Americans are being conditioned to accept substandard and even criminal behavior as the new norm, Robert Bridge writes.
On the tranquil campus of Yale University, almost 80 percent of all grades given to undergraduates last academic year were A’s or A minuses, a trend that is also happening at Harvard. Let’s face it, these kids are smart, but they’re not that smart.
From teenagers engaged in violence without punishment, to university students receiving undeserved marks, Americans are being conditioned to accept substandard and even criminal behavior as the new norm.
This week, discount carrier Southwest Airlines was heralded by “customers of size” (i.e. obese passengers) after it was reported they could receive additional seats to accommodate their extra-wide bodies.
At first glance, the new conditions seem perfectly reasonable as they provide the ‘special need’ fliers the ability to “purchase the necessary number of seats prior to travel to ensure the additional seat(s) is available.” In other words, if a plus-size traveler feels the need to buy an extra seat – or even an entire aisle – to feel comfortable, then who cares, right? However, Southwest’s new policy goes further than that. It awards the overweight passenger with a gratuitous seat(s) to accommodate their bursting waistlines.
“You may contact us for a refund of the cost of additional seating after travel,” according to Southwest, citing its Customer of Size and Extra Seat Policy. “If it’s determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, you’ll be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat.”
For those who may be tempted to defend the rights of these extra-large fliers, you may wish to read the fine print first. As Fox Business reported, the Southwest flight team could be forced to shift other passengers around for the “unplanned accommodation.”
Imagine that you are comfortably seated in the coveted aisle seat, your luggage is stowed away overhead, when you are suddenly informed by the stewardess that you must relinquish your paid place to a person who has made a lifestyle choice to be overweight (only a tiny fraction of individuals suffer from obesity due to an untreatable medical condition). How will such a demand fly with the majority of paying customers? The question is not an idle one. According to the CDC, 42.4% of U.S. adults are currently obese. That’s a substantial increase from the 30.5% measured in 2000.
Meanwhile, it could be argued that a great many travelers also have ‘special needs’ that require accommodation, like small screaming toddlers and extra luggage. No airline gives away free seats to families with young offspring, nor do they provide allowances for passengers who exceed the weight limit on their bags. Therefore, it seems fair and logical that overweight passengers should also be required to pay a penalty – or at the very least, not be rewarded – for bringing excess weight into the aircraft. That’s because ‘free’ seats for the obese entail hidden costs (higher fuel costs, for example, which is why airlines charge customers for excess weight on their luggage) that will ultimately be paid in the form of higher tickets prices. Whatever the case may be, it will be interesting to see how many more in-flight brawls are instigated by this new in-flight ‘service.’
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MCViewPoint 