeez man. Get some perspective.

I say the populace shouldn't destroy itself at all.

And it isn't. As I said in the post you quoted but apparently did not read.

Impatriotic? No, depriving people of a basic right to even choose what to fucking EAT is what's impatriotic. America is supposed to be the land of the free, not the land of the fascist, remember?

As for a "bad image," I think our foreign policy does that FAR more than what we choose to eat. Do you honestly believe that if we endorse Health Nut Totalitarian Fascism, people in other countries will respect us? "Their government prohibits trans-fat and artificial sugars through harsh regulation! How AWESOME the United States must be!"

Jeez man. Get some perspective.



And it isn't. As I said in the post you quoted but apparently did not read.

I don't understand this idea of the right to a slow horrible death. I mean going to a land where you have the unquestioned right to poisoning yourself doesn't sound appealing. Besides the chemicals in our systems are passed to our children. How free our they when your choices are effecting their health? And if we have so much free choice how come healthy foods are more expensive? Shouldn't they be equal in price?

It's already been proven, several times over and at great expense, that prohibition does not work! It has also been shown, several times over, that too much of anything is unhealthy, and that a great many things that are "unhealthy" (coffee, chocolate, wine, etc) are, in moderation, healthy. Anything can be overdone. The government has given guidelines (and, incidentally, these guidelines are in a state of constant flux), that should be sufficient.

The weak-minded and stupid should not be able to take my right to make my own decisions away.

http://images4.fotki.com/v46/photos/3/34576/480259/TrollBGon-vi.gif

SL, it's such an obviously bad idea I'm not even going into it.

THREAD DISMISSED AS TROLLING. *BANG*

I don't understand this idea of the right to a slow horrible death. I mean going to a land where you have the unquestioned right to poisoning yourself doesn't sound appealing. Besides the chemicals in our systems are passed to our children. How free our they when your choices are effecting their health? And if we have so much free choice how come healthy foods are more expensive? Shouldn't they be equal in price?

Okay, SL, what exactly do you propose? Should the government make unhealthy foods illegal? What foods? If the problem isn't the foods, but the amount, how will they limit the amount? Vouchers, rationing, what? How do you expect this to work. Be specific. Railing against people choosing to eat foods you don't like is pointless. No one is debating that eating healthy is a good thing. Now make a new point.

Edit: And while you're at it, why not actually prove that we're poisoning ourselves? You have some statistics that show that we're dying off faster and earlier than we used to? Do you have any statistics at all for how our more "natural" ancestors fared, as far as life expectancy and health? You sure seem to. How about you provide them? You know, give us some of this knowledge.

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

People don't buy cheap crap because it's crap. They buy it because it's cheap. Notice how healthy foods cost more than the chemical and fat-laden stuff, even to the point of gouging? If eating healthy was cheap a lot more people would be inclined to do so.

Not easy to eat moderately if your addicted to plastic and chemicals. You do not "become addicted to plastic and chemicals". Some people have an overeating problem or are too inactive relative to how much they eat or how great a metabolism they have - many don't, and have no problem eating "junk" food in moderation and staying perfectly healthy.

Obesity epidemics are a cultural thing. "Junk" food is avaliable all over the western world; here, most eat it in moderation with no issue.

Unhealthy food like your double super size mega cheeseburger with extra cheese, mayo and salt is only a problem if you treat it as an every day meal or snack. I have a burger or bag of cookies or chocolate bar every now and then, lets say once or twice a week, and I'm healthy.

Also, I'm pretty sick of whoever is in charge of the country deciding I'm too stupid to know that fat and sugar are bad for you, or that every single thing needs to have a warning label on just in case you manage to get a paper cut on your newspaper.

The people who eat three burgers a day or a liter of cola with every meal are stupid. If they get addicted, too bad. You should know better than to eat hundreds of times the amount of fat you can take even if you are a complete idiot. Sure, if someones getting ill or eating nothing but a specific food after just a couple of meals of it look into the specific product. I'm all for unhealthy foods being allowed, but if theres a chemical that is dangerous to your health even in moderation then you can ban it.

In summary: if it can be eaten in moderation with no ill effects bar feeling a bit bloated, it's fine. If eating it once or twice can have ill effects, chances are you should make them change the ingredients.

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?
When every child is able to receive essential medical care...

When every man, woman, and child has enough to eat and a safe place to sleep...

When every person has real access to education and opportunity...

When equality and justice under the law are ensured for every individual...

When the government has been cleansed of corruption...

When the budget is balanced and the Debt is paid off...

When all violent crime has been eliminated...

...then maybe, perhaps, it will be time to consider giving a shit about this issue. Until then, the government has plenty of actual work to do without trying to dictate what's on the dinner plate.

