Fat Acceptance - Problem or not

[Catfish Alley]

I'd be interested to know if that has worked anywhere.

I think some US states tried it with soft drink.

 

[Demosthenes]

At first you demand that I accept the scientific 'consensus' on this subject.

nek minnut you tell me that the understanding is poor and still developing.

I see.

So researchers, as we do, have come up with an hypothesis and got to work trying to prove it, with poor to little results as of yet. There is as much chance of the flying spaghetti monster having some unknown influence at present.

That, mate, is not a scientific consensus.

The scientific consensus is that it is a multifactoral issue with dozens if not hundreds of variables, genetic and otherwise. Due to the huge influence of factors across the human genome, which are still being explored and quantified, obesity is not an issue purely under individual control. Much like the other examples cited.

So I ask you again - if you are prepared to tax individuals for manifesting this undesirable social outcome, despite there being acknowledged and at-present unquantifiable limits to their personal control over the situation, why not the others I mentioned?

Tax fatties, tax the divorcees, tax the educational dropouts. Anyone who has personal failings that are a cost to society, they should pay the rest of us. Great idea right?

 

[apparentlydead]

The scientific consensus is that it is a multifactoral issue with dozens if not hundreds of variables, genetic and otherwise. Due to the huge influence of factors across the human genome, which are still being explored and quantified, obesity is not an issue purely under individual control. Much like the other examples cited.

So I ask you again - if you are prepared to tax individuals for manifesting this undesirable social outcome, despite there being acknowledged and at-present unquantifiable limits to their personal control over the situation, why not the others I mentioned?

Please stop talking out of your ring gear mate.

The only consensus on the issue is that nobody really knows anything that could be concluded as empirical evidence, besides the fact that too much food combined with too little exercise makes people obese. The end.

There's currently 120-140 studies out there that have a vibe...nothing more and nothing less. So please, just stop now, as you clearly don't understand research and science in general.

Start another thread on your ridiculous analogies if you truly feel that it requires one.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Some real gems ITT.

 

[Demosthenes]

The only consensus on the issue is that nobody really knows anything that could be concluded as empirical evidence, besides the fact that too much food combined with too little exercise makes people obese. The end.

No. Too much food combined with too little exercise can make people obese. For someone who claims to be a researcher you seem not to have a very good understanding of research and the scientific method. Soft sciences eh? Probably environmentalism or humanities. Social anthropologist maybe? They're always good for a laugh.

Taxing people for manifesting outcomes when nobody fully understands what contributes to the outcome, or how much of the outcome is within an individual's control, is a stupid idea. Which is why as a society we generally don't do it, and when we do it it's generally ineffectual.

That's really the sum total of the discussion. But unfortunately mouthbreathers are an endless supply in this country, so these threads will still keep occurring.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Yes. I want them to be so unhappy with it that they go out and fix it, both for their sake and for the sake of others.

Doesn't mean I support being a campaigner to them.

How simple. Feel bad! Change! Fix it! Job done!

Gotta wonder what sort of simpleton world you live in.

Here's a lightning bolt of reality for you clowns:

Being fat isn't acceptable. In fact it's never been less acceptable.

For the past 50 - 100 years western society has been on a tidal wave of body image obsession. How people look gets more and more and more important to every aspect of life. Thin, fit beautiful people are rammed down everybody's throat everywhere you look, day in, day out.

You don't have to worry. Fat acceptance isn't a "thing". Nobody wants to be fat, in fact being fat can be social torture for many people, especially the young.

Relax. Thin obsession is the same unstoppable force it's always been.

Nobody these days feels good about being fat. So there's some low profile, minor pissing of "fat can be beautiful" against the generations long tidal wave of thin. So what. It's so incredibly overpowered by the cultural obsession with body image that to suggest it could be a problem is ridiculous, and just a sign that you actually have an issue with judging others that you don't want to admit.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Kind of off topic but I'm a really skinny bloke (188cm and 66kg) it kind of annoys me when people point it out like "geez you're skinny aren't you?" like what would their reaction be if i said "Geez you're fat aren't you?" back to them? I don't like it being pointed out just as much as them.

