Every wonder why we have so many rules telling us to do this, do that, don't spit, touch here, stand erect, etc? It's the damn minority, folks. (No, I'm not talking race, I'm talking numbers.) It's because of the few who do something wrong or thoughtless that there has to be a rule or law to say, don't do that, even though most of us don't.... and wouldn't even think of doing it.
Went to my health club the other morning. Saw a new sign on the desk. "Absolutely no admittance without your club membership card." It used to be that if you forgot your card, you could give them your membership number and they would let you in. Now, 'no ticket, no laundry,' pal. A few abuse the privilege so we make a new rule and everyone pays the price. And some of those rules are downright silly.
It's no big thing, really. But it got me to thinking... how many rules must we have now? Literally billions, no doubt, both great and small. Have any ever been rescinded after they have served their purpose or gone out of style? A few, maybe, but not many.
Rules are like drops of water... one drop by one drop and before you know it, we have an ocean. Drip, drip, drip.
Some examples of silly: A circus clown in England was ordered not to wear his big, size 23 clown shoes because he could trip and injure someone. Think of how 'Shaq' must feel since he is a 23-natural. Elsewhere, while making a documentary, the first person to sail solo around the world non-stop and face death every day was ordered not to light a portable stove unless a 'safety advisor' was on the set to watch over things.
Drip, drip, drip.
In Alabama it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while driving. In California, animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school or place of worship. In Florida, if an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle. And it is illegal there to have sexual relations with a porcupine. Hmmm. I wonder if that applies to other porcupines too? Louisiana says it is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol. What fun is that?
Drip, drip, drip.
We started with no rules at all... or rather just one... "Don't eat the apple."
Drip, drip, drip.
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It's funny - I love reading about all these crazy, quirky rules and laws, but there are so many that we see as normal which really should fall into the crazy category. And the worst thing about them is that they seem far more concerned with avoiding litigation than they do with people's safety.
ReplyDeletethis was thought provoking fun! I enjoyed it.
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