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Friday Fun Thread for March 22, 2024

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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This just evades the point, try again but for soda

He "evades" the point by offering directly contradicting evidence to your assertion? And then you literally move the goalposts by shifting the object from water to the substance that is single most responsible for the American pre-diabetic and diabetes epidemic.

This isn't just poor argumentation, it's a lack of understanding of the nature of consumer demand and vendor supply.


McDonald's continues to exist and generate profit because American (and foreign!) consumers really enjoy, and therefore demand, their product. Every time I hear someone go on about "the corporate overlords" I get a strong suspicion they've never worked in one of these large corporations. They're bureaucratic, slow, with pockets of poor management everywhere. Often, they're coasting on brand recognition and incumbent advantage. Sure, they may still have top line growth, but they're not innovating outside of buying potential challengers (see: McDonalds and Chipotle). The idea that there are these Gordon Gekko greed machines with incredible ability to manipulate the public is laughable. The lizard people don't exist.

The sad fact of the matter is that McDonald's CEO is a former soap salesman who did the handshakeful path of Harvard Biz School to Big Consulting. This is the kind of dude who looks forward to "networking with the family" for 45 minutes of Christmas Eve before diving back in to the sweet sweet womb of quarterly reports. He is a business nerd.

But you know who aren't business nerds? Construction workers getting their morning coffee, single moms too tired to cook, stoned teenagers, and (years ago) my drunk ass at 2 a.m. And we all like the convenience, predictability, and location density of McDonalds. And so we spend, together, billions of dollars on their product.


It would be more efficient if, for super-sized corporations, an agency stepped in and “auctioned” off the corporate positions and ownership according to who will do the job for the least amount of money

An auction. Yes. Like, perhaps, at a market. Like where people would buy and sell assets they own - their "stock" you could say. A kind of "stock market" if you will.

If that’s too much government interference, then allow the employees to form powerful unions.

So we solve government interference by creating organizations that are intrinsically tied to the government.

primitive capitalism

What does this even mean?

we should have some kind of Honesty Regulation

Tell some undefined "truth" or you're committing a crime? George Orwell would like to see you in the hall.

But in an intensive competition what they do is compete over psychologically manipulating the vulnerable

This is just outlandish and I'm beginning to think I'm being trolled.

But in an intensive competition what they do is compete over psychologically manipulating the vulnerable

This is just outlandish and I'm beginning to think I'm being trolled.

Eh, that's the main point that I have some sympathy to. I certainly expect some industries to be unethical and taking advantage of people, especially if they have poor self control or are less intelligent or senile.

Also, he wasn't the one that brought up high bottled water prices. I'm with you overall, though.

How is it possible that you don’t understand that it evades the point? That’s shocking, because it’s a very clear case of arguing against the substance — which should never be done because it wastes time (hence my terse reply, and now I have to waste time clarifying something so simple). It’s not just bad argumentation, it’s damaging to the whole discussion because of that.

  1. We are talking about the overcharging of goods with water as an example. The one example is not the substance of the argument.

  2. If someone wants a bottle of water they should be purchasing it at a reasonable price. Tap water has nothing to do with the claim. It’s not always possible to drive with an open cup of water in your car, depending on cupholders and road conditions

  3. If some locations allow free cups of water, what does this have to do with the locations which do not? Even if points 1 and 2 don’t apply, the simple fact that there are locations which do not give free water makes this whole argument a wasteful tangent. See here, here, here

move the goalposts

it’s crucial to understand the difference between substance and trivial details

to the substance that is single most responsible for the American pre-diabetic and diabetes epidemic.

Are you trolling?

This isn't just poor argumentation

I will read the rest of your post if you can confirm that you’ve understood why you are incorrect per the above

I will read the rest of your post if you can confirm that you’ve understood why you are incorrect per the above

I'm far too dumb to do that.

It’s not always possible to drive with an open cup of water in your car, depending on cupholders and road conditions

Is this why my pants are wet?