So now sitting is the new smoking!

This is a lovely little soundbite so beloved of “researchers” these days.  I have lost count of the number of everyday items that are suddenly “the new smoking”.

It a catchy little snippet that is bound to catch the attention of the gutter press and the intellectually challenged bovine masses.  Millennials are going to gasp in horror at the realisation that the act of sitting could halve their lifespan, cause an infinite number of cancers and cause all their cheeeldren to drop dead.  Soon we’ll have second hand sitting [or passive sitting?] and demands for chairs furnished with olive green upholstery with pictures of enormous pustular arses on them.

The real reason for the “is the new smoking” tagline is slightly more subtle than that though.  You see, the “researchers” are jealous.  They see the Anti-Smokers getting vast wads of cash from their gubmints to spend on salaries and perks, while doing nothing more that demanding legislation of some sort.  It’s the ultimate cushy number.  The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists look on the Anti-Smokers and wonder if they can jump onto the same gravy train, or even better, create a new gravy train.

The Anti-Smokers created a precedent.  They proved that telling a lie often enough not only convinces the Ignorati that it’s the truth but that piling lie upon lie is easier once you’ve got the first lie accepted.  They have proved that mass population control works   Not only that but they have proved that there is major money to be made by setting up a fake charity just so long as it has the word “tobacco” [preferably including “children”] in the title.

Now everyone wants in on the act.  Anti-sugar, anti-alcohol, anti-fast food, anti-fat and now anti-sitting are all desperate to match the success of the Anti-Smokers and create their own little trough of public money..  It’s a racket, plain and simple.

Maybe I should set up a charity to get in on the act?

Action on Reducing Seating Environments?

ARSE for short?