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Nimetic · 05-05-2007, 07:45 PM

It's not quite that simple though.

We cannot all be fully informed, 100% clever and 100% alert all the time. So laws such as safe-workplace laws, food labelling, scam-prevention, and so on have a use.

Sure... for my part if I am hit by a falling tree or fall in the water, I would start from the premise that it is possibly my fault. But there is a limit. I do expect certain protections because I know that there are times in the morning and evening when I am going to be liable to make mistakes.

Looking further afield, there seem a range of scams and advertisements that are aimed at the less-informed, disadvantaged or mentally simple members of society. The same people can be seen in the supermarket with a full trolley Coke, chocolates, chips and smokes (no veg).

I ask myself - what sort of society do I want. One in which these people are somewhat protected, or one in which it is fair-game to exploit them.

So with some reluctance I guess - I do support "nanny" laws. Compulsory warnings on cigarettes, basic anti-drug laws, compulsory bike helmets and so on. Should a person be able to sue McDonalds. Dunno on that... maybe that's a step too far. Unless they promote their chips as 'no added sugar'.

Now on gun control - this is more complex. The US is far different I believe than the rest of the world. Anyways, I'm sure you're different to places I've visited (Asiapac) with a far different history, so I'm not really qualified to decide or comment on specifics.

I just saying though that control legislation should not be rejected on purely ideological grounds.

05-05-2007, 07:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
Nimetic Junkie Location: Melbourne, Australia	It's not quite that simple though. We cannot all be fully informed, 100% clever and 100% alert all the time. So laws such as safe-workplace laws, food labelling, scam-prevention, and so on have a use. Sure... for my part if I am hit by a falling tree or fall in the water, I would start from the premise that it is possibly my fault. But there is a limit. I do expect certain protections because I know that there are times in the morning and evening when I am going to be liable to make mistakes. Looking further afield, there seem a range of scams and advertisements that are aimed at the less-informed, disadvantaged or mentally simple members of society. The same people can be seen in the supermarket with a full trolley Coke, chocolates, chips and smokes (no veg). I ask myself - what sort of society do I want. One in which these people are somewhat protected, or one in which it is fair-game to exploit them. So with some reluctance I guess - I do support "nanny" laws. Compulsory warnings on cigarettes, basic anti-drug laws, compulsory bike helmets and so on. Should a person be able to sue McDonalds. Dunno on that... maybe that's a step too far. Unless they promote their chips as 'no added sugar'. Now on gun control - this is more complex. The US is far different I believe than the rest of the world. Anyways, I'm sure you're different to places I've visited (Asiapac) with a far different history, so I'm not really qualified to decide or comment on specifics. I just saying though that control legislation should not be rejected on purely ideological grounds.