Nanny State

Labor Governments have always been sensitive to those in society who are more foolish than the rest of the community.  I have noticed this week that the Feds have their nanny state fingers in many palliative pies at the moment and feel it necessary to point out the small print (see: bleeding obvious) to these mindless citizens.

Listening to the radio the other morning, I heard that there is a new sunscreen SPF rating - factor 50+.  Why the hell do we need a factor 50+?!  Who goes out in the sun anymore?  I guess those who choose to sit outside for hours and hours tanning their skins into a leather three-seater sofa in the Australian summer sun might care about that piece of information. 

And then a spokesperson of a cancer charity came on and said that it's not so great, because some people will get a false sense of security that their skin is protected and sit outside for longer.  Um, yes, idiots may have that problem.  I'm pretty sure kids should learn the dangers of skin cancer when they are two days old in this country.  Oh, that's right, it's the government's responsibility to tell them...

And then there are the warnings that will be voluntarily printed on alcohol labels; warnings that the Australian Medical Association say will be useless unless the labels specifically offer the range and severity of possible health problems associated with getting sloshed.  I don't know; I'm pretty sure they will be useless regardless. 

I'm not sure too many pissed, randy teenagers will care, let alone scan the fine detail of the terms and conditions in their drunken stupour or at any other time.  Teenagers should already know that alcohol is bad for them.  If they don't, then it's not the government's role to tell them.  Oh, that's right, it IS apparently the government's responsibility to advise them...

And then there's the Federal Government's Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill, which will make it an offence to sell, supply, purchase, package, or manufacture tobacco products for retail sale in Australia in anything other than the plain packaging requirements set out in the Bill and regulations.  Oh noes, the glamour's gone for smokers. 

I'm pretty sure those grown adults who venture outdoors in the freezing cold to light up, and the kids who hang outside shopping malls on a Friday night, won't give a rats about the packaging.  Shouldn't parents be telling their kids that cigarettes will kill you?  Oh, that's right, they think that's the job of the government...

As annoyed as I get with governments behaving like nanny states, I suspect it is a necessary function of the state for a lot of douche bags in the community. 

If people don't want bureaucrats sticking their noses into their fake designer handbags, drunkard social habits, bedroom antics, calorie-laden fridges, parenting skills etc, then they should occasionally do the right thing by themselves / their kids. 

A lot of people like to think they can look after themselves, but, in reality, it seems about 20% of the population require a sort of pre-palliative care just to get through the day. You know the ones; you probably see at least one every day. They don't really care for speed limits, they walk across a road without looking, and this is just the stuff that happens on the road.

Not stopping at stop signs is one that always has me vexed.  Yes, I know there are no cars around, but the sign says STOP. Which means you should friggin' stop moving.  All that is required of you as a responsible and reasonable citizen is to stop your car for a couple of seconds. That's it. 

Is it really that complicated to get your head around?   Maybe they need some small print placed on the sign that reads, "not stopping at the stop sign may kill you".  Oh wait, we DO have those signs.