Libertarian Thread #2: We Shall Never Die!

harmonium.ro wrote: My girl (who's a doctor) says sodas are worse than beer, and drinking beer is also better than drinking vodka, brandy, whiskey, liquors etc. on a regular basis (I don't know what's the English name of this group of drinks). But that isn't saying that drinking beer is good for health.

In moderation, I don't think it's particularly bad for health, other than that it consists of "empty" calories and if you're trying to watch caloric intake a glass of wine might be better than a beer.  But the studies done on the good effects of wine have been extended to all alcoholic beverages (again, the key is moderation - 1-2 drinks per day).

Soda really is a complete zero other than it might taste good.  At this point in my life, I've cut it out almost completely.  Most days for me it is coffee in the morning, water for lunch and dinner, and beer or wine in the evening.  Occasionally we'll have wine with dinner or I'll have a beer at lunch.  I'd like to start drinking more tea, which I have rarely.

What this has to do with libertarianism, I have no idea, other than I hope I'm free to continue to consume what I want.  

^ Does it work?

My girl (who's a doctor) says sodas are worse than beer, and drinking beer is also better than drinking vodka, brandy, whiskey, liquors etc. on a regular basis (I don't know what's the English name of this group of drinks). But that isn't saying that drinking beer is good for health. The only think she agrees upon as being healthy is the drinking of one glass of red wine each day. We do drink beer and cider once in a while, but not much. Our tradition says that one shot of strong liquor before lunch is good for the digestion, but she disagrees, and recently I've read a scientific article saying this tradition is false  

Edited by harmonium.ro - January 01 2011 at 11:06

Ah democracy. 

Your liver might disagree with your beer vs soda assessment. 

You actually end up drinking less when you play beer pong. It's a fun game. I'd play it without drinking.

Very nice. 

How was your celebration last night Rob?

Equality 7-2521 wrote: People get their causality mixed up. They seem to think that laws dictates popular behavior, but popular behavior becomes law. To remove a law against drinking is only to remove an after effect of an existing social belief about drinking. Clearly in the states 21 is absurd, but it's equally absurd to think that without a law against a drinking age we would see 7 year old kids getting loaded at the corner dive.

This is what I'm saying.  For a different example, laws that tell sex offenders they can't go on school grounds.  Okay, let's see here...do people really think a sex offender will say "Gee, I'd really like to have my way with a 7-year-old boy today, but gosh darn it, the new law says I'm not allowed to go the a school or a park.  Aw well.  Let's see what's on TV."

People get their causality mixed up. They seem to think that laws dictates popular behavior, but popular behavior becomes law. To remove a law against drinking is only to remove an after effect of an existing social belief about drinking.