From: Dickey, Michael F (michael_f_dickey@groton.pfizer.com)
Date: Thu Jun 20 2002 - 08:17:46 MDT
From: empresstheodora@juno.com [mailto:empresstheodora@juno.com]
>"So, someone has the guts to do this."
>
>read blatant greed
"In this case, "greed" is definitely good."
Greed is never good. Greed is the dehumanizing element in the world and one
of the main reasons that we have much afliction in it.
Greed also brought to this world electricity, running water, health,
medicine, vaccines, indoor heating, sanitation systems, longer lifes,
poetry, music, love, and, importantly, computers which will ultimately
(through greed) lead to a singularity which may ultimately (through greed)
lead to immortality. And, possibly, given the constraints of Time travel
not yet worked out, the 'resurrection' of the dead. Basing a society on the
opposite of greed, altruism, has led to the failure of communism and the
massive death toll that ensued, 100's of millions of people.
-----
"As far as discomfort of others. Well that is a problem with airlines and
their abilities to create a seating chart that all the boys and girls in the
class can agree on. Maybe there could be a system of point and click seating
for planes along with online ticket purtchessing."
"If people want to eat that is their right and if people don't it's also a
right."
The main problem is not that people are choosing to eat in excess, its that
the people who do not must foot the bill of the people who do in unaccetable
ways. Airlines making larger people pay more makes complete sense, as more
energy is consumed in transfering those people from point A to point B and
lifting them off the ground. Why should I have to pay more for my ticket
(if I were skinny) because someone else chooses to eat in excess of their
daily caloric requirements? I.e. Why should I bear a cost associated with
someone elses decision?
-----
"Plus I believe in the adage. "Eat, Drink, and be Merry for tomorrow we
die". I would rather die of a heart attack at let's say 70 than of
Alteizmers at 100. Much more dignified and less humiliating."
More power to you, personally I would rather live to be 140 (increasing the
likelyhood of being alive when physical immortality is achieved) then eat a
few extra cheeseburgers. But should I have to pay for your chosen lifestyle
in higher airline ticket prices?
----
>How exactly do you assume that there is anything to do with responsibility
>in being fat?
"This comments suggests that you share the beliefs of those who refuse to
take personal responsibility."
"Take genetic predisposition, psychological make up, and other diseases and
conditions and you lose that precious margin of personal responsibility. "
Take into account the fact that you have free will and choose to reach your
hand out and eat high calorie low nutrition food and personal responsibility
comes right back into the equation. Do you have no free will?
-----
>Why do I as a member of the human race have to take any instructions about
>my mean body weight or fat content?
"No one said that you have to take any instructions. However, it's only fair
for you to pay for taking up the space of two people when limited resources
exist."
What if said resource problem is the fault of gross negligence. I believe
another poster pointed out the lack of change in aircraft design and
maintaince. People are just looking for the easiest targets. When they try
to blame fat people they deflect the problems (at least for a little while)
to someone/thing else. Eventually they will re-emerge and start howling at
the door.
Airlines offer larger chairs, they are called first class. Considering the
fact that airplains get you from point A to point B at over 500 miles per
hour (how fast are jet airliners?) I dont see any 'design' issues with them.
Considering lots of people want to go from point A to point B, and the plane
is of finite size, it only makes sense to charge for space that is taken up
and mass that is transported.
Michael
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