I must say that I am an absoloutely terrible decision maker. When it comes down to two options, I can too easily see both sides of an argument and see that they both are valid and both have merit.
When visiting Amsterdam last weekend, we were bombarded by the plethora of "coffee houses" (to get hash/weed) and "smart shops" (for your magic mushrooms) - as well as sex shops and red light district stuff - that dotted the city centre. [Sidenote: Interesting names for the stores! As our tour guide was saying "don't go to coffee houses to get coffee, and don't go to smart shops to get smart".] If you didn't know before, prostitution and marijuana has been made legal in Holland.
Anyway, re: legalising marijuana, they are convinced in Holland, that by doing so they have caused a reduced demand for so called "hard drugs" (presumably your cocaine, heroin etc). In that sense legalisation has worked. They apparently are also the pioneers of the safe needle exchange, and methadone programs. They do also have a very friendly/helpful population and despite the festive nature of the weekend (and the incredibly heavy drinking) their were very few incidents of violence.
On the other hand, I can't help but think that there is something wrong with the attitude of "if we can't stop it, let's just legalise it so that it's no longer illegal". Is it better to have a higher proportion of people smoking hash, then a lesser proportion of people on soft and hard core drugs? Is hash (socially not acceptable) only as bad as alcohol (socially acceptable)? Is getting stoned the same as getting drunk?
[sidenote #2: i recently heard that a friend of mine has begun working at a tobacco company - another potential fence-sitting situation. It's a job, someone's got to do it, the money's good - on the other hand, i did a good job, millions more are smoking and dying now, i affect kids as well as people that buy my products .... hmm, not sure if i could deal with that. do we have an onus to not just live and work, but to contribute to the good of society?]
Weird place amsterdam ... very pretty, incredible canals, beautiful tulip fields and countryside. The general attitude of the country of - "if it doesn't harm anyone else, it's fine" - has led to a loosening of morals and things that were once taboo are no longer.
Nice place to visit, poss tooo loose to live in.
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7 comments:
Would you feel the same if you worked for Nike, and the sweatshops they have in China?
Would you feel the same if you worked for Macdonalds, and the obesity problems that they cause?
Would you feel bad if you worked for a defence company and know that they manufacture machinery, as well as weapons that the army uses to kill people?
If you look deeper into it, there's always a consequence in your job. It seems like the problem with this one is that it's just more visible than a lot of other industries.
I heard of a story (from Geri, I think) where they threw this guy into the canal for taking picutres of the chicks. Bad-ass!
To answer your questions:
No, a bit, and yes i would feel bad. (though if i heard more facts about the sweatshops i might be convinced it was a bad thing)
I agree that all jobs have bad consequences, but I think you will/should ask yourself the question of wether morally you can or should do that job. Does your job do more good or more harm to society? I don't think it's just the visibility.
I think we have a battle of human needs (as opposed to wants) and morals. I think it is human nature understandbly of needs to overcome morals. i.e. job vs consequence.
It takes a rare and strong individual to go the other way.
I think we have a battle of human needs (as opposed to wants) and morals. I think it is human nature understandbly of needs to overcome morals. i.e. job vs consequence.
It takes a rare and strong individual to go the other way.
do you realise that the only people in amsterdam who do the marijuana, magic mushrooms and prostitution, are TOURISTS? locals don't do those things. i've quizzed my Dutch friends on this. i guess if you're Dutch, there's nothing "exciting" about trying drugs for the first time, because it's right there in your face, and you grew up around it.
and i don't think it's a question of legalising because it's easier than stopping it. it's decriminalizing to lower the rate of fatalities. ie: regulated drugs, regulated sex - less overdoses, less diseases. also, it's not legal to smoke a joint outside a cafe. but if you're caught, you're not going to get thrown into jail for it. that's what decriminalising is (i think).
sometimes, theres not a lot you can do about such situations, particularly when it comes to the ones you love. you either take it or leave it.
I'm not sure I buy into the whole "it's just the Tourists who come to visit coffeehouses" line. There is definitely the people who go to Amsterdam to get wasted for the whole weekend and then go home, but i think equally there's plenty of locals who are growing there own weed at home so they don't need to go to the coffeehouse to get their drugs!
I believe there's some sort of you can grow weed at home but "only 3 plants". not sure if that's 3 per house, 3 per member of each household - I swears officer it was for 3 plants for our dog!
I read somewhere that we all in-built with similar morals; just that some of us are better at not listening to them!
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