I do not advocate smoking, but I have to say this:
The latest mealy mouthed mumble to dribble from the lips of
nanny state is the forecast that smoking will be completely eradicated in Britain within
twenty years. My general feelings about nanny state are well documented, so let
me concentrate on just one issue.
The news report says that ‘Smoking is estimated to cost the
NHS in England
alone £2.7bn per year, with the cost to society as a whole estimated to be
£13.74bn.’
This is a massively and demonstrably fraudulent claim for a
whole host of reasons, and those who make it should know better. And maybe they
do. And that’s what bothers me.
7 comments:
I think politicians everywhere have gone mad. Here in America we're expected to believe such outrageous lies, but what really scares me is that so many people DO. Oh, and your post about Hantavirus and the Republicans gave me a good laugh. Fundamentalist Christians and right-wing Republicans (and so frequently they're one and the same)... Goddess save me from the lot of them.
It seems to me that the 'system' is becoming ever more obsessive in its need to control people's lives. On the one hand we have increasing surveillance and 'security measures,' while on the other we have this growing reliance on numbers: 'you must eat so many portions of this,' 'you mustn't consume more than so may units of that,' 'you must take this much exercise every day or you'll die early of heart disease.' Etc, etc...
Meanwhile, it quietly stands back and allows people's bodies to be loaded with more and more man-made chemicals in everything from junk food to furniture to technological devices.
I sometimes think they're going too far and people are becoming fatigued with it all. The old implicit faith people had in the pronouncements of Establishment figures - be they politicians, police, the medical profession, educationalists, the media, or whatever - is beginning to slip a little. I do my bit to suggest to people when I can that they might consider questioning what they're being told. I wish the schools would teach kids to question everything they're told, but schools are part of the Establishment. And I wish vicars and priests wouldn't tell kids 'Jesus said,' because they don't really know what Jesus said, do they? It's just a belief system. And I think I'd better shut up because it's lunchtime!
"Do you believe on Jesus, Nanny?"
Quite right, Anon. Glad you agree.
That was me, too... Have you ever seen the movie "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon-Marigolds"? Its a great movie with Joanne Woodward, directed by Paul Newman. Its kind of a sad film, but there is one funny part where Woodward's character gives this ancient woman a bit of beer because she feels sorry for her and the old lady livens up and she asks her in this funny voice, "Do you believe in Jesus, Nanny?" You'd have to see it to get it. BUt i was feeling silly and that popped into my head while reading your post. SOrt of fits, in an odd way.
You know, i didn't even see what you'd commented earlier about the Jesus said thing when i posted my anon comment. haha.
Like minds, see?
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