The "Sensitive" Society
Everyone wants safe, fun, active lives. Mass marketing tells me this. So what happens when something goes wrong? A kid falls off a swing. Someone gets a flat tire. Some rock climber falls to her death. Suddenly a government inquiry should be set up.
Yes, give me extreme activities but for God's sake, guarantee my safety.
I saw a television report the other night about how people can really injure themselves performing Irish Dance. Are the people who produced and aired this piece mad? This morning on American television, Donald Rumsfeld said that he couldn't remember whether or not he had ever signed off on any intelligence-gathering flights over Iran. Now THAT is worth a fucking government inquiry. If he truly can't remember that, then he must be in the early stages of Alzheimers, and not fit to perform his duties. Either that or he is a liar.
This truly is the age of non-admittance, double speak and lawyerese type dialogue. No one wants to play the hand they are dealt, in case they play it wrong and lose out on something.
In these mad times, governments are filled with lying, evil-seeking, fork-tongued politicians. Everyone hates politicians. That is until little Brittney falls off the monkey bars at the play ground and breaks her arm. Suddenly, these politicians are called on to make the playground safer; to create some playground guidelines. How about just getting a cast on Brittney's arm? How about realizing that playgrounds AREN'T perfectly safe places, but they generally ARE a pile of fun. How about not blaming someone else for a blameless occurence? Are we mad enough to believe that everything should be regulated and controlled. Shouldn't I be able to scratch my ass with a meat hook if I so desire? And further, if in so doing I rip my Sphincter up to my shoulder I don't think I should contact my local MLA and have a government inquiry into meat hooks. That would surely be mad. So don't break the law. Make sure you wear your seatbelt next time you're riding to a bar in a cab where you're not smoking. That will most certainly ensure a safe, fun, active life. It may also drive you mad.
Yes, give me extreme activities but for God's sake, guarantee my safety.
I saw a television report the other night about how people can really injure themselves performing Irish Dance. Are the people who produced and aired this piece mad? This morning on American television, Donald Rumsfeld said that he couldn't remember whether or not he had ever signed off on any intelligence-gathering flights over Iran. Now THAT is worth a fucking government inquiry. If he truly can't remember that, then he must be in the early stages of Alzheimers, and not fit to perform his duties. Either that or he is a liar.
This truly is the age of non-admittance, double speak and lawyerese type dialogue. No one wants to play the hand they are dealt, in case they play it wrong and lose out on something.
In these mad times, governments are filled with lying, evil-seeking, fork-tongued politicians. Everyone hates politicians. That is until little Brittney falls off the monkey bars at the play ground and breaks her arm. Suddenly, these politicians are called on to make the playground safer; to create some playground guidelines. How about just getting a cast on Brittney's arm? How about realizing that playgrounds AREN'T perfectly safe places, but they generally ARE a pile of fun. How about not blaming someone else for a blameless occurence? Are we mad enough to believe that everything should be regulated and controlled. Shouldn't I be able to scratch my ass with a meat hook if I so desire? And further, if in so doing I rip my Sphincter up to my shoulder I don't think I should contact my local MLA and have a government inquiry into meat hooks. That would surely be mad. So don't break the law. Make sure you wear your seatbelt next time you're riding to a bar in a cab where you're not smoking. That will most certainly ensure a safe, fun, active life. It may also drive you mad.
posted by Dustbowl Don at
1:34 PM
2 Comments:
Donnie, I hear you loud and clear brother. I have often thought the same thing with regards to big business wanting less government, more government contracts, a bailout if in trouble, an interest free loan to help them over the rough spots, tax breaks, no legislation that would ever give labor a leg up and on and on and on. I think all those people should shake their mad heads. Oh,and a get well card is in the mail for you and your ripped sphincter. You really are taking this whole "meat stylist" thing a little far don't you think?
By
Michael Plante, at 7:36 AM
In the words of DUTCH (!)communications theorist, Cees Hamelink:
"The Titanic represents a strong belief in the perfection of technology: the ship cannot sink and it is not necessary to have enough life boats on board.
As a results the real risks of technological innovations are not taken seriously. The modern technological culture demonstrates a strong drive
towards a risk-free society. This aspiration to achieve a risk-free control of social processes is seriously hampered by the unpredictable, fickle human
species. Actually, the human being is increasingly seen as the real risk factor. As a result modern societies develop all kinds of activities to
reduce this risk, like the expansive monitoring of human conduct through the
ubiquitous camera surveillance and the electronic registration of people’s movements. The logical next step in this process is the replacement of
humans with humanoid robots."
I like safety regulations as much as the next mom/worker/concerned citizen, but Mad Society is correct in identifying the likes of Rumsfeld as a risk factor worth fretting over. My right hand gives your essay a thumbs down, my left hand, a thumbs up.
By
Anonymous, at 12:14 PM
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