Oddbean new post about login | logout Body positivity and reinforcing peoples unhealthy habits that lead to death is very insidious to me. Like don't shame and mock people but we should encourage healthy diets and exercise, not celebrating obesity??
100%. You don't have to be an asshole, but shattering the idea of what everybody knows as the "ideal" is a lie. Its post modern nihilism and its dangerous. Especially to young people
Yes absolutely, the universe does not care about your change of narrative. You don't have to ridicule obese people but you should definitely not normalize it. This is far worse than ridicule actually. Your feelings can be tampered, your health issues not so much.
Shame has been a cultural tool since tribes first formed. It can be cruel and overdone, but don’t leave it out of the tool kit. When done right, shame is often self recognized due to the lack of achieving goals like physical and/or financial fitness. Can be a great motivator.
When I start getting a bit chunky my buddies start poking my belly and making Teletubby sounds, I pretty much start diet next day lol
Often simply encouraging healthy eating and exercise doesn’t work, and not because people aren’t open to the ideas or don’t want to be healthy. What’s often missing from the conversation is the underlying reason they are overweight. I’ve studied Stress counselling and the negative impacts of stress on people is vastly understated. A LOT of people eat their stress (be it work pressures, relationship issues, loneliness, or poverty and financial stress). Until someone can understand that it may be triggering their eating and they can also address their stress levels (which is not always easy) they will struggle to lose weight. Shame and mocking just creates more stress. I get that the body positivity movement seems like an unhealthy acceptance but I look at it more as a pathway to removing a layer of excess stress so we can get to the real issue. Stress is insidious.
100%. Not to mention mental quality of life goes through the roof in comparison.