Banning pleasures
Skittles http://www.skittles.com/ a popular candy, led to the suspension of an 8th grader and being stripped from office. At least he didn't pay $80,000 for the bag of candy!
Of course, this young man and all of us are harmed by his actions. Repeated eating of empty calories can lead to obesity, which can lead to health risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea, to name a few. These can lead to heart attacks, strokes, auto accidents, and peripheral vascular disease. And these can lead to job loss, disability, and additional strain on the social welfare system, not to mention the cost in personal life satisfaction and happiness. It is a typical example of a short term pleasure being chosen instead of long term happiness.
So, it all boils down to the questions: when, where, and how should society enact laws that limit the individual's right to choose short term pleasures over long term happiness? Every short term pleasure has the potential of producing some long term reduction in happiness and some long term costs. Just ask Elliot Spitzer!
Here are a few examples.
Some people like to drive for fun. DadBrain used to like to just take a drive in the country. This used precious gas, polluted the atmosphere, and ran the risk of us being involved in an auto accident. All for the short term pleasure of seeing nature.
BrotherBrain likes to exercise. He runs. He does it because he likes how it makes him feel. With each breath he reduces the oxygen in the atmosphere replacing it with the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Certainly, he would cause much less environmental damage if he would just sit at home!
DocBrain likes to take showers. One a day. Without knowing for sure exactly how dirty he is. It is for the pleasure of feeling clean, not the actual knowledge of the bacterial count on his skin. Wasting precious water, gas to heat the water.
With a little imagination, victims can be found for each of these endeavors.
We need a little common sense in our society to go with the great desire to bend others to our will. DocBrain thinks that too many restrictions are more dangerous than not enough, as it prevents people from developing their own good judgement.
Of course, this young man and all of us are harmed by his actions. Repeated eating of empty calories can lead to obesity, which can lead to health risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea, to name a few. These can lead to heart attacks, strokes, auto accidents, and peripheral vascular disease. And these can lead to job loss, disability, and additional strain on the social welfare system, not to mention the cost in personal life satisfaction and happiness. It is a typical example of a short term pleasure being chosen instead of long term happiness.
So, it all boils down to the questions: when, where, and how should society enact laws that limit the individual's right to choose short term pleasures over long term happiness? Every short term pleasure has the potential of producing some long term reduction in happiness and some long term costs. Just ask Elliot Spitzer!
Here are a few examples.
Some people like to drive for fun. DadBrain used to like to just take a drive in the country. This used precious gas, polluted the atmosphere, and ran the risk of us being involved in an auto accident. All for the short term pleasure of seeing nature.
BrotherBrain likes to exercise. He runs. He does it because he likes how it makes him feel. With each breath he reduces the oxygen in the atmosphere replacing it with the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Certainly, he would cause much less environmental damage if he would just sit at home!
DocBrain likes to take showers. One a day. Without knowing for sure exactly how dirty he is. It is for the pleasure of feeling clean, not the actual knowledge of the bacterial count on his skin. Wasting precious water, gas to heat the water.
With a little imagination, victims can be found for each of these endeavors.
We need a little common sense in our society to go with the great desire to bend others to our will. DocBrain thinks that too many restrictions are more dangerous than not enough, as it prevents people from developing their own good judgement.
posted by DocBrain at
4:30 AM
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