Fatism

msmariah86

Rant post: Today a Facebook friend posted a photo he took on his iPhone. The photo was of a larger couple carrying four pizzas down the street. The caption? "Whales left the ocean last night in search of 4 large pizzas. 2 each. No. You don't need that much. Go away fatties #nofatpeople"

This post got several likes and 'haha's. Not one person said anything in defence of this couple. I purposely didn't comment as I didn't want to start a big argument!
I mean, maybe these guys had bought pizzas to feed homeless people in the area! Or even just to feed their family - who are we to judge?

Made me wonder, what would the response have been if the post had been of two men kissing? Two nudists on the beach? An inter-racial couple? Two muslims? Two goths? (Just using these as examples!)

Why it is more acceptable in society to make fun of 'fatties' than other people that live a different lifestyle to you?

As someone trying hard to lose weight, and knowing that I have a way to go it breaks my heart to see these kinds of posts, and to hear so many fat jokes/taunts on TV and in conversation. It makes me want to give up. Some people will find faults in others, not matter what.

ubermensch13

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

auddii

One word: unfriend.

Built_Strong

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Because people can die from second hand smoke. I never heard of anyone dying because I was fat.


Edited to correct spelling.

rebelate

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

ubermensch13

Perhaps, but both are societal health concerns. Both cause my health care premiums to go up.

LoraF83

Perhaps, but both are societal health concerns. Both cause my health care premiums to go up.

^This.

I'm on the insurance committee for my employer and I can tell you that I pay more for insurance because there are a lot of people with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. Coincidentally, there are a lot of overweight people where I work. Hmmm......


I'm not saying it's okay to make fun of people - for any reason. But to demand respect/acceptance for being fat - that's not ok. IT is a health concern and it does affect other people.

ubermensch13

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

How do you define "harm"? Second hand smoke takes years to cause harm, plus it has to be repetitive. There are many types of harms that aren't that direct that obesity causesin a society.

Sapporo

One word: unfriend.

yup, get the jerk off your news feed

ubermensch13

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

How do you define "harm"? Second hand smoke takes years to cause harm, plus it has to be repetitive. There are many types of harms that aren't that direct that obesity causesin a society.

Just to be clear, I don't smoke and am not advocating being mean to overweight people, I'm just posing a philosophical question.

BrettPGH

Perhaps, but both are societal health concerns. Both cause my health care premiums to go up.

Ah I love this argument!

Because overweight people think you should be accepting of them and not say a negative word. But non-smokers want all the smokers to just go away and die already.

Everyone wants tolerance and respect for however they personally choose to live their lives, and they want whatever they don't like to be banned entirely.

OR we could all just let each other live in peace already.

rebelate

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

How do you define "harm"? Second hand smoke takes years to cause harm, plus it has to be repetitive. There are many types of harms that aren't that direct that obesity causesin a society.

People have allergies and sensitivities to smoke, cigarettes, whatever. What harms do obesity cause in a society? What about society's need to be thin, and not healthy? I think most people don't understand how to eat properly, what nutrition is, and what actually it takes to make your body healthy, and strong. That's society's harm - causing obesity.

Also, who to say these people were overeating? They may have made room in their "allowance" or buying it for someone else - their work, a party, something.

spade117

OR we could all just let each other live in peace already.

Then it's not really entertaining.

ZombieChaser

Body shaming, or people shaming in all forms is horrible.

Live and let live.

rebelate

Body shaming, or people shaming in all forms is horrible.

Live and let live.

This. This. This.

BrettPGH

People have allergies and sensitivities to smoke, cigarettes, whatever. What harms do obesity cause in a society? What about society's need to be thin, and not healthy? I think most people don't understand how to eat properly, what nutrition is, and what actually it takes to make your body healthy, and strong. That's society's harm - causing obesity.

Also, who to say these people were overeating? They may have made room in their "allowance" or buying it for someone else - their work, a party, something.

People have the same sensitivities to peanut dust, shall we continue banning those? Already many kids and airline flyers aren't allowed nuts because some people are allergic. How far shall we take this?

And as was said above obese people raise insurance premiums for everyone else. The same argument used against smokers. So we can continue this trend, blaming everyone else for their own personal choices affecting insurance rates, OR remember that freedom to live our lives as we choose is actually a pretty important thing. Even if it means some people are momentarily inconvenienced or annoyed.

