(relatively low stakes, as in like not 9/11 or JFK level)

Mine: plastic straw (and now plastic cutlery) ban initiatives are directly funded by petrochemical companies. Plastic straws are one of the most common and useful types of disposable plastic an average American encounters every day, so banning them causes people a huge inconvenience and tarnishes the idea of other green initiatives (that might have actual teeth) as more nanny state "not allowed to have this"-ery (also has the side effect of making gullible libs think they're actually doing something to help the planet by using a reusable straw while they get their plastic container of meat products)

  • sailorfish [she/her]
    ·
    4 年前

    The way American colleges are set up, their primary purpose isn't higher education, it's to have a kind of holding pen for youngsters to work off some rebellious/revolutionary energy. By the time they graduate, their fire is dimmed and they're drowning in debt too, so they settle into "normal" existence. I don't know how much that's conspiracy and how much that's just a very cynical worldview, but it cracked me up when my mom told me some Russian-American college professors told her that. :V

    • vanityfairz [he/him]
      ·
      4 年前

      I would agree with you but I think it's more of a happy by-product of the profit motive that many colleges run under. That is to keep the paying population (students) still paying you're better off keeping them happy and that placation is what leads to the rebellious energy being dampened.

    • PresterJohnBrown [any]
      ·
      4 年前

      It's also a way for the wealthy to form professional networks while young that will give them infinite advantages in their careers over people who didn't go to the same wealthy-kid schools.