I saw a news story on CNN this morning (12. April 2004) about obesity. They had gotten this expert from British Nutrition Foundation. When asked about what the possible cause for obesity in western countries (and in general), given possibilities such as junk food restaurants, lack of exercise, and unhealthy diet, she answered that it was not as simple as any of that.
Well, I think she should have elaborated on that. Maybe it was not possible, due to the time which CNN has allotted to each news story in their program. As I think, about what was mentioned, these are the factors which play in the prevalent obesity issue in westernized countries (as much as two out of three of Americans are overweight or obese(!)).
These general factors are (numbered alphabetically):
(if you can think about more relevant points or a revision of the above, email me about it [email protected])
These are the main factors. Advertisements in television give the illusion though the appearance of "happy" people, who visit any of the transnational junk food chains, such as Burger King and McDonald's. When people become apathetic about their actions and intrinsic behavior, then they become very susceptible for any manipulation by their senses and third parties, such as junk food chains, but also for doctors who point out, with good certainty, the dangers correlated with overweight induced diseases. Sadly, factors such as guilt, gluttony and the illusion that "nothing is wrong" maintains these unfortunate individuals in their state of overweight. Any (feeble) will power, they gain from listening to people who point out their unhealthy life-style, is crushed under the prevalence mentioned in the above bullet points.
I think that, as long as overweight people let themselves apathetically be controlled by their own state of obesity, they'll never get out of it. Only when they take control over their own apathetic actions and behavior will they be able to have a chance of breaking the "eating" cycle. The psychology behind obesity is not an all-encompassing one (there is no one definitive cause for obesity). This lack of interest and indifference for their own health and physical well-being (somebody tell me who is more happy weighing 300 kilograms instead of 90 kilograms) is just as much as a result from apathy as it is from push-effect by advertisements by the junk food restaurants, and probably more so.
The culture we are born into, and the culture we grow up with, is reflected into who we are and become – or do you suppose that you'd not eat bugs even if you were born into a Pygmy tribe in central Africa? Okay, that was sarcasm but illustrates who we are, as a result from our surroundings. The reason that you understand this English text is due the culture (learning) you were brought up in, and if you never had seen any English text in your life, then naturally you wouldn't understand a damn thing of this text. That aside, the food culture you are grow up with, socially transmitted from your immediate surrounding's (such as family members and friends) also has an impact on how you develop your eating habits.
Of course, some of you non-conformists morons and independent "individuals" are going "I choose what I want to eat!" and "No one tells me what I want to eat". Guess again! Next time you stuff your face with some of that chosen food-stuff, ask yourself this: "Why do I eat this x stuff, instead I could eat y or z", you will soon discover that what you eat, and what you choose to eat is also a part of what you've grown up with – but here I'd like to mention the impressive people who actually try to break their socially accepted norms; just to try new stuff and to put in voyeur terms: "explore the outer perimeters of ones being", or some shit like that. When some new food product is launched, which catches my interest either by advertisement or I just happen to pass-it-by, then I always give it at least one try, if any.
Genetics plays its role into how well our bodies functions and how it will function – genes are the blueprints for this fantastic design. It is somewhat unclear exactly to what extent genetics play into a disposition towards - which results into – eating disorders/obesity. A naturalistic explanation, about how humans are designed to store energy (in a form of fat) in their body to fight durations of famine, is in order; but when there is no famine at all (that's how good our westernized societies have become) individuals are more prone to become obese – a sickness brought by abundance. Enjoy the irony.
This is a moral behavior pattern (or lack thereof). It has its base in selfishness – gone in overkill mode. That is the short description. On further examination, gluttony has several similar points to genetics and apathy. One most noticeably aspect of gluttony is that one desires more and more, not just random stuff to appease the selfish mind, but also food. If one wants to differentiate between a genetic disposition and gluttony, that's fine by me. I think that gluttony only arises from a physical craving, a signaling process in the brain gone hay-wire. But I don't exclude the possibility that one has come under a psychological discrepancy, I.E. obsessive-compulsive eating – probably driven by a need to counteract for a sadness or anxiety (this comes under the "comfort-eaters"). If that is the case, then one can't hold to much against them, because OCD sufferers really don't have an immediate control over their illness. Gluttony, in my view, is a willful and intended action of over-eating by an individual.
