Why are people so nasty to overweight people?

[RayKay]

See, I think that is just as judgmental.

 

I do work out most days except my "rest" days. I do eat healthy. I also however enjoy the fine things in life like chocolate and wine Used to eat tofu when I was a vegetarian but not anymore (though I don't eat red meat for personal preference).

 

I don't brag about my workouts - though if someone ASKS of course I tell them and share my advice (often on threads here where someone asks about how to get healthier). I love the things I do - I don't workout JUST to workout - I love running because it brings me peace, because I can parlay it into other things (fundraising for breast cancer for example). For me it is also social (training racing with my adventure racing team whom are great people). I love cycling because it is pure FUN for me to be on the trails to get my mind of things.

I do feel a bit of an absense when I don't do it, but not because I am concerned I will get unhealthy but because it something that gets me started in my day and gives me energy.

 

I do it because I LOVE it.....not to impress others. As I said, I rarely talk about it unless asked.

 

I also have MANY other interests including my family, education, volunteering, fundraising....so I am not that one-dimensional.

 

I have met people like you describe...but they are few and far in between.

 

So yes, overweight people get "judged" - but so do thin people (I have had plenty of people criticize MY eating because I was not splurging on having a slice of ANOTHER cake at work after they have brought cake in everyday for example).

[JadedStar]

Believe me, I've dealt with weight gain in my late 20's. It took my little niece to tell it to my face that I was fat and ugly before I realized I need to take control of my weight. And I did something about it rather than employ the mentality that it's no one's business to be concerned if I'm overweight.

 

And that is what EVERYONE should do. But it should be THEIR choice. Not somoene else's.

 

When I was a smoker all of the well intentioned folks in the world lecturing me didn't help. When i finally realized hey this really sucks then I was motivated to stop. Not one lecture led me to this....research on health stats were what led me to it and seeing a family member diagnosed with cancer of the throat.

[JadedStar]

A Jim Gaffigan segment on one of his stand up shows came to mind when i read this. He was talking about how on health segments they show an obese man walking down the street with a black line accross his eyes and he says "why do they do that, the guy knows its him". "He knows he's fat".

 

Yes, someone overweight probably knows it and probably struggles with it everyday.

[JadedStar]

RayKay i don't find you to be judgemental at all and you are the picture of health most people would want to be. You exercise and are healthy because you actually like it!

[jettison]

Back to the OPs question, why are people mean to overweight people?

 

Well, speaking for myself, I think it's rather disgusting when I have to sit next to a fat person when I'm taking public transportation or crammed next to them in a movie theater. They are invading my personal space, their extra rolls of fat are often times pressing against me and causing me discomfort, and more often than not they don't smell so great. They should buy two tickets, or even three if necessary so as not to inconvenience those who are unfortunate enough to be seated next to them.

 

My first thought was to rhetort with a personal attack in response to this post, but that would only get me banned.

 

So...

 

Needless to say, I don't agree with your take, and I think it's all just for show. You say that you're put out because you have to "put up" with their obesity problem. Imagine what they have to put up with? This was just an inflammatory post meant to get a reaction. It contributes nothing to the OP whatsoever.

 

As for the airplane quip, I'd much rather sit next to an extremely obese person then have to endure a multi-hour flight with a person who would feel that way about obese people.

 

Do you also get upset at pediatric cancer patients because their childhood baldness isn't very attractive and you have to look at them? Do you also get upset when

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Back to the OPs question, why are people mean to overweight people?

 

Well, speaking for myself, I think it's rather disgusting when I have to sit next to a fat person when I'm taking public transportation or crammed next to them in a movie theater. They are invading my personal space, their extra rolls of fat are often times pressing against me and causing me discomfort, and more often than not they don't smell so great. They should buy two tickets, or even three if necessary so as not to inconvenience those who are unfortunate enough to be seated next to them.

