Stupid Farmers

Marge: Remember, Homer, you have to get up an hour earlier because of Daylight Savings Time.

Homer: I hate Daylight Savings Time.  Stupid farmers.

--The Simpsons

I hate daylight savings time too, and this year I finally looked up why it came about.  Apparently it is an idea which took a world war to gain traction.  How many other things implemented in World War One have proven to advance human happiness?

What I found hilarious is that the two main ideas behind it were that the government could 1) force people to get up earlier and enjoy more of the sunshine and fresh air and 2) force people to turn off their lights and save energy.  How's that working out for everyone?

Let those who think the government should force people to stop drinking soda, exercise, or use green products weigh their decision with great care, preferably on the Sunday that they switch over to DST.  I resent DST, not only because I hate to get up an hour earlier and because it plays royal hobb with my kids' schedules, but because I resent being forced toward someone else's idea of virtue.  I am an adult.  I vote in presidential elections.  I am permitted to decide all manner of things for myself, some of them very impactful to public health (i.e., vaccinations).  So why in the name of Jefferson am I not allowed to decide to get up or sleep in?

I find it revealing that one of the early, passionate proponents of DST got the idea while riding early one London morning and feeling sad that so many other people were sleeping through the glorious sunshine.  In other words, the system was invented by a natural lark who already liked getting up early.  I suspect he was also one of those people who can't imagine that, if you really tried it, you would dislike anything they liked.  If you continue to dislike it, you haven't tried it properly.

Very seldom do I ask people to engage in social action.  They want to take the Ten Commandments out of the courthouses?  Very sad, but not worth a lot of heartburning, energy, and distraction.  Nobody says "Merry Christmas" these days?  Wear a protest button at your own risk.  Women underrepresented in the engineering professions?  Prove it's intentional before I'll do anything about it.

But my beans have been steamed for the last year by DST.  I say the people should rise up, write to congresspeople and demand that we stop it.   Let's just lead the world and refuse the twice-yearly dance.  Let's take back the freedom to decide when to get up, when to go to bed, and other basic human rights like that.

Who knows?  It might work.

Power to the people!

Breanna