Bag's Rants

The adaptable public.

Seems that the Welsh politicians are pushing for business to start the ball rolling and roll out the ban early. Read here. Of course the business, who actually have to make a living, are a bit concerned. Some don't want to lose business because the customers can't smoke while others who have already banned smoking are saying their business has benefited. It will be good for some and not others so they need to be careful.

My view is that the public is adaptable. There are undoubtedly people who will not go into places where there is smoking and this ban will bring them out whilst there are also people who won't go where they can't smoke so they will stop going. Up to now the smokers have been the sociable animals and have been the lifeblood of the pubs and clubs. The question is can the non smokers replace them? Personally I don't think so. Restaurants and food places have been where non smokers go. Pubs and clubs are for smokers.

Therefore the industry will have to adapt to cater for the changes enforced by our politicians. Pubs and clubs will expand on their entertainment or go out of business.

It is the same when any law is passed. People tend to obey the laws no matter what they think of them. They follow the rules set down if not the intent. When handguns were banned many people had to find new ways to keep the money coming in. If the Fox Hunting ban had been efficient then many would have had to find new employment. The Polish potato suppliers had to change their market. The list goes on, and under this government, on and on and on..... This ban is no different.

Things change. People adapt and businesses adapt to meet these changing needs. Those that don't go under. In ten years time everything will be back to normal. It is unlikely that the smoking ban will be overturned but people will be spending their money on entertaining themselves and businesses will be making money from doing that.

What we eat is clearly next, McDonalds and it's like had better start diversifying in other foods, Cars are clearly on the list as well. Won't be long before there is only two or three models, none above 1000cc approved for the roads and even then needs special license and a bus stop every twenty yards. Dangerous sports, such as horse riding, will be gone and we will have compulsory exercise with usage logged to a central computer.

It's all for our own good.

'Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.' - C.S.Lewis.

posted by Bag @ 4:00 pm