09.30.06
Frittering away the key elements of our humanity
One reason I’m no more optimistic than I am about Western civilization’s resolve to preserve itself is that the rapidly shrinking core of Westerners who have some kind of basic notion of God, who understand free-market economics, who have some grasp on the value of their freedom, and who have some kind of refined aesthetic sense permits itself to be bullied into behavior change without even token resistance.
I think about this often (perhaps to the point that it consumes me), but this afternoon my focus on it was sparked anew by a CNN feature on trans fats. The reporter who had put together the piece trotted out all manner of scientists and nutritionists who have opted to become finger-wagging do-gooders about the matter of trans fats’ prevalence in fast food. One might expect this, given what they know. Still, couldn’t they take off their health-expert hats and put on their thoughtful-citizen hats before shooting off their mouths about how private business that sell food to the public must change their ways?
The one that really enraged me, though, was the Chicago alderman who is pushing for legislation to make his city trans-fat-free.
I knew the anti-smoking jackboots’ victories in recent years – class-action lawsuits, exorbitant taxes, city-wide bans – would embolden the food fascists.
We roll over at the first sight of ire from any and all who would seek to remake human nature using force or the threat of it. The German opera company that shut down its edgily modern version of the Mozart opera (which, while it might be seen as mocking religion, does give equal time to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and the antient Greek pantheon), the Vatican rushing to placate worldwide Islamic opinion after the Pope’s speech in Germany, NBC’s censoring of the Veggie Tales cartoons (but not the upcoming Madonna special) are but the most recent examples of this cowardice.
The lack of spine by itself bodes ill for our prospects, but it also spawns another condition which likewise portends undesirable developments: the muddying of simple common sense and decency, so that the absurd can become the norm.
Mr. Dings said,
October 13, 2006 at 3:47 am
And I do love that toddlin’ towns citizenry bold enough to eat not only cake, but foi gras in blatant disregard of the town fathers. Too bad our boomer love-ins had no lasting effect. Always enough with the consensual criminality. Thank you for smoking.
Mr. Dings said,
October 13, 2006 at 4:04 am
They can take my liver, my onions, but over my dead body only, my bacon. Nor my brother’s bacon either. I will fight for our rights.
Mr. Dings said,
October 13, 2006 at 6:56 pm
How many among us have really taken the time to try to read Il Papa’s speech in its entirety? It is very intellectual and, frankly, a yawner. As usual, comments were taken out of context. Somethings, everytime we open our mouths, are going to offend somebodies, here, there and everywhere. Perhaps that is why Proverbs in the Judaic tradition, and all other spiritual literature, recommends against yapping away, or evening opening one’s mouth, as opposed to one’s ears. I do think that he likely did write the speech, and certainly read it before he gave it, and perhaps did not see the forest for the trees when he quoted something from some dude spoken nearly 500 years ago. Talk about beating dead horses. But, as in all conflicts, horses never really do die, they, if not resurect, reincarnate. The eternal recurrance of the same?