Tuesday 31 May 2011

A snapshot of our nannying, controlling, interfering, public sector

Just today:

1.       The Royal Town Planning Institute called for a new enforcement regime on minor unpermitted developments  - these changes are currently permitted as they are not worth pursuing and there are rarely objections. The RTPI wants a planning application to be submitted retrospectively – great business for its members and a further imposition on ordinary householders.
2.       Kevin Barron, Labour’s nanny-in-chief is in a froth over the tobacco industry providing funding for the retailers of its products in their battle against the lunatic proposals for the banning of tobacco displays
3.       Teachers at a Warwickshire primary school told parents to discipline boys “after they were spotted making gun-shapes with their hands
4.       Police Officers are being provided with guidance on diet, exercise, hobbies and even bedtime routine – all in the interest of providing “...staff with advice and support to enable them to function effectively while maintaining a good work-life balance.”
5.       Back with evil tobacco, the launch of an ultra-slim cigarette – Vogue Perle – has been criticised as “scheming, calculating and cynical” by the usual nannying culprits. Apparently because it might be preferred by young women (not that these campaigners provide any evidence of course).

Everywhere we look interfering, judging, controlling and bullying people are trying to undermine our choices as free individuals. It’s enough to make you cry.

....

3 comments:

chris said...

and thats just what you spotted today...
every day more and more fwitted ideas escape from the jobsfortheboys camp. Its time these folk got a proper job. Down the pits.
except we haven't any proper jobs left have we?
We could create some useful ones instead of feeding the penpushers...
how about digging in some fibre? moral and optic?
chris

Anonymous said...

I think it comes and goes in cycles. It was turn of last century they had both prohibition of alcohol across the entire US and defacto illegalization of tobacco in at least 15 US states. It also helped increase the crime rate because it encouraged illegal bootleg alcohol and tobacco smuggling.

It's as if someone jumps on a bandwagon and typically ranting about "health", which is a hard argument to go against (it would be like politicians saying one doesn't like babies instead of kissing them for votes) and it builds a consensus of general agreement, upon which then other nanny state rules and regulations just get heaped and piled on. And it's good for increasing the number of public sector jobs and excuses for raising taxes.

It's not like the words health and liberty/freedom are necessarily the same either. It's more like they sit on opposite ends of the spectrum. Since when did health, safety and security, which usually means a tightening of government controls over the people, equate to freedom, liberty and justice, which is usually a lessening of government control and giving people the choice to decide on personal matters for themselves.

Churchill and Hitler is a good example of that too. Hitler - anti-smoking, anti-alcohol, vegetarian and organic foods obsessive, wanted strong physical bodies for the Fatherland, peoples' minds should be focused on the ideology given them from the state. Churchill - smoked cigars, drank alcohol, was not health food obsessive, wanted strong, free minds who could rationalize clearly, make free choices and understand the threat to freedom the rise of intolerant ideologies in other lands was as a threat to freedom itself.

I think the contrast between the two men - and the distinction between overly nannying authoritarian control type government versus that of people left to make their own choices in life and think out clearly what the results would be, not just lifestyle and health choices, but economic as well, will result in the largest amount of equal opportunity for everyone in the long run.

It's an old-fashioned idea, but it's one that always seemed to work best - until recent nannying has turned everything into a control-freak paradise here.

SadButMadLad said...

Not forgetting Barnsley's recent ban against swearing in the market.