When did we allow the pecksniffs into our lives?

Possibly why did we allow the pecksniffs into our lives? Even, did we?

Supermarkets are using multibuy promotional deals to encourage shoppers to buy meat and processed meat, despite the products being linked to a heightened risk of cancer, research reveals.

Almost one in five (18%) of multibuy offers in major British supermarkets involve meat and dairy products, and one in ten (11%) processed meat such as ham, bacon and sausages.

Customers are being encouraged to buy such products even though the World Health Organization says that red meat probably causes cancer and that processed meat definitely does.

The Food Foundation said its findings, especially about processed meat, were alarming for environmental as well as health reasons. It accused food retailers of “actively incentivising citizens to buy more of those foods that are known to be bad for the health of people and the planet”.

One possible explanation here is a link to the declining fertility rate. There are always those in any society best suited to telling the ickle ones to eat up their broccoli, to take charge of toilet training. The absence of enough children doesn’t stop that urge nor the presence of those with it. It simply gets displaced into this urge to do that same command of both ends of the diet to the entire population. Therefore one useful solution is to command the ladies and gentlemen of Britain to get on with it - our freedom lies in your, erm, hands. Or, perhaps, we could abolish the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and successors - proper blow up, kablooie - so that Britons can afford to have children in Britain. Might work, who knows?

Or, of course, we could just be serious and be adults. The Grim Reaper will come for us all in his own good time. The gap between now and then is to be enjoyed and if that, by your tastes, includes steaks, ham, sausages and bacon - mmm, bacon - then so be it.

This is, we insist, being serious about it. The pecksniffs are insisting upon their right to potty train society. Nope, we’re adults, gerroffwi’it.

And now really think about it. If those who rule us think we’re not even capable of deciding upon our own diet then how long before we’re considered incapable of deciding who is to rule us?

Tim Worstall