Acg67

Rant post: Today a Facebook friend posted a photo he took on his iPhone. The photo was of a larger couple carrying four pizzas down the street. The caption? "Whales left the ocean last night in search of 4 large pizzas. 2 each. No. You don't need that much. Go away fatties #nofatpeople"

This post got several likes and 'haha's. Not one person said anything in defence of this couple. I purposely didn't comment as I didn't want to start a big argument!
I mean, maybe these guys had bought pizzas to feed homeless people in the area! Or even just to feed their family - who are we to judge?

Made me wonder, what would the response have been if the post had been of two men kissing? Two nudists on the beach? An inter-racial couple? Two muslims? Two goths? (Just using these as examples!)

Why it is more acceptable in society to make fun of 'fatties' than other people that live a different lifestyle to you?

As someone trying hard to lose weight, and knowing that I have a way to go it breaks my heart to see these kinds of posts, and to hear so many fat jokes/taunts on TV and in conversation. It makes me want to give up. Some people will find faults in others, not matter what.

Don't click on these links then

http://bmdarchives.xfitflaws.com/2011/11/09/fat-acceptance-is-unacceptable/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eTKpVM5jpE

Windy_

Some people are dilholes.

bevjburr

Ignore the grumpy critics. The haters are showing you their own vice. Fat you can lose, personality is forever.

perfectingpatti

I purposely didn't comment as I didn't want to start a big argument!

You said, "not one person said anything in defense of this couple". You didn't either. Speak up! Why are people so afraid to speak up???

janeite1990

I think the assumption in both cases is that these are people who do not control their impulses or are undisciplined, and, therefore, we should shame them into doing better or it is ok to make fun of them because they are making bad choices. As others stated, we shouldn't assume that the pizzas were for them...no one knows. We don't know that about any fat person. Also, seeing a fat person eating a big ole cake doesn't necessarily mean he/she is undisciplined. He/she could have just unwisely, but with much discipline, started himself/herself for days or weeks. Still, I think that is the impulse behind making fun of them.

I agree it is wrong to make fun of fat people. It is wrong to be mean to smokers. I wonder, sometimes, if part of the impulse is a social-animal kind of thing where, as a pack we are trying to nudge people into doing the things society has decided are for the good of the group (like keeping health costs low). You can see packs of dogs nudging the outliers to do what the pack wants. Are we the same? I'm not justifying it. Just thinking about it.

BrettPGH

Ignore the grumpy critics. The haters are showing you their own vice. Fat you can lose, personality is forever.

What we were doing is called rational and civil debate. What you're doing is name calling.

Worst of all it's neither original, funny, or the least bit interesting.

felice03

I purposely didn't comment as I didn't want to start a big argument!

You said, "not one person said anything in defense of this couple". You didn't either. Speak up! Why are people so afraid to speak up???

my thought exactly...aren't you just as guilty for not speaking up in their defense?

LoraF83

People have allergies and sensitivities to smoke, cigarettes, whatever. What harms do obesity cause in a society? What about society's need to be thin, and not healthy? I think most people don't understand how to eat properly, what nutrition is, and what actually it takes to make your body healthy, and strong. That's society's harm - causing obesity.

Also, who to say these people were overeating? They may have made room in their "allowance" or buying it for someone else - their work, a party, something.

People have the same sensitivities to peanut dust, shall we continue banning those? Already many kids and airline flyers aren't allowed nuts because some people are allergic. How far shall we take this?

And as was said above obese people raise insurance premiums for everyone else. The same argument used against smokers. So we can continue this trend, blaming everyone else for their own personal choices affecting insurance rates, OR remember that freedom to live our lives as we choose is actually a pretty important thing. Even if it means some people are momentarily inconvenienced or annoyed.

I understand what you are saying Brett - but at what point does personal freedom to make bad decisions outweigh the needs/concerns of the majority?

I honestly don't have an answer on where that line gets drawn, but it would have to at some point right? Otherwise, we wouldn't have laws to protect the majority against the decisions of the few (child molestation for example). How are smoking and obesity so different? Where does their societal impact become enough that it's okay to desire a change in those behaviors?

rebelate

People have allergies and sensitivities to smoke, cigarettes, whatever. What harms do obesity cause in a society? What about society's need to be thin, and not healthy? I think most people don't understand how to eat properly, what nutrition is, and what actually it takes to make your body healthy, and strong. That's society's harm - causing obesity.

Also, who to say these people were overeating? They may have made room in their "allowance" or buying it for someone else - their work, a party, something.

People have the same sensitivities to peanut dust, shall we continue banning those? Already many kids and airline flyers aren't allowed nuts because some people are allergic. How far shall we take this?

And as was said above obese people raise insurance premiums for everyone else. The same argument used against smokers. So we can continue this trend, blaming everyone else for their own personal choices affecting insurance rates, OR remember that freedom to live our lives as we choose is actually a pretty important thing. Even if it means some people are momentarily inconvenienced or annoyed.

