From Democracy to Idiocracy
- By: MountainFarmgirl
- On: 01/21/2012 18:41:50
- In: Mountain Bounty, Mountain Blessings
- Comments: 25
It has been said that ‘Three generations away from the family farm leads to the end of common sense as we know it’. The Mountain Farmgirl fears this is all too true. Take a peek at some modern day examples of our national decline in rational thinking, and why the Farmgirl sisterhood is such a refreshing antidote to contemporary incompetence in ‘From Democracy to Idiocracy’ …
WARNING: Reading this blog may cause serious doubts as to the intelligence and the future of the human race.
I am innately opposed to the trend of increasing legislation over our lives. As thinking, feeling human beings in a free society we should not require our legislators to constantly protect us from the obvious every time we turn around – or sue the manufacturers of everyday products if they don’t. This includes ludicrous laws such as those requiring warnings on hot coffee (By the way, it’s supposed to be hot!!); champagne corks (don’t shoot them into your eyeballs); warnings not to fold up your stroller with your child still in it; and jigsaw puzzle boxes that must caution us that ‘Some assembly is required’. Overhearing a few other ridiculous examples recently, I just-for-fun Google-searched “Absurd Warning Labels” to see what a nation of idiots we have apparently become, and it’s worse than I had previously thought. At least it is if you don’t hang out in Farmgirl circles where common sense mixes with creativity…
Try a few of these real-life warning zingers on for size …
• ‘This motorcycle contains no edible parts’
• ‘Do not iron clothes while wearing them’
• On a bottle of children’s cold medication: ‘Do not operate heavy equipment’
• Egg cartons that say “This product may contain eggs” and Peanut jars that warn “May contain nuts or nut products”
• ‘Vanishing Fabric Marker should not be used for signing checks or legal documents’
• ‘This electric drill is not intended for dental use’
• ‘Do not blow dry hair while sleeping’
• ‘Peel fruit leather from cellophane before eating’
• Do not drive with Windshield Cover on window
• Do not pour liquids into your television
• On a Butane lighter: Flame may cause fire
• On a microscope: Objects are smaller than they appear
• Do NOT put any person in this washing machine
Have you laughed enough? Well you get the idea, and I’m sure you have a few of your own favorites to share.
Of course, the warnings aren’t just there for consumer safety. Most result from lawsuits (or fear of potential ones) so that manufacturers are protected against human stupidity. While only a moron would put their child in the washing machine instead of a bathtub, or shake hands with the business end of a chainsaw, manufacturers go to such laughable lengths because our legal system has become a litigation lottery. While clearly the manufacturers have the responsibility to educate users to unforeseen dangers, the American legal system is based on the fact some things are so obvious that you don’t need to warn about them. … Or do you?
When my husband and I have functions at our inn, the outdoor tents we have erected for wedding receptions are required by law to have lighted exit signs. No matter that the sides are wide open and one could just step out at will should a situation arise requiring it … No … electrified LED signs must be installed in case anyone has any doubts, and they must be inspected the day of the function by a licensed inspector, (as if humans wouldn’t already know to step outside if the tent went up in a blaze). All this makes me wonder, “How did we make it this far in our evolutionary process?”
I am proud to circulate in farm girl circles where intelligence-insulting warnings and ridiculous laws are unnecessary, and down-to-earth common sense is the rule rather than the exception. Whether you work a farm that’s been in your family for generations, keep a few chickens, grow a pot of herbs on your windowsill, or just read articles from MaryJane’s publications, you are passing on a legacy to the next generation which is worth its weight in gold! Keep up the good work, gals … the survival of our country’s future is in hard-working, practical hands like ours!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject ...
Until next time,
Mountain Bounty, Mountain Blessings from Cathi
The Mountain Farmgirl
Comments
Keep up the good work. Love it.
I'm thankful I grew up on a farm where common sense is still common.
I'm a moutain girl from NC, retired and loving my little homestead with my organic garden.
It always chaps my hide when someone brings up the stupid old lady who put hot coffee in her lap and then got a little burn. This has got to be one of the greatest smear campaigns done by big business. The stupid old lady, named Stella Liebeck by the way, got third degree burns in between her legs, over 6% of her skin, from her coffee. It took her years to heal. She was sitting in a parked car, as the passenger. McDonald's had also received numerous warnings before Stella's accident that they were serving their coffee at an unsafe drinking temperature.
Here's an article with a photo of Stella's burns. I warn you, it is pretty graphic. This is not a case of a frivolous lawsuit. http://travis.pflanz.me/2011/hot-coffee-2011/
There's also an HBO documentary, "Hot Coffee" that deals with this and other similar cases. The link goes to a review of the film.
You have really struck a nerve with me: as a rural mountain girl I find that again and again people are allowing themselves to get dumbed down, and that the technology and lawsuits that are supposed to help us have actually shackled our innate curiosity and intelligence. I feel that the more folks step away from the modern world, and do things for themselves (like gardening, raising chickens) their sense of self worth and knowledge goes up ten fold. Thanks for the post.
This totally supports my non-belief in evolution. We are NOT evolving if evolution does (as it theorizes) move a species toward positive progress.
Hoping for better days. When a pendulum has swung as far one way as it can, it swings back the other way. I hope so and if it that is true for humanity, we've gotta be close to where sanity and common sense come back in fashion...? But, you know what, to quote one of the blue collar comedians, "You can't fix stupid". I think stupid has always been with us. Maybe we're just at a place in history when we've reached 'critical mass' ... high volume stupid. You know, here'z the thing, you don't have to be smart to have common sense ... 'horse sense'. Horses have a brain the size of a walnut and they are pretty sensible about a lot of things. One could argue that they aren't very bright, but maybe less smarts and better hearts is what horses have and what humans need. If we had better, kinder hearts and less intelligence, we'd not make weapons able to destroy poison entire regions (and the world). We'd be kind enough not to and not smart enough to invent them. 'Nuff said
I've always said that it doesn't matter how book smart you are if you don't have common sense. When I see ridiculous warning labels, my first thought is, "this is because someone actually tried this once."
I live in CA(talk about idiocracy), never on a farm, but my spirit has always felt a kinship to you farmgirls and the land. I'll get there one day.
Thanks for weighing in, Maria! I'm with you ... my first thought is always, "How crazy is THIS?" It's amazing that these things have to be said, but as you mentioned, they amust be there for a reason, hard as it is to believe!! Thanks for your farmgirl kinship! It ALL counts. xoxo cathi
Cindy Bee
Enjoy
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