The Progressive Atrophy of Common Sense (part II)
Please join me in observing these three escalating examples of nonsense:
Don't Lend Me Money When I Ask For It
There has been a growing trend in the UK of banks receiving criticism for lending money to people who could not keep up repayments and in all likelihood were never going to. It is argued, and not by a minority, that it is the responsibility of the banks to ensure that anyone that they lend to will be able to handle the burden of this debt.
It is in the banks interest to only lend monies to people that can repay them, they will however, be willing to take risks. I would argue that the responsibility for deciding if the loan is appropriate lies at a personal level. You don't see these people complaining when the banks agree to lend them money, the complaints of irresponsible lending only emerge when the it's time to pay the money back.
I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen but if you are an adult with no mental health issues then you are quite capable of making your own decisions. If you want a loan and a bank is willing to take a risk on giving you said loan then you are solely to blame if you can't pay it back. News Flash: You are not a child.
Don't Sell Me Food When I Want To Buy It
Next we have the phenomenon of people claiming that major food companies have been behaving irresponsibly for ... shock horror... selling food to consumers. I know this seems terrible but it's just a sign of the times in which we live, people walking into shops, buying food... I'm almost ashamed to be human. There has been claims that fast food outlets and any producers of food with high salt, sugar and fat contents should place warnings on their products about the potential for addiction.
Moreover lawyers have been arguing cases for compensation for "pain & suffering". Here is a quote from John Banzaf a Lawyer from the USA often labeled as 'The man who wants to sue America'
"I would not be surprised to see McDonald's paying more than $50 billion over the next decade in punitive damages and compensation for pain and suffering"
The response to this appalling sound bite from newsreader Barbara Walters was:
"That sounds crazy ... whatever happened to self-control?"
Someone give that woman a carrot! She has truly hit the nail on the head: You are responsible for your own actions. Give your head a shake and grow up.
Even Drug Dealers Are Irresponsible
Now for the cherry to sit atop of the most delicious of cakes. Sandra Bergan, a 23 year old Canadian, has successfully sued ... brace yourself ... her drug dealer. Ms Bergan said that her dealer, Clinto Davey, had known the drug was highly addictive and dangerous but still sold it to make money. No shit sherlock!
"I sued him for negligence... for selling me drugs and getting me hooked when I was vulnerable"
I'm sorry love but that is what dealers do. Aside from the initial amusement about this story and the pleasing fact that a crystal meth dealer has been punished, there is an underlying reality that there is little difference between this and the 2 aforementioned situations. People everywhere are refusing to take responsibility for their own actions.
This woman has effectively profited from an illegal activity.
Happy days.