What? Where is "peanut dust" or "banning" even coming from? Two people walking down the street holding pizza doesn't harm anyone like someone walking down the street smoking a cigarette could harm them. That was the argument, not about magical peanut dust floating around.

There's a difference between being "momentarily annoyed" that someone is smoking and being annoyed that you see an overweight person holding a pizza. The whole health insurance point is COMPLETELY off topic. If you really think making a joke about someone being a "whale" or making fun of a stranger is acceptable then that's really disgusting, and hateful.

sunsnstatheart

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

Not to be rude, but you haven't flown lately?

Look, jack***es are going to be there and to try to say "why is this acceptable and not this" is a bit of a silly game. FB and social media in general are full of racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-fat, anti-everything rants. Either say something or let it go. Stewing about it won't help anyone, and least of all you. And no, I'm certainly not defending the FB post.

BruteSquad

Perhaps, but both are societal health concerns. Both cause my health care premiums to go up.

Ah I love this argument!

Because overweight people think you should be accepting of them and not say a negative word. But non-smokers want all the smokers to just go away and die already.

Everyone wants tolerance and respect for however they personally choose to live their lives, and they want whatever they don't like to be banned entirely.

OR we could all just let each other live in peace already.

I have said it many times, usually those screaming "Tolerance" the loudest don't have any for anyone else. Rock on.

ZombieChaser

Perhaps, but both are societal health concerns. Both cause my health care premiums to go up.

Ah I love this argument!

Because overweight people think you should be accepting of them and not say a negative word. But non-smokers want all the smokers to just go away and die already.

Everyone wants tolerance and respect for however they personally choose to live their lives, and they want whatever they don't like to be banned entirely.

OR we could all just let each other live in peace already.

I have said it many times, usually those screaming "Tolerance" the loudest don't have any for anyone else. Rock on.

You're wrong this time, sorry Brute - Brett is plenty tolerant.

_KATzMeow

Absoloutly rude and immature. I would not be friends with someone like this.

LoraF83

People have allergies and sensitivities to smoke, cigarettes, whatever. What harms do obesity cause in a society? What about society's need to be thin, and not healthy? I think most people don't understand how to eat properly, what nutrition is, and what actually it takes to make your body healthy, and strong. That's society's harm - causing obesity.

Also, who to say these people were overeating? They may have made room in their "allowance" or buying it for someone else - their work, a party, something.

People have the same sensitivities to peanut dust, shall we continue banning those? Already many kids and airline flyers aren't allowed nuts because some people are allergic. How far shall we take this?

And as was said above obese people raise insurance premiums for everyone else. The same argument used against smokers. So we can continue this trend, blaming everyone else for their own personal choices affecting insurance rates, OR remember that freedom to live our lives as we choose is actually a pretty important thing. Even if it means some people are momentarily inconvenienced or annoyed.

What? Where is "peanut dust" or "banning" even coming from? Two people walking down the street holding pizza doesn't harm anyone like someone walking down the street smoking a cigarette could harm them. That was the argument, not about magical peanut dust floating around.

There's a difference between being "momentarily annoyed" that someone is smoking and being annoyed that you see an overweight person holding a pizza. The whole health insurance point is COMPLETELY off topic. If you really think making a joke about someone being a "whale" or making fun of a stranger is acceptable then that's really disgusting, and hateful.

Once again, it's NOT OK to make fun of someone for a problem that they have. I would find offense in the described facebook posting. I don't like things like that and I certainly don't make fun of others for a problem that I struggle with myself.

The reason the discussion has taken this turn is because the OP described obesity as a "lifestyle" and compared it to being gay or Muslim. She is saying it's inherently part of who you are and not a series of decisions that you have made. That's what sparked the discussion.

rebelate

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

Not to be rude, but you haven't flown lately?

Look, jack***es are going to be there and to try to say "why is this acceptable and not this" is a bit of a silly game. FB and social media in general are full of racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-fat, anti-everything rants. Either say something or let it go. Stewing about it won't help anyone, and least of all you. And no, I'm certainly not defending the FB post.

No, I haven't - ever in fact. Making fun of anyone for doing anything is never acceptable - smoking, being fat, or whatever else. But, I do think if someone came up and stood next to me, and lit up a cigarette that it would be rude or unacceptable of me to ask them to please stop, or to walk away from them and feel a bit hurt, or annoyed. I don't think it'd be acceptable for me to tell someone to put down a pizza because they're fat and they "shouldn't be eating it." There is a difference there.