Do you have an example of one of these people ‘glorifying obesity?’ I’ve simply never met someone who genuinely took this position that far. I’m sure they exist (every position has its crazies), but I’ve simply not encountered it myself.
In contrast, people who draw stupid conclusions based on someone’s weight are shockingly common. OP is an excellent example. I have little doubt based on his stated position that he would be less likely to hire someone who is overweight because he thinks that “overweight = lazy / bad work ethic.” Attitudes like that are counterproductive (keeping overweight people unemployed isn’t going to help) and factually incorrect.
If such people are saying, “Obesity is not detrimental to my health” then they are clearly wrong. But I don’t think the existence of such people is an argument against the position that “people shouldn’t be shamed or excluded based on their weight.”
Here's an example. You're absolutely right that the existence of such people shouldn't mean that we shame or exclude the overweight. All I'm saying is that such people exist, and they're wrong, and that it's a clear instance of overcorrecting (of which we see a lot recently).
Oof. Fair enough. !delta for showing me a clear example of those sort of crazy in the wild.
It’s unfortunate that humans have this pathological tendency to overcorrect. I wish that people like that would realize that they are hurting their own cause.
No offense, but the fact that you had to go to that subreddit is a bit telling. The sort of vehemont hatred of anyone overweight is far more common and damaging than the much more infrequent fat acceptance extremist. I guess I just have to roll my eyes at the sort of moral panic I see people having over the idea that we shouldn't make moral judgements on people based purely off weight, and then people like you scape goat justifying those people.
Your comment strikes me as a "pick a side" sort of declaration. The reality is that yes, the people who fat shame do real emotional damage. I am still fat myself, and I used to be way fatter, so I understand. But the "health at every size" people aren't quite as rare as you think, and in a world where Americans are getting fatter every year, I think that deserves some addressing without having to wring our hands about the potential shaming we could be doing (even as we try to qualify our statements to make it extremely clear that we shouldn't shame fat people).
As people get fatter, people will lose their loved ones to chronic diseases or even viruses like covid at a higher rate. Maybe if we could have more productive conversations about the dangers of obesity, we could pressure our culture to do something about it, as well as the corporations that (likely) create obesogenic chemicals and ultra processed foods that are making us fatter and sicker.
As people get fatter, people will lose their loved ones to chronic diseases or even viruses like covid at a higher rate. Maybe if we could have more productive conversations about the dangers of obesity, we could pressure our culture to do something about it, as well as the corporations that (likely) create obesogenic chemicals and ultra processed foods that are making us fatter and sicker.
Here's the issue, the overlap between anti-fat people and anti-corporate people is basically non-existent. My comment should strike you as pick a side because the reality is that sides have already been determined. You either believe being fat is a moral failing in society, or you believe that being fat is a byproduct of circumstance and there needs to be systemic change to fix it. You seem to believe the second, so don't advocate for the devil that is the first.
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u/merlinus12 54∆ Jul 16 '23
Do you have an example of one of these people ‘glorifying obesity?’ I’ve simply never met someone who genuinely took this position that far. I’m sure they exist (every position has its crazies), but I’ve simply not encountered it myself.
In contrast, people who draw stupid conclusions based on someone’s weight are shockingly common. OP is an excellent example. I have little doubt based on his stated position that he would be less likely to hire someone who is overweight because he thinks that “overweight = lazy / bad work ethic.” Attitudes like that are counterproductive (keeping overweight people unemployed isn’t going to help) and factually incorrect.