Who here really believes what they claim to?

[thesummerqueen]

So your argument is that people are so stupid that they readily behave contrary to their solemn beliefs?

I should think the incidence of adultery, divorce, rape, murder, greed, and many other things just amongst Christian populations should exemplify this. I would say it's less about general stupidity and more about a lack of examination of their core values and the ones they profess to have.

Some STD's have non-symptom bearing versions and I would guess that even if you get

On your second point - since when do consumers get to decide what risks and hazards reside in the workplace ("manufacturing plant" if you prefer)? If I want to buy a brand new safe packed with asbestos because it produces the best product, does that mean those that make it have to be put at risk because I want asbestos in it? Wouldn't worry me, I'd be at no risk from it being sealed inside the walls of the finished product...

This is a better point, but the consumers and advocacy groups and the workers would all have to band together to get things done. The producers want consumer's money. The consumers are happy to give it to them without condoms. More factors have to come together to prove to producers that revenue won't be lost by the change - whether that's from law or from advocacy and consumption change. It's been like this since people were buying and selling things. This also means the workers themselves have to stand up for their safety rights. While they may know it's dangerous, they may also judge the risk to be minimized or inaccurately assess the statistics. That's an important factor you're missing in all of this. It's dangerous to walk out into a thunderstorm, especially if I'm the tallest thing in the field, but that doesn't automatically mean I'm going to get hit by lighting. I might consider the risk factor negligible in comparison to, I don't know, making a paycheck.

I was going to grab a few more of your points, but I think you should read the books Denialism and Merchants of Doubt to get a better understanding of the situation in regards to how people (rationally or no) assess what's dangerous vs what they want or should do.