 

[Gough]

Kind of off topic but I'm a really skinny bloke (188cm and 66kg) it kind of annoys me when people point it out like "geez you're skinny aren't you?" like what would their reaction be if i said "Geez you're fat aren't you?" back to them? I don't like it being pointed out just as much as them.

Bought two pairs of jeans yesterday, still got a 30" waist.

 

[TheFreshBanana]

I suppose people don't see being skinny as a problem.

Like, you're more inclined to point out someone's wealth rather than their poverty.

 

[apparentlydead]

I'm supremely confident on who the mouth breather is here. Supremely.

No. Too much food combined with too little exercise can make people obese. For someone who claims to be a researcher you seem not to have a very good understanding of research and the scientific method. Soft sciences eh? Probably environmentalism or humanities. Social anthropologist maybe? They're always good for a laugh.

Just pathetic. You essentially lost the argument right here.

Taxing people for manifesting outcomes when nobody fully understands what contributes to the outcome, or how much of the outcome is within an individual's control, is a stupid idea. Which is why as a society we generally don't do it, and when we do it it's generally ineffectual.

Yeah, that's why taxing addictions on tobacco and alcohol, along with relevant education programs, has been such a failure...

oh wait.

That's really the sum total of the discussion. But unfortunately mouthbreathers are an endless supply in this country, so these threads will still keep occurring.

Your confidence in your opinion, and yourself, is severely and hilariously misplaced.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Maybe if it was a tax on one item (like tobacco or alcohol) it could have some merit. A sugar tax would be the starting point.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Maybe if it was a tax on one item (like tobacco or alcohol) it could have some merit. A sugar tax would be the starting point.

Chase down Episode 1 Series 1 of "The Hollowmen" from ABCTV a few years back and you'll get your answer.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Chase down Episode 1 Series 1 of "The Hollowmen" from ABCTV a few years back and you'll get your answer.

Thanks. I imagine they find it near impossible?

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Thanks. I imagine they find it near impossible?

Nah, it's obvious what needs to be done. Until some friends of the party from the farming and food sector drop in for a chat...

 

[Catfish Alley]

Yep. That's kind of what I meant. Lots of barriers in the way if that's the path they take.

 

[apparentlydead]

Nah, it's obvious what needs to be done. Until some friends of the party from the farming and food sector drop in for a chat...

Little doubt that many and varied parties have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

People are whipping themselves up into states of fury in here wtf.
There will always be fat people and people who just don't care, they're hurting themselves and I'm not going to stop them unless they're close to me.
I'm happy for them to be fat and proud, people don't love themselves enough as it is.

 

[craigos]

Think I've mentioned it before but I often get (more so in my younger years) you're so lucky you're naturally skinny. Well, I do a lot of fitness and am very conscious of what I eat. Not to say I don't eat rubbish but I know that eating a bar of chocolate will take 3 times more exercise to work off than a banana.

When a bottle of soft drink is cheaper than water we've got issues. Tax anything with terrible nutritional value at a high rate, I reckon. People will say "why should we have to pay more for fat peoples problems". The same reason the occasional beer drinker has to pay a huge amount of tax for alcohol.

 

[Catfish Alley]

It would be tough to nail down the definition of what has bad nutritional value. That's why I though maybe high sugar products would be a starting point.

Can't see it being popular though. Most people would vote against it

 

[Shupe]

My favourite part about being in good shape is being called a douchebag gym junkie. Yep, I'm an idiot for being fit and healthy. Go figure.

 

[Catfish Alley]

The gym junkie bit isn't the insult

 

[Shupe]

It's getting to the point now where anyone who goes to the gym is a douchebag.

I'm 184cm, 81kg. I'm in no way one of those blokes with arms the size of thighs, wearing short shorts and stringlets.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Oh weird. I've never heard that.

 

[Gough]

It's the narcissism of a certain section of the gym going crowd that gives the rest a bad name.

 

[TheFreshBanana]

Particularly when a portion of gym goers are "training for stereo"