Last month I wrote a column about the lack of personal responsibility that seems rampant in our society, and on the rise. It seems as though a lack of personal accountability does not stop with responsibility for our actions, but inaction as well.
Back in February, Pfizer, the maker of Advil, issued a voluntary recall for 126 lots of their product designed for children and infants. Apparently the recall was due to “clumps” of ibuprofen that could form in the bottle and inconsistent dosage if the bottle was not shaken before use, as per the bottle instructions. So they recalled all of that product because people could not, or would not, read and follow simple instructions.
Fast-forward to last week when furniture giant IKEA issued a voluntary recall for their MALM dressers after another toddler was crushed to death when it fell, bringing the gruesome toll up to three since 2014.
As horrible and tragic as these incidents were, a recall seems a little misguided. Apparently the issue was identified by IKEA last May and, despite including mounting hardware with any furniture that could pose a tipping hazard, decided to offer an additional “kit” that was free to any customers that had purchased the products. What all of the outraged, torch and pitchfork waving zealots online with a justice boner and an axe to grind seem to forget, or may not know, is that IKEA includes directions and cautionary warnings to mount the unit to walls to avoid tipping. They are even shown using images, so the message is more or less universal.
In the directions for the MALM side tables for instance, standing just over two feet tall, mounting instructions were numbers 12-15 on page 10. It's almost like the mounting hardware and warnings were included for a reason.
I think, despite the inevitability of a class-action suit from litigious customers, both IKEA and Advil should have stood firm. These recalls are giving consumers carte blanche permission to completely disregard instructions, then hold the company liable for the inevitable fallout.
It also sets a dangerous precedent where any company could be held liable for anything that happens to a customer for the life of their product, which is laughably unreasonable.
Next we'll be hearing about someone suing the makers of drywall when they fail to hold up mounted televisions because the customer didn't bother to find a stud.
Our society is descending into a state where we look for blame everywhere except to where it often lies -- in the mirror. No one wants to think his or her oversight or inaction caused a tragic accident, but blaming everyone else is not the answer.
I like an underdog as much as the next person, and I'll often crusade for the little guy, but I think it's high time these companies rolled up their sleeves, pulled out their chequebooks, and put their legal teams to work instead of accepting blame that is not theirs to accept.
Darlana Robertson is a twentysomething writer from Calgary and a former Central Alberta resident.
