Once upon a time, over-indulgence was considered a sin, a vice.
Not so much, nowadays.
Somewhere along the line, the idea that a little of a good thing was good, that general abundance is good, but that there can be too much of a good thing for any particular person … this latter common sense idea got lost.
I was reminded of this while reading the latest from the nation’s most famous investor: “Warren Buffett set himself on a potential collision course with public health campaigners when he said it was ‘quite spurious’ to lay the blame for obesity and diabetes at the door of fizzy drinks companies, such as his part-owned Coca-Cola.”
The octogenarian multi-billionaire Buffet, described as a “renowned Cherry Coke drinker,” defended not only his habit but the company that produced it. He emphasized choice, consumer choice. And he said, “I make a choice to get 700 calories from Coke, I like fudge a lot, too, and peanut brittle and I am a very happy guy.”
It came up because a university study had “linked fizzy drinks to 184,000 deaths annually worldwide.”
Well, name your poison. Some folks over-indulge in alcohol; others, food; others, fizzy drinks. But Buffet limits his Cherry Coke intake, as common sense would indicate.
Gluttony used to be a vice. It was preached against. The morality of common sense held sway in our culture.
At some point hedonism in the unrestrained sense took hold of many consumers, who can pay a heavy price — if not at the grocery, at the doctor’s office.
No new laws or regulations are needed. Let everyone, billionaire or not, add up their costs and choose.
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3 replies on “Too Much of a Good Thing”
Interesting that one of the world’s richest men relishes at least some of the health habits of the Slobbo-Sicko Nation to which he has successfully plied his own wares. Your point is well taken, that people should be free to pick their substances to abuse at whatever level they’re comfortable with. Fortunately, people are beginning to wake up for their own benefit and ditch the, well, junk that’s driving them to early graves and to start falling apart predictably in their 40s. Ref. Forks over Knives (http://brianrwright.com/CoffeeCoasterBlog/?p=3103). [Another enlightening background story would be how Coca Cola or Buffett’s other favorites have gamed the globalist cartel system with their government cronies for boatloads of special privilege in purveying the ‘Toxic Shroud.’] 🙂
Fortunately grew up in a household where we were never allowed to drink soda. My mom’s famous words were, “If you’re thirsty, drink water.” We also didn’t have chips or go to fast food restaurants either. And we weren’t allowed to snack between meals other then to eat an apple or some other fruit. Hence, I never developed a taste for any of these negative habits. Sure I thought my Mom was mean at the time; but now I am grateful that I avoided all these pitfalls.
I think if parents did their jobs and were less; “let the kids make their own choices.” We wouldn’t have reckonings like having heart disease & diabetes when we hit 40.
If Buffet wants to promote cherry coke or any other fizzy drink, I don’t care. It’s choice. It’s capitalism. People can exert self control. Besides, Buffet can afford the doctor bills.
You — and your mother — make good common sense, Karen.
And, Brian, thanks for the reminder about crony capitalism and its numerous creeping tentacles.