There are many leech organisations in our society and one of them is a consumer protection agency called CSPI. Centre for Science in the Public Interest. This is the marvelous stuff they come up with.
"MacDonald's is the stranger at the playground handing out candy to the children." These people have very little to do to justify their existence so they are targeting MacDonald's advertising that sells toys with 'Value Meals'.
The CSPI says that "MacDonald's use of toys undercuts parental authority and exploits young children's developmental immaturity - all this to induce children to prefer food that may harm their health. It is a creepy and predatory practice that warrants an injunction"
Creepy? I'll tell you what is creepy. A government agency assuming that every kid who eats a value meal is doing so because he has usurped his parents authority over him and is dictating everything in his life including what he eats. Oops, hold on. I think they are onto something. I am sure you have witnessed it in a public place, where the kid rules his parents and uses threats, coercion and blackmail to get his or her way. This sort of thing is rampant in society as parents are afraid to exercise authority over their kids because they might damage his self esteem, his self determination, or his right to exercise his free will as per the UN charter of rights and freedoms for children. Discipline is cruel and unusual and spanking is physical abuse beyond the pale. So, the kids are taking over, but not in all cases. There are still parents who will buy the value meal on rare occasions as a reward or treat and the rest of the time the child will get a healthy and nutritious diet.
This is something that will only be solved by education and not by some faceless bureaucracy slapping an injunction on a business trying to market a legal product. So, CSPI, go after the negligent parents and not MacDonald's
The photo is of some elderly guy going for a Value Meal, or is it the toy he gets with it? (Taken on the Pitt River Dyke)
2 comments:
Our kids LOVE McDonald's, but it's a treat or a reward for a special occasion. The rest of the time they eat at home. We also try to pick healthy options; like milk instead of soda. They are attracted to the toys not the food, but if they misbehave when we are at McDonald's, they know that they will not be able to keep the toy.
As I kid I remember eating at McDonald's much more often than my kids get to. Actually our kids don't eat out often at all. It's just not very affordable to take them out to eat. Even the cheap fast food places aren't cheap after you add up five meals.
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