A lawmaker in California wants McDonalds to leave the toy out of the happy meal because, he says, it contributes to childhood obesity.
Huh?
The toy is the only part of the happy meal that doesn't contribute to obesity. Let's just use some common sense here. If you don't want your child to eat happy meals, just don't buy him happy meals. It's really not that tough.
Oh, it's the marketers faults! Those evil advertising people who perform that voodoo that they do so well that makes us drive like zombies in our gas guzzling vehicles and inch forward in the drive through line where we are forced against our will to buy super-sized greasy, salty, fatty food. We're helpless to resist.
Should we be allowed to sue fast food places because they have yummy fries and bacon cheeseburgers that contribute to high cholesterol and overweight? Well, we surely aren't conscious enough to find a phone number for an attorney unless we see commercials every ten minutes that tell us that we're entitled to a large settlement if there is, might be, or has ever been anything wrong with us.
Those violent video games might be bad for our children, but what can we do? Their friends have them and if our children don't have them they might grow up thinking they are inferior. They might feel bad. They might even get mad at us. Oh, the horror!
If your 8 year old's physician has put him on a restricted calorie diet because his weight is causing health concerns and your husband is out of work, please don't tell me that you're going to buy Easter candy and cigarettes after work because they're on sale today at your pharmacy. I just don't want to hear it.
We make choices every day. I admit it. I make my share of stupid ones. But I'm not going to blame a plastic toy, a brilliant marketing campaign, or peer pressure for my stupid mistakes. I refuse to give away my power like that.
Surely lawmakers have something more important to do than go after happy meal toys. Surely lawyers have enough real battles to fight. Surely we don't really believe we are totally controlled by advertisers, no matter how clever they are.
For crying in a bucket, people, it's time to find our ovaries and grow up!
It is all McDonald's fault, they aren't putting kid sized bikes in those Happy Meals or a toy parent that tell their child to go outside and play.
ReplyDeleteLet's sue them!
ReplyDeleteIn my figurative book, it's called not taking responsibility for one's actions. Blaming is so much easier that saying, "I made a bad decision."
ReplyDeleteBTW, I like what you've done with the place. It's easier to read, and quite girlish.
The toy in the happy was the best part! Damn those adults all got toys in their happy meals! There is even people out their that have collect toys from happy meals and buy, sell, and trade them for large amounts of money! That's just not fair for someone to grow up getting the toy and then say that their kid can't have it! That's almost like their jealous because they can't have it anymore. And happy meal are actually beter for you because I remember in college when my friends and I had little money and couldn't afford a regular size drink, burger, and fries. We drove up to the fast food place and ordered a happy meal! Then a lot of people would send their toy home to their little sister or brother!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me put my two sense in,
Amanda
Charlie,
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the new look. I am a girl - good guess!
Amanda, your two cents is always welcome!
Scotland is the only country in the Western world where Coca Cola and the Golden Arches is not the nations favourite source of nourishment.
ReplyDeleteAnd for that... I am very grateful.
A great post hen!