Hell no. It's my choice, and I will eat whatever I want to.

Thanks!

I'm a capitalist so your "corporations! evil profit!" argument is not really going to have the desire emotional appeal you are aiming for with me. ;)
Cute, isn't it? I've learnt to ignore them when they bring that up. I can't believe I used to dislike you, back in the days when NN was still around. :p

Ladies and gentlemen of NSG, I leave it up to you. Shall I bother to respond to this, or let it stand as is?
Haven't you learnt yet from the time he made that thread on the US media? ;)

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

Bah the thing withstuff like this is who gets to decide, and what is unhealthy?

I was talking to my wife the other day abbout why we no longer get normal milk, it's always skimmed or semi skimmed. She told me about milk being unhealty, I said to her that when I was a kid we used to get milk everyday at school, and now they don't and kids today are fatter!

Heh eat what ya like.

Bah the thing withstuff like this is who gets to decide, and what is unhealthy?

I was talking to my wife the other day abbout why we no longer get normal milk, it's always skimmed or semi skimmed. She told me about milk being unhealty, I said to her that when I was a kid we used to get milk everyday at school, and now they don't and kids today are fatter!

Heh eat what ya like.
Actually, I believe the skimmed milk is in fact not as good for you than the real stuff (especially for children). There was some debate on this (much like the debate of margarine vs butter). Real milk packs in a lot more nutrition. Nowadays it's possible to get lact-free milk and protein-enhanced milk, which is far better than any of the supposedly healthier skimmed milks.

Thats where my idea for marshall law comes in. :D They die quick no resources lost. If all the criminals were just shot that would significantly reduce the population and raise living standards.

See it's statements like this which lead me to say what I said before, namely:

It has always seemed to me that all those in favor of a fascist style of government seem far too convinced that in that system they will end up as the oppressors, despite the overwhelming odds that they'd end up part of the oppressed.

Stalinist Russia was great, if you were Stalin. For eveyone else, not so much.

There was only one stalin. And a whole lot of the everyone else. Yet, everyone always thinks they can be Stalin.

All these wingjobs who promote fascist totalitarian systems have NO IDEA what those systems are really like, and likewise have NO IDEA just how violent, deadly, and destructive they are.

People like this poster, I have become convinced, promote this system not out of any particular political ideology bur tharher because they get a hard on from the idea that they're going to be the ones in charge. This of course usually means that in this sort of system they're exactly the people NOT in charge, and more likely than not they're the people who end up dead in a ditch the first week of the revolution.

No.

Should the goverment require that food producers clearly label their food's contents? YES.

Should the government require that food producers make their explanation of content understandable to the layman,rather than try to craft subtle ways of masking potentially harmful ingredients? YES

Should the goverment encourage food producers to use healthier alternatives,if available? YES.

Should people accept responsibility for understanding what they put into their bodies? YES.

[QUOTE=Dexlysia;12484618]Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint. QUOTE]

Then get rid of healthcare. It's proven that people who form there own healthcare plan do better than those on Medicare or any other government run program. The government is becoming a socialist organization as it begins to be involved in every part of our lives.

In a "free country", people have the right to be stupid. These "poisons", as some have put it, only become a problem in exess. These fatty foods have been around for a long time, but only because a lack of self discipline, and strong parental authority. "No, Johnny, you've had too many twinkies, no more today."

this is the ultimate form of having to have the government hold your hand through life. when they have to tell you what to eat and what not to eat.

and they already try to hold your hand enough throughout life. people just need to someday realize they are responsible for their own well being.

I don't understand this idea of the right to a slow horrible death. I mean going to a land where you have the unquestioned right to poisoning yourself doesn't sound appealing.

So, go live in the Amazon jungle. You can live with fellow forest-dwelling hunter-gatherers, if a tribe will take you in. Then you wouldn't have to fund poison-producing corporations by using electricity and computers and so you would no longer be a glaring hypocrite.

And if we have so much free choice how come healthy foods are more expensive? Shouldn't they be equal in price?

Since when does freedom = equality of price?

Are you a communist?

The price is what people will pay for it. That's how liberty works.

Cute, isn't it? I've learnt to ignore them when they bring that up. I can't believe I used to dislike you, back in the days when NN was still around. :p

I probably seemed a bit uptight.. I was on a McCarthy-esque anti-racist angle back then. Anyone who agreed with NN in any way, no matter how small, was suspected of being a racist. Are you now or have you ever been a racist? I ask you AGAIN sir! :p

Not that I like racism any more nowadays, but that guy managed to get on my nerves big time.

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

it should be up to the individual.

why? because as science improves, what is nutritional now, may become unhealthy tomorrow.

Cocaine was considered a healthy suppliment (Coke had it in their soda.) now...

