Evolution vs. Health and Safety

Ok, the first part of this goes back to my (very) temporary job that provided the corporate bollocks day. After I'd been there about two weeks, a bunch of us newbies were taken to the other side of the building to receive our formal Health and Safety training. As I'd been there two weeks without injury, I wasn't quite sure what the point of this was, but I gather it was some legal bullshit. Anyhoo, it was a half hour off work, so I wasn't complaining.

As it turns out, the training consisted of watching a video. The video can be summarised in two main points:
1: Watch where you're going.
2: Don't leave stuff where people might trip over it.

That was it. Now, I hope this doesn't come across as smug or superior, but I've known that since I was about five years old. It's not rocket science. I would also add that if you haven't learned these lessons by the time you're 18, you don't deserve to know. You deserve to slip on a wet patch and plummet down the stairs. "Watch where you're going" is about the most basic lesson we learn. Hell, if you don't watch where you're going, you're probably not going to be at work to watch the video because you got hit by a car you didn't see. Surely, the fact I've made it to the age of 27 is proof enough I know to watch where I'm going?

"But what has this to do with evolution?" I imagine I hear you asking. It's quite simple. At it's most basic, evolution works by killing those least suited to survival. In the past, this meant that creatures with thin coats died in cold environments, whilst those with thick coats prospered. The fat and slow were eaten by the quick and agile. Bernand Manning was replace on television by comedians who were funny. You get the idea. But in the modern world, we've effectively removed ourselves from evolution.

Yes, I know every so often you hear some idiot spout off about how we'll evolve to have no legs, or bigger thumbs, but it's nonsense. The only way that works is if the only people who reproduce are those born with no legs, or bigger thumbs. But that's a side issue.

You see, we no longer allow evolution to affect us because we protect those members of our society least suited to survive in it: the stupid. People who need to be told to look where they're going. People who need warnings that coffee is hot. People who need warnings that a bag of peanuts may contain traces of nuts. Every warning you see on an item you buy can be traced to some idiot who did that exact thing. Some prat who didn't realise that cruise control on a camper van DOES NOT mean you can go in the back and make coffee, leaving the van to drive itself at 70mph up the motorway. And we are protecting them, preventing stupidity being removed from the gene pool. By protecting morons, we're preventing the human race from growing.

I'm not advocating some kind of Nazi-esque extermination of people. I'm suggesting that maybe we should stop making so many laws that allow stupidity to continue. You wanna right a motorbike without a helmet? You go for it. Don't like seatbelts? Don't wear them! BUT, you and your family have no right to sue when you're injured or killed as a result. Let's all grow up a little, and start taking some responsibility for our own actions.