18 replies to this topic

[mpinsky]

"Should we sue?" This question seems to have become America's slogan nowadays. The majority of Americans today seem to think that sueing is the only way to solve their problems, mostly because there is a lot of money involved if they win.

To many fast food-eaters, the golden arches of MacDonald's have become their god. It calls to them; tells them that their food must be eaten or suffer the penalty of death. So what do they do? None other than follow the calling of MacDonald's and pay homage to its all-powerful pull of eating enjoyment. And yet, people still wonder, "Why am I so overweight nowadays? I only eat fast food every other day." None of them ever stop to think that that might actually be the cause of their problem. Instead, it's, "I file a lawsuit against MacDonald's for making me fat! It's not my fault that I eat there almost every day; Ronald MacDonald makes me. He has evil magic powers." Uh-huh. Yeah, right.

People just do not want to admit that they are the cause of their own problems; it's just human nature, but look at it like an addiction to smoking or chewing tobacco. If one hadn't started using it in the first place, they wouldn't be addicted, hmmm? Then again, there's always smokers that sue the tobacco company for their own stupid choices, so who am I talk?

So no, I think we should not sue MacDonald's just because we do not want to admit to our own short-comings and defeats, but seeing as this has become America's motto now, there's really nothing we can do to stop it.

Well, that's the way the world works now.

What is your take on this guys?

[Arbitrary]

I don't think we should sue, but of course that doesn't make companies like McDonald or tobacco corporations any less evil. Worse 'n Microsoft, no doubt.

It is indeed the people's own fault. They ought to remember that just because they won a lawsuit against McDonalds does not mean that they will automatically lose weight. Thus, if their true scheme had been based on health-related concerns, they ought to not have sued, but have attempted to boycott McDonalds.

In another way though, you could also very well argue it's McDonald's fault. Let's say you're a kid who watches TV every now and then and you see an advertisement for McDonalds. You're hooked by the ad (many kids are), and decide you must go to McDonalds. You make a begging session with mommy and daddy and then you get a chance to go to McDonalds. There--the child is being manipulated by McDonald's advertisements when he/she was not at a age to make educated decisions. If he/she had been older, then okay, blame it on the child. Of course, the same ad-manipulation problem could be argued for nearly any company...

Edited by Arbitrary, 07 August 2006 - 07:02 PM.

[zyzzyvette]

I only think people should be allowed to sue if they can prove that the company withheld information about its effects- anyone who started smoking before people found out all the problems with cigarettes, for example. It's not fair to blame someone for using something when they didn't realize it was harmful, but its just as unfair to blame a company that puts warnings/nutritional info on the packaging. I think McDonalds will give you nutritional info if you ask when you order or go on their website; either way I think just about everyone knows how terrible it is for you anyways.

As for 'hypnotic' advertising, I think that (as a society) we have to say no to whiny kids (Spoiling them is no good... of course I'm fairly spoiled myself ) and teach them critical thinking skills so that they understand that most commercials don't really say anything of importance. The downside to this is that they'll sit in front of the TV and point out logical loopholes in all the commercials- according to my parents this is quite annoying.

[Mark420]

Cmon in this day and age everyone should know how evil fast food is...
If Americans want to keep stuffing it down thier faces ...then sue over it...it kinda makes me laugh...
Let them do it and I hope McEvil goes broke by paying all these fat diabetic people to get motorised wheelchairs.

[Chesso]

Company's like MacDonald's to become responsible when they *obviously* and quite often target young children (why else have the little happy meals), especially children so young that they are highly vulnerable to shaping and conditioning.

The blame should be put both ways, not one or the other. Because ther are both problems.

Tobacco company's and the Government don't have an excuse. They know damn well they could make it illegal and tell people to deal with it, but they both make too much money from it so they never will.

Although making it illegal wouldn't entirely solve the problem, it would certainly cut it down by quite alot. I have seen alot of people try to quit only to fail after seeing people always around them smoking (very nerve racking I'll tell you, I'm a smoker aswell ).

[cyborgxxi]

Suing McDonalds would solve nothing for Americans. What needs to be done is to make limits. To install boundries when eating fast food. (or as my dad likes to call it FAT food) Living in Asia and visiting my relatives in the states I really do see differences in eating habits. I always gain about 8 pounds in the states. But I think if people in the States could stop eating fast food altogether and start exercising regularly then they wouldn't have to worry about the ridiculous notion of suing McDonalds. Suing McDonalds is just away to make money and a place to allocate the blame for one's own eating flaws.

[Chesso]

Yeah that is true, but if temptation wasn't there in the first place it could have the same effect, if we removed the fat food from the fat people what would they do?

But I know Macca's and other such fast food (or rather fat food) resteraunts are going to be leaving us anytime soon.

I used to eat there on the odd occasion when I was little, and a bit more as I grew older, but I don't go anywhere near there now unless I'm really in the mood for a thickshake.

[Mafamba Team]

"Should we sue?" This question seems to have become America's slogan nowadays. The majority of Americans today seem to think that sueing is the only way to solve their problems, mostly because there is a lot of money involved if they win.

