Once upon a time a fun-park company built a new roller-coaster, the biggest in the world they said, and a wondrous thing it was. "This is a roller-coaster that will please everybody," they said, "for it has 3 stations where the roller coaster stops so that people can get off if it is getting too scary. It gets progressively faster and steeper, and the final stage has two loop-the-loops."

And indeed the roller-coaster proved very popular, and even children and older folk could enjoy it, and some of the older folk even stayed on to the end, squealing with sheer joy as it flew over the track.

One day the Society Of the Frightened and Timid (SOFT) visited the fun park. They saw the roller-coaster and its warnings that timid folk or those with a weak heart should get off at Stage 1 or 2. Many of them braved the ride, but all of them were off by Stage 2. Some went round again, and this time a few were brave enough to last until Stage 3. "This is a mighty scary ride," they said. "Don't anyone venture past Stage 3 or you may die of fright." And none of them would venture to the final stage, but they could hear the squeals of delight and they saw the shining faces of those who did. And the SOFT members were filled with envy.

"The final stage is too dangerous," they said. "People could die there, and anyway too much enjoyment is not good for anybody. It should be banned." And although SOFT members were indeed most timid when it came to adventurous pursuits, they were not so timid when it came to politics. They had influence in government, and demanded that the ride be closed down, or at least the dangerous last stage.

The government was initially wary. "But our safety engineers have checked the ride. It is perfectly safe." This was not good enought for the SOFT folk. "If somebody dies of fright or a child becomes delirious, the government will be responsible," they said.

Now the government was notoriously conservative and not happy to take even mild risks. They asked the fun-park company if they would consider voluntarily shutting down the final stage. "But this is the most popular part of the ride," they said. "Everybody loves it!"

"What happens if someone has a heart attack, or a child becomes frightened," asked the government.

"We have warnings that people ride at their own risk," the company responded, "and we don't let young children on unless they are accompanied by an adult."

"Parents are not the best judge, and too many people are irresponsible," said the government. "We must have government regulation, because there is significant community concern." In the meantime the people who actually enjoyed the ride were too busy to notice all this, as they were pre-occupied with having a good time.

And so it came to pass that the Office of Fun and Laughter Control (OFLC) was established, and it quickly developed a reputation for being most timid, if not totally SOFT. After much anguish, they let the company keep their roller-coaster intact, but issued a stern warning that future decisions may not be so generous.

Some years later, the fun-park company decided to build a new roller-coaster, and a French design was selected. This design had been tested in many countries around the world, and was very popular everywhere, especially amongst people who loved fun, adventure and romance. It was more adventurous than any roller-coaster that had ever been built before, and not only had 5 loops but also had a vertical tower with a sheer drop, an erection such as had never been seen in the country before. Once again, the timourous could get off if they wanted, and there were warning notices that the ride was not for the faint-hearted.

The Office of Fun and Laughter Control insisted that they should test this new ride. They sent their most senior management in large numbers to experience the ride first-hand. At the end of the ride some of them were white with fear, for indeed they were of timorous bent. However, others thought that the ride should be experienced by all who desired, as long as there were appropriate warnings for parents and timid folk. Sadly, the influence of SOFT members in the government won the day, and the company was instructed to close down the ride.

And so today no one can enjoy such wonderful new experiences, for the country is run by the timid, while excessive fun and laughter are frowned upon.

This may be the end of the story, or it may not. It depends on whether the fun-loving and adventurous decide it's time to speak up.