[elbucko]

These regulations have less to do with the stupidity of society than with the larceny of lawyers.

[ARCADIA]

Could I wear one of these?

http://www.improb.com/news/2002/may/troy-new-suit.html

[stubernx98]

We operate on the lowest common denominator theory. that is why the elites think that the laws do not apply to them.

We're doomed, doomed I say.

[Michael Goldsberry]

It gets worse.

They don't want anyone to own a knife in the UK.

I kinda like my arsenal.

I think I'll keep it, thank you.

[Alberta's Child]

These regulations are also the inevitable result of a rising standard of living and the accompanying boredom that always results. Only a nation that has defeated such problems as plagues, famine, and pestilence would have the time or patience to regulate smoking or require seatbelts to be worn at all times.

A typhoid plague or an invasion of barbarian hordes would go a long way towards putting our priorities in order.

[Spiff]

I have a similar or related theory. You see, the Democrat party and its candidates relies upon these stupid people as their constituency. It is STUPID people that are voting for Democrats. The invention of the Internet and the ability for people to educate themselves about the issues has caused a number of people to vote Republican. To counter that, the Democrats must ensure that more stupid people survive. In that past stupid people would thankfully kill themselves off in fiery "hold muh beer" moments or falls from bicycles when they weren't wearing helmets, etc., etc. (see Darwin Awards). Or stupid people would render themselves unable to reproduce, or they would kill their unborn children through abortion, or they would do something stupid and kill their entire stupid family. The bottom line is that this meant less stupid voters to vote for Democrats. So, the Democrats set about to start forcing people to buckle their kids up and forcing cyclists to wear helmets, they put warning labels on coffee cups and McDonalds Apple Turnovers (heaven knows how many people have been killed by those evil things). Etc. Etc.

Here's where the real danger comes in. The more stupid people who survive until voting age who also survive long enough to reproduce means that there are more and more stupid people being born every day. Natural selection used to keep the stupid herds down to a reasonable level, but with all this new safety regulation and such, we're going to become overpopulated with stupid people. And we'll see our Republican majority in Congress dwindle as a result.

Of course Congressional Republicans have a plan to address this eventuality. Lately, they've been acting more and more stupid in an attempt to fool the gullible stupid people to get them to vote for them. It makes one wish that they were too stupid to notice all this stuff.

[faq]

I had no idea about the Cookie Monster. That's too bad. What about Oscar? Is he still grouchy? Or is he now called Oscar the tolerant?

[xcamel]

The more we attempt to prevent mother nature from removing the stupid (and other undesirable traits) from the gene pool, the more likely it will be one of these that pushes "the button", spills the deadly virus, torques off some aggressive alien race.

From "Godzilla"

"History proves again and again how Nature points up the folly of men....."

[bonfire]

Read Michael Crighton's "State of Fear". He addresses this issue.

[Gordon Pym]

Perhaps we should start letting the dumb play with blasting caps or grizzly bear insulting.

LOL! How about Shotgun tag or javelin catching?

[teenyelliott]

by regulating against accidents stupid people are not killing themselves like they are supposed to

That, my friend, is a beautiful line.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

It's called chlorine in the gene pool and the lawyers are keeping it from being applied to the water.

[solitas]

Perhaps we should start letting the dumb play with blasting caps or grizzly bear insulting.

Practical Darwinism?

[Pharmboy]

Well, this backs up your theory, and refutes it at the same time...

[Mad Dawgg]

"Perhaps we should start letting the dumb play with blasting caps or grizzly bear insulting."

Ya know Darwin got a bad rap but his "Survival of the Fittest" theory has merit.

If he were alive to day I venture if he read the story of Rachel Corey he would nod knowingly.

[Countyline]

Many of the regulations, etc., mentioned are to avoid and prevent law suits. The juries have made ridiculous awards for a lot of 'stupid' stuff. Perhaps, because they see it as a 'big corporation' and a poor person; however, it sets precedents, and that allows basis for further future law suits ... on and on . The boundaries keep moving. Law suits are the cause of many, many, problems in our nation.

[theFIRMbss]

>In observing the sad state of our society I have noticed a few things

I would like to see
statistics on IQ's and
VANITY thread counts . . .

[RightWhale]

I would change the title to A theory about how society has become stupid.

Then wonder how society persists in doing what various particular individuals can clearly see is less than optimal in the long view.

[Protagoras]

What do you think?

I think some people just love to regulate the lives of other people. It's an insatiable desire for control.

It has led too almost all the major problems that men have encountered in history once they had solved the problem of what was for dinner.