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DOOL Discussion Group
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47388588/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/#.T65XiuK9X00
Finally, there's an unfortunate tendency to associate obesity with low education and income; limited cultural exposure; low IQ and complacency. This may have to do with the fact that Americans are significantly more obese than even overweight Europeans/Asians/Latin American/Africans. Look at a picture lampooning a stereotypical American and chances are that it'll be an obese person in too tight clothing and a baseball cap/cowboy hat. In the richer, more cosmopolitan areas, such as Manhattan, LA or San Francisco, fat people are practically an endangered species. In these elite circles, they either exclude fat people, or there's pressure to not be obese. When was the last time you saw a significantly overweight college professor, newspaper columnist or scientist?
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I think both are pretty significantly criticized, actually. And when it comes to smoking, much of the criticism is deserved, like when someone is smoking in a car with children or pets inside. Every time I see that, it makes me want to scream!
Given the percentage of overweight or obese people in this country, it's surprising that being overweight is so looked down on. All I can think is that some of the criticism is coming from people who are themselves overweight. Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough non-overweight people criticizing to make as much of an impact. But regardless of who is doing the criticizing, I think a lot of it stems from the fear of either becoming overweight or becoming more overweight (and probably other fears as well). People displace their feelings/fears about themselves and project them onto the overweight person because their weight makes them a visible target.
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I don't think one is put down more than the other. Smokers really get harangued...I see that when we're in groups. Somebody will try to light up so no one gets smoke in his/her face, and then the smoker will get 14 people lecturing about the dangers of smoking. I always think that's kind of stupid. That smoker knows the deal and is making a personal decision.
Now, for obesity...in most cases, it's the same thing. For an occasional person, it's more than just overeating. My cousin weighs over 450 pounds. He's a closet eater...he won't eat in front of people because he doesn't want lectures. But he obviously does more than breathe. And he doesn't deserve ridicule.
I just realized something, though. You don't hear smoker jokes, but you do hear fat jokes. That's interesting...
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Not me, and I've never heard anyone say that. Why hate someone because of their size?
I don't hate cigarette smokers either, but I do hate cigarette smoke! I HATE IT! I hate the smell of it, in the air, on people's clothes, in their hair etc.
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Not me (but then again, I'm Canadian)...you can be fat, skinny, short, tall...I don't care - but smoke that disgusting filthy cigarette in my breathing space and you WILL hear from me. I can't even stand the smell of someone who's gone outside to smoke and comes back in the building when done.
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I don't get it, either, Joly. Altho, I didn't know that Americans 'hate' obese people, I do know they have very little discretion in saying something rude to them.
If a smoker can quit, they can live the rest of their days without a cigarette.
Nobody can quit eating entirely. Can a recovering alcholic have an occasional beer?
Ex-smokers often hate smoking more than non-smokers, but who can say they turned their backs on putting food in their mouths? Yes, we can all modify our eating habits, but I feel the temptation for eating wrong choices is always with us.
It's not like anyone WANTS to be fat. Or unhealthy. Or tired all the time. Or the object of ridicule.
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