Absolutely wild to see people online telling others to become *more individually responsible for their own food safety* when regulations are dismantled, instead of, you know, fighting to not dismantle food safety regulations.
There is a sickness in the USian psyche, and that sickness is the assumption that everything must be solved through independent effort. We leave so much potential unused and waste so much time and energy when we take communal solutions off the table every goddamn time.
It’s incredible that a lot of what we call modern living standards in the US absolutely depend on communal enforcement of standards and a pooling of funds to provide public goods and services. The Interstate system and state and local highways. The national air traffic system. GPS. Radio tech, including cellular, Bluetooth, WiFi.
Government-run organizations like OSHA, NTSB, and NHTSA keep us safe at a *fraction* of the cost it would take for everyone to lobby for their own improvements.
Public goods like local parks, national parks, beaches, and public town squares allow us to relax and live with dignity. They are all paid using pooled funds, and by keeping property away from capitalists’ hands.
There are *so many services* the government provides that make life safer, cheaper, and more efficient for everyone. And a typical USian views them all with utter disdain.
Small quibble--I wouldn't say a "typical" American doesn't value them. Statistically, most of us do. We're just quiet about it. It's the loudmouth assholes who get all the attention.
Me, I like a modern interconnected society. I like antibiotics and vaccines and traffic laws.
@drahardja it’s called civilisation.
And taxes should not be called taxes but a civilisation charge.
If you don’t like paying taxes go somewhere where there is no tax and no civilisation.
@peteorrall Let’s just say I find most of them take these things for granted. National parks and public beaches are viewed as something that have just always existed and not something that has to be created, maintained, and funded.
The one thing most people do about public goods and services is *complain* about them, and how they suck. Quite often I hear people talk about privatizing them so they “work better”, missing the point entirely that the nonprofit, public-service nature of these organizations is what makes them valuable.
Dave Rahardja
Ferdi Magellan
Poloniousmonk
Peter Brown
mtconleyuk
Tim Allen
Pete Orrall