Is health a moral issue?

bhsmte · Jul 2, 2015

LOVEthroughINTELLECT said:
My point is that comparing nicotine and refined sugars is comparing apples and oranges.

We can split hairs all day about good calories vs. bad calories and calorie deficiencies vs. excessive calories, but the fact remains that refined sugars are a source of something that the body needs and nicotine, as far as I know, is not.

In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism Richard H. Robbins shows that one of the reasons sugar became so popular in Europe was that it was a cheap source of calories with which to feed the workers who provided the labor in the Industrial Revolution.

The body does indeed need glucose and it is the only fuel the brain can utilize. The thing is though, table sugar is not the only source of glucose and there are other sources that are much healthier to use. Sugar produces a dramatic rise in blood sugar and the subsequent "sugar high". It also causes, the dramatic drop in blood sugar, when insulin comes in and sucks the sugar out of the blood and in short order, requires the person to eat more sugar, to get the blood sugar back up again.

Lastly, in those who consume diets very low in sugars (carbohydrates) the body can actually manufacture glucose, so the brain has what it needs. The body is a very adaptive machine.

Open Heart · Jul 2, 2015

DaveW-Ohev said:
HFCS is surely bad - VERY bad - but it is not a moral issue. Morality has to do with someone enhancing their own experience at someone else's expense; [basic selfishness] and sugary food just does not fit that model. The exception might be the food industry execs who are profiting from getting people hooked on their high fructose foods.

Thank you. This is the sort of reply I was hoping for in this thread. Even though I disagree.

Open Heart · Jul 2, 2015

bhsmte said:
You can't legislate morality. You can't tell people what is moral and what is not with much effectiveness. What each of us determines to be acceptable behavior, is laid deep in our psyche and is unique to each person.

I have been in healthcare for over 20 years and know very well, the importance of having positive health habits. I also know, for some, it is extremely difficult to do, even if others hang morality over their head.

Bottom line, people do things when they want to and when it is their idea, for the most part.

Thank you for your post. This is what I was looking for when I set up the OP. Even though I have a different opinion.

JuiceBoxxed · Jul 2, 2015

Open Heart said:
What say you? Is living a healthy lifestyle a moral choice? And should it be legislated? Or is that going too far?

Moral choice? Not in my view. Moral choices generally have to do with our relationships with others persons, animals and the world around us. However, it is moral to the extent that an unhealthy lifestyle directly and adversely affects others.

My body belongs to me, as your body belongs to you. I have no right to tell you what to do with yours as you have no right to tell me what to do with mine. That includes calling on the power of government/legislative organizations to force change with the threat of violence. So a definite NO to legislation, EXCEPT where a person's unhealthy lifestyle choices directly and adversely infringe upon the natural rights of others.

So it goes without saying, yes, it goes too far.

bhsmte · Jul 2, 2015

JuiceBoxxed said:
Moral choice? Not in my view. Moral choices generally have to do with our relationships with others persons, animals and the world around us. However, it is moral to the extent that an unhealthy lifestyle directly and adversely affects others.

My body belongs to me, as your body belongs to you. I have no right to tell you what to do with yours as you have no right to tell me what to do with mine. That includes calling on the power of government/legislative organizations to force change with the threat of violence. So a definite NO to legislation, EXCEPT where a person's unhealthy lifestyle choices directly and adversely infringe upon the natural rights of others.

So it goes without saying, yes, it goes too far.

I agree and very well stated!!!

Eudaimonist · Jul 2, 2015

Yes, it is a moral issue, but it is a matter for personal judgment and research, and health as a value may be weighed against other values in one's life. The practical reasoning skills of individuals are important here.

No, it should not be the subject of legislation, except for "second-hand" harm, such as from second-hand smoke, for instance.

eudaimonia,

Mark

Open Heart · Jul 2, 2015

JuiceBoxxed said:
So it goes without saying, yes, it goes too far.

Including our smoking regulations?

SuperCloud · Jul 2, 2015

Cearbhall said:
Except when they leave their crap all over the sidewalks and the residents are legally obligated to clean it up.

Nope. It's a major source of litter, not to mention that it causes fires.

So, banning cigarettes cures litter? Is that why beer cans and other trash litter the curbs and front lawns of homes on certain parts of the North and South Sides of Milwaukee?

(I don't smoke cigarettes by the way. No tobacco minus a cigar every rare blue moon.)

bhsmte · Jul 2, 2015

Open Heart said:
Including our smoking regulations?

I think they covered that when they said except when our actions negatively impact another person. Our smoking regulations, are intended to protect people from second hand smoke.

Open Heart · Jul 2, 2015

bhsmte said:
I think they covered that when they said except when our actions negatively impact another person. Our smoking regulations, are intended to protect people from second hand smoke.

What about laws that don't impact others, like no smoking on sidewalks? To me those are ridiculous.

bhsmte · Jul 2, 2015

Open Heart said:
What about laws that don't impact others, like no smoking on sidewalks? To me those are ridiculous.

If there is no evidence that second hand smoke would harm someone is certain situations, then yes, the law is ridiculous. Even inside a building, the studies on the harm of second hand smoke, are mixed.

Seat belt laws are also ridiculous IMO, it has zero impact on anyone else.

Blue Wren · Jul 5, 2015

It can be a moral issue, yes.

Is health a moral issue?

Is avoiding unhealthy practices like smoking a moral issue?

Yes, but not legislated

Yes and legislated too in some cases such as smoking

No, except in rare cases like smoking

No, it's personal choice, even smoking

It depends on each individual thing

Answer in my post

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