(no subject)

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

To show how wonderfully tolerant this place is of nonsense:

In my utopia breast augmentation surgery will be outlawed (save for procedures done for illness reasons) on two grounds:

1) It's a waste of valuable resources*
2) They look bad

Discuss.


*In my dream utopia, healthcare is not only "free" (well, Universal) it's also mandatory

Can't have the sick bring down the healthy

Comments

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

You know what "utopia" means, right?

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

Of course I do.

It means, literally, Nowhere.

I took "Utopian Lit" in college. Fun class.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

No, it doesn't literally mean nowhere, although its etymology has links to Greek words meaning "no" "place".

(In any event, not to go all libertarian on you, but the more obligation and mandating that exists in a society, the less "utopic" and the more "dystopic" in my and most people's opinion. A society in which health care is free and easily accessible sounds fantastic, one in which I'm visiting the doctor every n days under threat of a police visit sounds like a nightmare.)

[tridus.livejournal.com]

He did say it was his utopia.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

Right, but it's not much of a utopia if everyone else thinks it's a hellhole.

Nope.

[papasha-mueller.livejournal.com]

It has something in common with U2 fans.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

A doctor visit every 6 months (or, ya know, the doc comes and visits you!) is bad?

Meh. I disagreed with many over whether Brave New World was all that dystopic.

Phenomenological happiness is where it's at.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

A doctor visit every 6 months isn't bad, being forced to a doctor's visit every six months is. Similarly, a meal 3 times a day is great -- being forced by the government to eat 3 times a day is a different thing entirely.

[enders-shadow.livejournal.com]

While that is true, it's not within your rights (IMO) to endanger everyone (even if it's a low degree of danger) else because you don't like needles.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

The utility from the minimal boost in public safety that this would ensure is far outstripped by the freedom sacrificed.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

Also "dream utopia" is a pleonasm, no?