This article appeared in The Independent today, 26 April 2012. It was written by Health Editor Jeremy Laurance. According to my word count software, there are 529 words in the article. Of those, only 24 words provide a rebuttal -- actually it is only 14 words, but I'm being generous by giving them the whole paragraph. That is about 9% of the article, if you were wondering. Nine-Fucking-Percent! And this is why I really, really, really hate the mainstream media. No, really. They are not independent. They are not fair and unbiased. They promote an agenda of sensationalised hate on a daily basis. And we let them do it.
Would it have been so difficult to provide readers a proper contrary viewpoint? Apparently, yes. Because the opposition only gets this standard line, which while true it is really not working for us at all:
Jaine Chisholm Caunt, secretary-general of the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, said: "There is no reliable evidence that plain packaging will reduce rates of youth smoking."
And it's deliberate lies and sensationalism presented as if were facts. Look at this bullshit (emphasis added):
The research shows children aged from six to 11 are drawn to the slickly presented packs, responding with remarks such as, "It makes you feel you're in a wonderland of happiness", "It reminds me of a Ferrari" and "Yeah, pink, pink, pink." Jean King, director of tobacco control for the charity, said: "Children are drawn to the colourful and slick designs without having a full understanding of how deadly the product is inside the pack. It is time to end the packet racket."
Well, Jean, that's because every fucking child on this planet is stupid and gullible and their parents are totally incapable of teaching them, according to your wacky beliefs.
Look, people, these health nazis do not care about the facts. They make them up to suit their agenda. If you keep sticking to "just the facts, ma'am," no matter how true those facts are, you are going to lose every single battle, because they aren't playing by the rules of fairness and evidence. It is really time to change tactics, and you can disagree with me all you like and say we need to be civilised and such, but we will not win if we do not change. It is time to go on the attack with a equal or greater amount of sensationalism along with actual facts.
Because this being polite shit is NOT FUCKING WORKING!
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| Jeremy Laurance - Mouthpiece for Tobacco Control Twattery |
