The Tale of the Well Meaning Chefs

There once was a team of 100 chefs working at the only housing in a town called Acirema. One day, 60% of the Acireman chefs decided that they should "compel" residents to eat THEIR food as a condition of their residency. As they tried to convince the remaining 40% of the merits of this new plan, the 40% had some concerns. "What if they want other options for food?", said one. "Do we have a right to force people to eat food they don't want to eat?", asked another.

In the past, Acireman residents would shop for ingredients they wanted, cook as desired, and even opt to go without a meal (should one choose to be so foolish). It was soon discovered that this new meal plan would be much more expensive for the Aciremans. Even worse, the meals would contain ingredients that made those eating it, and others in the complex, sick. "This plan is flawed, and will cause more harm than good!", said the 40%. The 60% countered, "Remember, we are trained chefs! We know what's best for these residents to eat". "But we haven't even had time to see what's actually in the meals you plan to prepare and force people to eat!", declared the 40%. "Once you eat it, you'll know what's in it", said the 60%'s head chef. The mayor of Acirema, seeking to minimize any opposition, promised "If you like the meals you have, you can keep them. Period."

Even the resident of Acirema had disagreements and were split 60/40 over this new meal program. "All these people aren't currently eating well prepared food. We've got to do SOMETHING!", the 60% insisted. "But shouldn't they be able to choose what they want to eat, or if to eat at all? Who are chefs to tell teachers, plumbers, electricians, secretaries, store clerks, etc., that they MUST eat what the chefs prepare, and eat it entirely simply because they are residents?", pleaded the 40%.

The plan was begun, without change, by the chefs from the 60%. As the days wore on, Aciremans from BOTH the 40% and 60% began to experience some serious side effects from the meals they were forced to ingest. Abdominal pain, blotchy skin, loss of vision, and well as tummy troubles (too terrible to describe here). Some hoped that the Mayor's promise of keeping their existing meals would prevent their getting sick from the Acireman Chefs' special food. But, the farmers who supplied residents with groceries for those meals were prevented by the chefs from supplying the Aciremans any longer. The land went into a long time of bland food and flatulence.

The moral of this sad tale is: There are very few times anyone, even well meaning chefs, should shove things down someone's throat; especially with something as personal and important as food.