 

Well, let me tell you, I take the subway or bus every day to work. Middle of the summer, morning rush hour, you get some men who are average weight and who have the most wretched body odour...and it is only 7:30 am. Of course they have to have their arms raised to grab on to the pole. I have also stood next to obese people and they did not smell at all. It is not the issue of being fat, it is a person's personal hygiene...and plenty of average and skinnier people fail in the personal hygiene realm.

[JadedStar]

Personally I don't enjoy sitting next to many strangers on crowded planes or subways just because it is an uncomfortable experience to be in a crowded area period.

 

I hate public transportation!

[shikashika]

comparing cancer patients and someone who is overweight is hardly the same thing.

 

having to look at someone and having to feel someone are completely different.

 

 

 

I do think that extremely overweight people should buy two tickets if they plan to take up two seats. i remember being on a 10 hour plan ride when the man enxt to me's belly was on my left leg. I didn't pay $1000 for a ticket so i could have some stranger's fat on me the whole time, just like i wasn't going to sit on his lap either.

[Entomon]

And that is what EVERYONE should do. But it should be THEIR choice. Not somoene else's.

 

When I was a smoker all of the well intentioned folks in the world lecturing me didn't help. When i finally realized hey this really sucks then I was motivated to stop. Not one lecture led me to this....research on health stats were what led me to it and seeing a family member diagnosed with cancer of the throat.

 

I doubt you would realize that smoking sucks if you didn't have people constantly hosing you down with lectures.

 

Stats on the dangerous of smoking, losing a loved on to throat cancer, or lectures from well intent people all serve the same purpose - to get you off smoking.

[jettison]

comparing cancer patients and someone who is overweight is hardly the same thing.

 

No kidding.

 

having to look at someone and having to feel someone are completely different.

 

Obvious 101.

 

 

 

I do think that extremely overweight people should buy two tickets if they plan to take up two seats. i remember being on a 10 hour plan ride when the man enxt to me's belly was on my left leg. I didn't pay $1000 for a ticket so i could have some stranger's fat on me the whole time, just like i wasn't going to sit on his lap either.

 

Although you won't admit it, I guarantee you'd feel differently about this if the ticket was for your mother or your child.

[jettison]

Nope, because they don't impinge upon my personal space.

 

 

True. They polute your atmosphere. And of course, you're a very important person.

[Iceman2007]

People are nasty in general, it's just not fat people. Being short, old, ugly, middle-aged, Muslim, Asian, Black, even white can get you no respect. Don't worry about the mean-spiritedness towards fatties, worry about the mean-spiritedness of the general population in whole.

[shikashika]

Jettison

 

No kidding.

so why did you compare them??

 

 

 

 

 

Obvious 101.

 

so why did you talk about looking at people and feeling them next to you?

 

 

 

Although you won't admit it, I guarantee you'd feel differently about this if the ticket was for your mother or your child.

 

ha ha.. you guarantee how i feel.. i find it funny that you 'guarantee' what my thoughts are....

why would i bother posting it when you *clearly* know how I feel.

 

Actually, I think if someone truly cares about a mother, daughter, cousin friend, they'd get that person to a health clinic or on a healthy eating program before they ever got to that stage. I know i would.

[Entomon]

I suppose those who are overweight and don't want to do anything about it should not get offended when people make comments about their weight - even if the comments were meant to be helpful.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Sorry...didn't mean to offend. I was just on a rant because of what I have witnessed in real life.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I suppose those who are overweight and don't want to do anything about it should not get offended when people make comments about their weight - even if the comments were meant to be helpful.

 

People who stick their oar in and make comments may claim they are doing it to be helpful but I think it really comes from a sense of an inflated sense of superiority. If they are that misguided in their helpfulness...well, you know what they say...Hell is paved with good intentions.

[jettison]

Jettison

 

No kidding.

 

so why did you compare them??

 

Exaggeration to make a point.

 

 

 

 

 

Obvious 101.

 

so why did you talk about looking at people and feeling them next to you?