Junk food restaurants want you to eat more! As simple as that. Per standard, I don't expect junk food restaurants to think about anything other than serve to their highest "moral" cause: "show me the mon-eeeeey". Although I could just go down that line and resort to mindless bantering (not like all this shit isn't pure speculation) about how "evil" junk food restaurants are. Although most people attribute this as the "evil" junk food restaurants, it is simply the cold hard workings of economical survival of a company. These chain-restaurants rely on the customer to buy its goods. But the ideology of the restaurants are quite selfish. That's why they promote people to eat at them, that's why they want to stay on the top (to get the best selfpreservation).
As in diet, apathy is simply when one doesn't give a shit. One has simply set aside physical stimulating activity aside, for some other (apathetic) stimulus. Probably just sitting down on ones asses, watching television, crunching pizza and drinking beer as stimulation for the apathetic mind. I think it is overall degenerate. I don't have any good way out, or a description to get oneself out of this locked-up vegetive state of the mind. I can only say, if you really want to have fun, then stop sitting in front of this computer and take a walk outside, when it is sunny and calm. Smell the air (hopefully you don't live in a air-polluted city, if so I suggest to travel a bit far outside the city) and get a "feel" of the beautiful surroundings.
Humans are naturally active as kids. Kids don't think that they physically exercise when they play an activity of physical nature – that's just a perspective adults are guilty of. It would be much nicer if adults could also just have that child-like outlook of playing. It is not arbitrarily chosen, when we call it to "play football" and "play hockey". Our perception of physical motivation and (instinctive) motor skill development only shows what kind of worry we've inferred into it. Both do the same, but the outlook into it, is what makes the difference. Do you want to "play" football, or do you want to "exercise" into good health.
Culture has its finger in the show on how children will develop physio-active behavior. But children frolic around as (almost) by natural instinct, and take great joy in doing so. When we get older, the social culture has made its influence on how active one becomes; in accordance to how oneself has come to perceives oneself, with all that dynamic structure of the mind.
Guilt forces a specific behavior. We act on guilt, because our idea of right and wrong (moral judgment) influence and directs our behavior. Guilt is a negative feedback. But the very thing that results into a sensation of guilt (that we are doing/have done/will do something wrong), also makes us miserable. We're miserable, because we think that our passiveness and lack of exercise is a wrong doing. Which is kind of stupid. Our guilt doesn't take precedence over our actions! Guilt is the past. Overcome your self-hatred, and do something the fuck about it, dammit! ... This should resolve that annoying guilt sensation.
Oh, and for you fuckers who don't have a sense of moral judgment, or just otherwise don't give a shit: Go fuck yourself. Those of you are broken beings and are lacking of compassion. If you did have compassion, then you'd understand the need of others and the need of yourself - since those of you who don't care, in the lack of such a moral principle, you don't know what the fuck I'm talking about, do you?
Health is a starting point, not a destination. Of course, all those stupid talk show programs want you to feel bad about your physical body, and speak of physical health as a destination – well I got news for you, we're all going to die. No exceptions, not avoidance – your health is simply prolonging your time were you have a cognitive self-awareness, and how long you live doesn't make a "good" life – in other words: your quality life is not merely your physical health, but a (small) part of it. Now get that in the head of yours. Your wellbeing does not come from coercion, at least not in the majority of the cases.
You're a lost cause, just shoot yourself in the goddamn face right now ... ... now that you're mind is not idle for now, I'll just say this: take baby steps towards any activity. How one gets into sloth is beyond me; we're designed (not God-designed, idiot) to be active, so you bloody well also act that way.