To many fast food-eaters, the golden arches of MacDonald's have become their god. It calls to them; tells them that their food must be eaten or suffer the penalty of death. So what do they do? None other than follow the calling of MacDonald's and pay homage to its all-powerful pull of eating enjoyment. And yet, people still wonder, "Why am I so overweight nowadays? I only eat fast food every other day." None of them ever stop to think that that might actually be the cause of their problem. Instead, it's, "I file a lawsuit against MacDonald's for making me fat! It's not my fault that I eat there almost every day; Ronald MacDonald makes me. He has evil magic powers." Uh-huh. Yeah, right.

People just do not want to admit that they are the cause of their own problems; it's just human nature, but look at it like an addiction to smoking or chewing tobacco. If one hadn't started using it in the first place, they wouldn't be addicted, hmmm? Then again, there's always smokers that sue the tobacco company for their own stupid choices, so who am I talk?

So no, I think we should not sue MacDonald's just because we do not want to admit to our own short-comings and defeats, but seeing as this has become America's motto now, there's really nothing we can do to stop it.

Well, that's the way the world works now.

What is your take on this guys?


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I don't understand, you would have to clairfy more on which directory your sueing on, rather than taking sue as a universal term.

[Ronel]

"Should we sue?" This question seems to have become America's slogan nowadays. The majority of Americans today seem to think that sueing is the only way to solve their problems, mostly because there is a lot of money involved if they win.

To many fast food-eaters, the golden arches of MacDonald's have become their god. It calls to them; tells them that their food must be eaten or suffer the penalty of death. So what do they do? None other than follow the calling of MacDonald's and pay homage to its all-powerful pull of eating enjoyment. And yet, people still wonder, "Why am I so overweight nowadays? I only eat fast food every other day." None of them ever stop to think that that might actually be the cause of their problem. Instead, it's, "I file a lawsuit against MacDonald's for making me fat! It's not my fault that I eat there almost every day; Ronald MacDonald makes me. He has evil magic powers." Uh-huh. Yeah, right.

People just do not want to admit that they are the cause of their own problems; it's just human nature, but look at it like an addiction to smoking or chewing tobacco. If one hadn't started using it in the first place, they wouldn't be addicted, hmmm? Then again, there's always smokers that sue the tobacco company for their own stupid choices, so who am I talk?

So no, I think we should not sue MacDonald's just because we do not want to admit to our own short-comings and defeats, but seeing as this has become America's motto now, there's really nothing we can do to stop it.

Well, that's the way the world works now.

What is your take on this guys?
--------------------
I don't understand, you would have to clairfy more on which directory your sueing on, rather than taking sue as a universal term.

I agree with you,
'Mafamba Team?'
we should at least tell him what is sue.

Wait a minute, I forgot what is sue also, so waht is it?

[Sten]

just thought that id raise the point it could be the super size thing.
lol u americans have that!

were getting it here in australia next year or something.

but sueing them, u could country sue (lol if theres such thing) but 1 person sueing for the whole of america?

[wutske]

This is something I hate about Americans (sorry guys), you can sue someone for about everything ... it wouldn't surprise you can even sue someone for breathing . Why should we sue McDonalds ? Are they forcing you to eat their fat meals (and btw. McDo doesn't only serve food containing a lot of fat), are they forcing you to even enter their buildings ? I didn't think so, so sueing them for you being fat because they serve fat food is like sueing Canon because you look ugly on the photos their cameras make ...

Kinda funny you know, you live in a free country and yet you can't say no to McDo ...

[emeraldclan]

Don't sue, just laugh really, REALLY hard. And tape a sign on the door (visable from the outside) that says "welcome to McLard".

[srgates91]

Umm..NO. It's the customer's own fault for eating there. If they don't want to get obese, they can always eat somewhere else. It's like if you try to draw. If you can't draw, you can't sue the pencil company because you bought a product that you can't use. It's not their fault you can't draw. It simply makes no sense. No one is forcing these customers to eat at McDonalds. Personally, I think McChoke and Puke is a disgusting place to eat at. Burger King is much better and everything isn't as greasy as McDonalds.

[Sten]

if you've noticed, they dont really advertise their fatty foods, its all about their salads and tick of approval meals now. even to kids with happy meals they dont advertise the fatty burgers, nuggets and fries. its all about the fruit bag and orange juice and pasta zoo and that stuff.

they arent forcing anyone to eat the bad stuff, they arent advertising it much either.

[RunninXC]

No - It comes down to the matter of choice and free will. It is your choice to eat at McDonalds or any other fast food place. There are healthier options and most people have knowledge that the food is not healthy for them. And if they don't it's nothing more than a less intense version of somebody wanting to sue a paint company after trying to drink paint.

The same goes for cigarette companies, tanning beds, etc...

When people start blaming and shoving responsibility off on others for their actions is the point at which people should not be given free reign over their own life and choices. And I don't think that's a fair trade-off.

[Miles]

As many others say, you are the one responsible for eating too much high-fat food, not McDonalds. They merely make it availible for you, they don't force you to eat their food. It's all down to the greed of many people, as in this world, it seems many americans, and increasingly people of other countries, are suing for the purpose of getting money, not real compensation.