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Comment by groundzeros2015 | Hacker News Reader

groundzeros2015·

I think “I should be able to fully express my food brand preferences” is not a reasonable standard of livable.

Food choices are highly personal. It’s probably the single most variable expense item here. Who are you to decide for someone else whether their food is reasonable enough or not. And furthermore, in general Americans are among the least picky about their foods; now ask a Frenchman or a Chinese about their food culture.

Well I’m not the one to decide. That’s why we let individuals allocate money for themselves so they can prioritize what they care about from their resource pool.

Because preferences for food, housing, and healthcare are essentially unbounded, I think you will always have unmet preferences.

When the choice is between organic food (expensive) and eating pesticides that are meant to kill and neuter living organisms (somewhat economical) it's a choice we never should have allowed to even exist in the first place.

Organic food still uses pesticides.

Sounds like you need to get the government’s definition of appropriate foods changed. And then come back to the question of livability.

It must be more nuanced than you say, as millions of people reach old age without sharing your concern.

The definition of appropriate foods is not binary. It’s alright that the government sets a minimum standard of appropriateness and individuals can opt for higher quality than what the government mandates.

I agree

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