LorraineCA
Posts: 114
Joined: 12/10/2013 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders Lorraine - let's say I accept your premise that a) fat people are unhealthy and b) changing that is as simple as being inspired to change (incidentally, those are both massively overly simplistic, but for the sake of discussion, let's say we agree). How does making someone feel bad about themselves inspire them to improve themselves? In order to care about your health and wellbeing, you have to care about yourself as a person. Constantly abusing people by implying being fat makes them worthless creates the opposite effect. They see themselves as less of a person, they no longer love themselves enough to make those changes. If I hate myself and the whole world is telling me how gross I am, why do I care if I'm unhealthy? The media is full of obesity stories, the internet and the high street are full of idiots who shout abuse at fat people (and for the record, thin people put up with a variation on this theme too). If shaming people made them lose weight, there would be no obese people. There is no one out there who is just waiting on someone calling them names to make a positive life change. And then let's not even get started on the studies which suggest only a tiny fraction of those who do lose weight can keep it up long term - what with metabolic changes adding to the lifestyle factors. It's not the same as quitting smoking - an obese person can't decide to stop eating, avoid anyone who eats, not frequent places where people eat etc. I never said changing is as simple as being inspired. To change from the inside is incredibly difficult. ADDICTION IS ADDICTION! Whether it's food addiction, alcohol, smoking, etc. It wasn't too long ago that, "having one for the road" was normal. If one said anything about how harmful this is you would get put down by this person's friends. Addicts surround themselves with enablers. But now we see the harm and we don't tell an alcoholic, "You are okay. Keep doing what you are doing and forget about all those people who say bad things about you." Not too long ago if you said anything about a person who smokes the same thing would happen. When you tell a "beach whale" that this isn't okay, you are harming yourself, you are now insensitive and cruel, just like it was with alcohol and smoking addiction. Someone said it's not fair to compare food addiction to alcohol or cigarettes. Why not? Addiction is addiction and it's the same dynamics. They surround themselves with enablers. They make excuses for their behaviors. They justify the harm they do to their bodies. I just said if the insults hurt there is something there. I never said to go around and make insults.
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