Lol. I don’t think you’re a jerk. I only think you’re a jerk if you lie about it. And even by that standard, we’ve all been a little jerky here and there these last few months.
I agree that prohibition causes more problems, that makes sense. However, we can’t go back as far as controlling the spread of this virus, so what do we do now? It seems if we social distance and wear masks - consistently - and avoid large gatherings - consistently - perhaps, eventually, this virus gets under control, a vaccine is provided and the crisis de-escalated. Are we capable - able - to act responsibly? Unfortunately, it seems not. I know I can be short sighted and welcome input from others who perhaps see more broadly in such situations, as I feel very discouraged.
Agreed. This situation is just so frustrating. The silver lining I keep looking at is that a vaccine is coming. Hopefully in retrospect we can learn a few lessons.
"Governments can legislate all they want, but prohibiting stuff with eager buyers and sellers is super hard"
Interesting take on gyms during the pandemic, but has applicability to all prohibitions...makes me think about the legalization of drugs and if that perhaps is a better solution than try to continue the war on drugs...I know this isn't a new idea, but having never lived through a real prohibition makes you realize things you never realized before.
I think we're living through a very real prohibition right now. I think it's easy to miss because a lot of drugs like marijuana have been illegal since the 1930's so we haven't seen the stark before/after contrast within our lifetimes and because mass incarceration disproportionately impacts individuals and families from communities that are already marginalized by society.
The US has around a quarter of the world's prison population despite only accounting for around 4% of the world's overall population. The drugs won before the war even started. At this point we're just wasting unimaginable amounts of money to needlessly destroy people's lives. Like this article points out, prohibition is always an endless pursuit. Thankfully there are some encouraging alternative experiments going on around the world. This article on Switzerland's approach to a heroin epidemic is a worthwhile read: https://readup.com/comments/the-nation/switzerlands-experiment-with-addiction-treatment
Yep. Organized crime got more violent and competitive as a result of prohibition. There was just so much money at stake. Shaking down bagel shops and store owners was paltry compared to controlling the flow of booze. The same is true today with drugs.
This doesn't mean that legalizing drugs is a panacea, organized crime will always exists and find something to do. Read about the gangs in Spain that steal recycling to sell, or the cartels in California stealing nuts -both rackets are worth millions.
It also doesn't mean there aren't some things that really should be prohibited - even though they create unregulated, dangerous, low quality black markets. Think of child prostitution/selling, underage pornography, or murder-for-hire: I don't think any reasonable person wants to legalize those -even though they create those messy underground markets.
The point is that there is scale, and as a society we have to debate where on the scale we fall. But we should do so with open eyes that banning something doesn't make it go away. For that reason I'm really open to legalizing a lot of things, and dropping most prohibitive enforcement, but with some strong lines I won't cross.
Many gyms have found legitimate ways to move workouts outside. So many gyms are small, boutique, mom and pop businesses and they are struggling to pay bills. If they don’t open soon they will likely be forced to close permanently.
Shit... reading this during the COVID-era is really making me miss the gym.
It does have one curious, as I know of one gym locally that is still open and is charging astronomical rates for a membership $40+ for what really isn't the nicest gym, but it is the fact that so many other facilities are presently closed that they can get away with charging that. As far as my understanding goes gyms in the state of Michigan are able to remain open, however they have to pay a fee due to being open/more at-risk.
When it comes to gyms in the COVID-19 era, it means potentially creating fitness environments that are even more likely to spread the virus than if they were legal and regulated. "When you drive something underground, your ability to regulate it goes away,"
I have no doubt that once the winter hits here in Michigan if we are still 'quarantine' more discrete and underground gyms will come about... it is just my wonder of how this will go?
Read the article to get some details about the unintended consequences
I never understood why people go to the gym in the first place. After all, your body + gravity + movement = exercise.
I understand even less why people go to the gym during a pandemic...!
I’m also not a gym rat. It’s the mirrors everywhere. They make me self-conscious.
Am I a jerk because I still go to the gym? Maybe ... but at least I clean the equipment.
Lol. I don’t think you’re a jerk. I only think you’re a jerk if you lie about it. And even by that standard, we’ve all been a little jerky here and there these last few months.
I agree that prohibition causes more problems, that makes sense. However, we can’t go back as far as controlling the spread of this virus, so what do we do now? It seems if we social distance and wear masks - consistently - and avoid large gatherings - consistently - perhaps, eventually, this virus gets under control, a vaccine is provided and the crisis de-escalated. Are we capable - able - to act responsibly? Unfortunately, it seems not. I know I can be short sighted and welcome input from others who perhaps see more broadly in such situations, as I feel very discouraged.
Agreed. This situation is just so frustrating. The silver lining I keep looking at is that a vaccine is coming. Hopefully in retrospect we can learn a few lessons.
"Governments can legislate all they want, but prohibiting stuff with eager buyers and sellers is super hard"
Interesting take on gyms during the pandemic, but has applicability to all prohibitions...makes me think about the legalization of drugs and if that perhaps is a better solution than try to continue the war on drugs...I know this isn't a new idea, but having never lived through a real prohibition makes you realize things you never realized before.
I think we're living through a very real prohibition right now. I think it's easy to miss because a lot of drugs like marijuana have been illegal since the 1930's so we haven't seen the stark before/after contrast within our lifetimes and because mass incarceration disproportionately impacts individuals and families from communities that are already marginalized by society.
The US has around a quarter of the world's prison population despite only accounting for around 4% of the world's overall population. The drugs won before the war even started. At this point we're just wasting unimaginable amounts of money to needlessly destroy people's lives. Like this article points out, prohibition is always an endless pursuit. Thankfully there are some encouraging alternative experiments going on around the world. This article on Switzerland's approach to a heroin epidemic is a worthwhile read: https://readup.com/comments/the-nation/switzerlands-experiment-with-addiction-treatment
Yep. Organized crime got more violent and competitive as a result of prohibition. There was just so much money at stake. Shaking down bagel shops and store owners was paltry compared to controlling the flow of booze. The same is true today with drugs.
This doesn't mean that legalizing drugs is a panacea, organized crime will always exists and find something to do. Read about the gangs in Spain that steal recycling to sell, or the cartels in California stealing nuts -both rackets are worth millions.
It also doesn't mean there aren't some things that really should be prohibited - even though they create unregulated, dangerous, low quality black markets. Think of child prostitution/selling, underage pornography, or murder-for-hire: I don't think any reasonable person wants to legalize those -even though they create those messy underground markets.
The point is that there is scale, and as a society we have to debate where on the scale we fall. But we should do so with open eyes that banning something doesn't make it go away. For that reason I'm really open to legalizing a lot of things, and dropping most prohibitive enforcement, but with some strong lines I won't cross.
Inspiring article. One can dream.
Many gyms have found legitimate ways to move workouts outside. So many gyms are small, boutique, mom and pop businesses and they are struggling to pay bills. If they don’t open soon they will likely be forced to close permanently.
Shit... reading this during the COVID-era is really making me miss the gym.
It does have one curious, as I know of one gym locally that is still open and is charging astronomical rates for a membership $40+ for what really isn't the nicest gym, but it is the fact that so many other facilities are presently closed that they can get away with charging that. As far as my understanding goes gyms in the state of Michigan are able to remain open, however they have to pay a fee due to being open/more at-risk.
I have no doubt that once the winter hits here in Michigan if we are still 'quarantine' more discrete and underground gyms will come about... it is just my wonder of how this will go?