[iknowexactly]

(02-08-2015 09:14 PM)BortimusPrime Wrote:  

Legislation doesn't really do anything in the first place, the government just takes credit for inventing civil rights after the fact. Social shaming is the only thing that works.

I agree the last step is social shaming but it takes a lot of legislation before that to educate the population as to the harmfulness of something.

For instance with cigarettes , here's my guess on how it went:

First some independent researchers figured out it gives you cancer, strokes, etc.
Then the tobacco company funds phony studies "disproving" the risk.
People defend their disgusting habit with denial "My grandfather lived to be 90 ... etc". They are too stupid to understand science.

THEN the gubmint funds studies where they actually want to find out the truth without bribes from Big Tobacco.
That of course has to be funded by legislation.

Then they find out , yes, indeed it fucks you up big time. They pass laws saying you have to put warning messages on cigarettes.
Gradually people stop smoking ( which is what happened) as they learn about how conclusive the research is.

THEN they find out second hand smoke fucks you up too, and now people actually want to be protected from the remaining smokers.
So they have to pass MORE laws to make restaurants non-smoking.

So , it does indeed take a lot of legislation sometimes to get people to do the smart thing.

And I know there are some smoking freedom advocates around, you're welcome to get some congressman to run on a "start smoking in restaurants again" platform.