Trans fats were considered good... or at least harmless years ago, now...

and the problem isn't just unhealthy foods, but the quantities and portions consumed.

The price is what people will pay for it. That's how liberty works.shouldn't that be how Captialism works... supply and demand setting the price? :p

I probably seemed a bit uptight.. I was on a McCarthy-esque anti-racist angle back then. Anyone who agreed with NN in any way, no matter how small, was suspected of being a racist. Are you now or have you ever been a racist? I ask you AGAIN sir! :p

Not that I like racism any more nowadays, but that guy managed to get on my nerves big time.and you did mellow out since then... ;)

shouldn't that be how Captialism works... supply and demand setting the price? :p

Of course. Liberty = capitalism, that's where I'm coming from. :)

and you did mellow out since then... ;)

It has helped that NS has been [relatively] troll-less these days.

And a few righteous lashings by the mods has probably gotten me to tame the wild beast within. :p

I don't agree with prohibiting unhealthy food, but I do think they should be taxed more.

NEVER EVER. People should be allowed to decide what they put in their bodies. What they need is decent sources of infomation about food that is easily available and some good home ed at school.

No. The government already interferes to much with what people put into their bodies. I don't mind them telling resturaunts and food people to stop using trans fats, but other than that...

Oh, by the way, this thread is in no way a metaphor for anything else.

Oh, by the way, this thread is in no way a metaphor for anything else.

Yeah, I've seen this used a lot as a metaphore for why we should not ban smoking/drinking/drugs where the inevitable response is "look how you people reacted about the idea of banning unhealthy food, it's the same thing"

Unfortunatly these days the idea of banning unhealthy food actually gets a scarily strong approval.

Yeah, I've seen this used a lot as a metaphore for why we should not ban smoking/drinking/drugs where the inevitable response is "look how you people reacted about the idea of banning unhealthy food, it's the same thing"

Unfortunatly these days the idea of banning unhealthy food actually gets a scarily strong approval.

Yeah, I was expecting nearly unanimous opposition.

Yeah, I was expecting nearly unanimous opposition.

in fairness the only REAL support was from a teenage wannabe fascist.

in fairness the only REAL support was from a teenage wannabe fascist.

Only 74% voted for individual liberty.
Alas, I cannot delve deeper, as I have class right now.

I think his point was that everybody dies. It doesnt matter if you eat only tofu, take a vitamin suppliment every day, and go for early morning runs.
You still die.

not only that, but if you eat well, dont smoke, and exercise regularly you die LATER---well after you have retired and are sucking off the resources of the state!

what kind of stupid social goal is THAT? we should encourage people to the habits that will let them work up until they get sick and die at the age of retirement.

Only 74% voted for individual liberty.
Alas, I cannot delve deeper, as I have class right now.

Out of 59 voters. Many of whom might not be exactly taking this poll seriously.

Its definitely not a representative sample.

I think people should be able to put any damn thing in their bodies they please. I think this from a personal liberty standpoint, but there are practical reasons too. People who are stupid enough to put just any poison in their bodies will die sooner, and if we keep encouraging later childbearing, perhaps before they reproduce.

I think people should be able to put any damn thing in their bodies they please. I think this from a personal liberty standpoint, but there are practical reasons too. People who are stupid enough to put just any poison in their bodies will die sooner, and if we keep encouraging later childbearing, perhaps before they reproduce.

agreed. now add to that the inability to sue any company that does list all ingredients in their food and make it publicly available...

Yep. I'm a smoker, and if I croak in twenty years from lung cancer, whose fault is it? Mine.

Air is unhealthy, should we ban that?

PS: yes it is unhealthy, things in the air poison us and make us age faster. Point is, we can't just ban it. Cause then it'll just mean more people go to prison. :rolleyes:

People have the right to poison themselves. It's that simple.

Edit: This is why the War on Drugs is wrong and why tax money should not be spent on paying for people's medical expenses.

Unhealthy foods are detrimental to both the individual and society.
Our tax dollars are paying for the healthcare of individuals who choose not to exercise restraint.
The existence of fast food chains all across the globe are a testament to to addictions that can result.
Should the government intervene and outlaw foods that don't meet a certain nutritional standard?

Or should it be up to the individual to decide?

EDIT: By the way, this thread definitely does not have any metaphorical implications. Maybe.

I don't like the thought of outlawing it. It seems excessives.
What I would like to see is somebody somewhere sitting down and calculating exactly how much each gram of fat will cost the public in the end, same for sugar, and all artificial additives. And then I'd like to see those ingredients taxed in sales.
I'd like to see McDonalds expensive enough so that families won't take their kids there any more. I'd like to see chocolate as a treat, not a snack.

I'm convinced that this will lead to a reduction in consumption, and the additional tax revenue can go directly into the health system.