 

Why did I compare them? Because Chucky made a point of saying how disgusted he was merely for being inconvenienced, and I found that kind of attitude rather disgusting.

 

 

 

 

Although you won't admit it, I guarantee you'd feel differently about this if the ticket was for your mother or your child.

 

ha ha.. you guarantee how i feel.. i find it funny that you 'guarantee' what my thoughts are....

why would i bother posting it when you *clearly* know how I feel.

 

You're not puting yourself in the shoes less fortunate then yourself. You're not obese. And i'm betting that neither your mother, nor your daughter (if you have one) are either. It's like a white person telling a black person "Don't worry homey. I totally know it it feels to be black." No you don't. And it's completely insulting to assume that you do for people that have to deal with a genuine affliction.

 

Actually, I think if someone truly cares about a mother, daughter, cousin friend, they'd get that person to a health clinic or on a healthy eating program before they ever got to that stage. I know i would.

 

So you're telling me that if any of your friends or family members were fat, you'd make it your personal responsibility, your personal crusade to take care of it? Your problem to fix them? What if they don't want your help?

[jettison]

Ok, so you totally sabotaged your own post by agreeing that the comparison was wrong, your logic was faulty, and you further implicated yourself by making a nonsensical statement about how another poster would feel if it was a family member we were talking about.

 

None of the above.

[jettison]

LOL...we posted the same thing at the same time about how ridiculous Jettison's post was...too funny.

 

Yes Chucky. It's hilarious how ridiculous my post is. Bravo.

[shikashika]

People who stick their oar in and make comments may claim they are doing it to be helpful but I think it really comes from a sense of an inflated sense of superiority. If they are that misguided in their helpfulness...well, you know what they say...Hell is paved with good intentions.

 

i don't know if this is true in all circumstances.

 

what if you had a friend who had a friend who ahd an alcohol or drug addiction.

 

i know i did..but he told me he enjoyed his life that way. Do you think then, no one should say anything to him? he claimed to be happy waking up every morning doing a line of coke in the bathroom.

 

whlie no one likes an arrogant inflated ego, where do you draw the line then?

[jettison]

The only point you made was that your argument was without merit.

 

Is that your humble opinion?

[jettison]

No, it's hilarious how myself and the other poster saw how ridiculous your post was at exactly the same time and wrote essentially the same thing in response to it.

 

It's sad how ridiculous your post is.

 

It's both hilarious and now sad. Are you both laughing and crying at the same time? Talented you are.

[Entomon]

People who stick their oar in and make comments may claim they are doing it to be helpful but I think it really comes from a sense of an inflated sense of superiority. If they are that misguided in their helpfulness...well, you know what they say...Hell is paved with good intentions.

How am I misguiding in my helpfulness? Did you even read my response to WarmHandsHealingHearts that I have had my share of being ridiculed as an overweight person in my late 20's?

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Jettison

 

No kidding.

so why did you compare them??

 

 

 

 

 

Obvious 101.

 

so why did you talk about looking at people and feeling them next to you?

 

 

 

Although you won't admit it, I guarantee you'd feel differently about this if the ticket was for your mother or your child.

 

ha ha.. you guarantee how i feel.. i find it funny that you 'guarantee' what my thoughts are....

why would i bother posting it when you *clearly* know how I feel.

 

Actually, I think if someone truly cares about a mother, daughter, cousin friend, they'd get that person to a health clinic or on a healthy eating program before they ever got to that stage. I know i would.

 

You really think you have that much power over someone. People make their own choices and they will do something about it when THEY are ready not when YOU think they should be ready. People know what habits are bad for them, they don't need Joe/Jane average telling them. They read, they know. To treat them like they are ignorant and need to be guided is very presumptuous. I am sure these same obese people being lectured could find plenty of bad habits to lecture the other person about.

[jettison]

Actually it was yours. But I agree with you.

 

It's my opinion that my post makes no sense? Actually, that's not my opinion.