Why humanity is doomed

I always felt sympathetic to fat people, actually I still do, but today there are so many... they even make me depressed. I know it's hard loosing weight and changing ur habbits, among other things, because of the vicious circle: poor diet - fat and ugly - depressed - more poor diet to feel less depressed. And I am aware of the whole dumbing down plot in action. Intended or simply caused by greed - another question, but our food is often dangerous: it makes us fat, sick and dumb. But can we just continue blaming people in power for letting this go on?

Today most people pay the price for blindly trusting their governments (transmitted thru tv tubes) and being indifferent.
When people read at least some papers, at least some news on the net, they come across information that tells them what a healthy diet is, is GMO safe, is FDA trustworthy... I mean, u just have to be a little curious, thats all. My parents were living in Soviet Union. Back then, there was no other way of learning a different point of view than travelling abroad. And that wasn't easy either. Today, having the Internet, there is no such excuse (except maybe when ure in Iran or China where it's censored).

But when u think u can just live ur life watching the tube and not make a single effort to think 4 urself, or to doubt the concepts others have been feeding u with, then we have a problem.
When u see thousands of people walking around fat like shit and u still continue eating the crap they are eating - who is there to blame ur that dumb? Is that all aspartame's fault? or inoculations'? Of course, sometimes u've got a medical condition that screws ur metabolism, that's sort of understood.

Maybe i should have studied social psychology better, i always liked the branch focusig on personality, not the crowd. But today it seems to me u have to have a certain level of stupidity to begin with to be dumbed down to THAT level.
The core issue is that most people want to be ruled and directed and relieved of a necessity to think and make choices and bear responsibility for their own lives (and I'm pro socialized medicine, but that's a different topic).
It seems like most people in today's society want to be born and provided with a good honest government that takes care of them, that is not corrupted, is wise and collects small taxes.
And they think they've earnt that just by showing up to vote once in 4-5 years.
Someone has to tell them what to believe in, what to wear, what to eat, how to cure deseases, what to think about this and that...
With their role being?? Working for money, eating, sleeping and producing more folks as ignorant as themselves? Great... And they feel so proud being parents. Like it's a great accomplishment and not a most natural thing that happens to all mammals - reproduction. And I'd have said people differ from animals because they do not only teach their young how to survive in this crazy world, but how to grow spiritually and become an independent, creative, responsible person, but I can't. It's just about creating more people that will never care about anything but their own well-being (own includes family). Their lifeplan will be the same: school-work-marry-reproduce-game over.

I often think this world does not deserve heroes. Because they are the ones to end up jailed, tortured, killed and most of the society does nothing to help them. Activists, whistleblowers, who cared too much about this world will be spending life in prison while hundreds of thousands of people for whom the heroic act was done will be sitting home watching American Idol on TV. Why saving such world?

published on 10-02-2011 under philosophy and psychology

More posts from this category: Selected La Rochefoucauld's quotes Fine, I'll write about the damned 'free will'

Jaume

24-02-2011

But can we just continue blaming people in power for letting this go on?

Sure we can. Until one of them bumps into the idea of taxing people according to their body fat percentage. Except people with genetic disorders and pregnant women. (And pregnant men - I don't want anyone to think I'm sexist about this.)

It'd then take a couple years at most for the problem to fix itself.

Irina

24-02-2011

It sure is crucial to not be a sexist about anything, especially pregnancy)) I mean, it's discriminatory to say men could never get pregnant. They are just better at contraception.

daniel

29-10-2011

I regret not stumbling upon your blog until now. As far as this particular entry is concerned, you should be relieved to know (!) that I agree. Humans, particularly humans en masse, are "fat, sick, and dumb." But the malaise that results from being fat, sick, and dumb is only one of several blows that will result in the expiration of the human race. Overpopulation, improper management and abuse of natural resources, war, famine, greed, the usual suspects continue to rule in the demise of civilizations that spring up between ice ages, no matter how far we "advance."

As far as men being better at contraception, I'm not so sure. I am sure, though, that most men don't care about the pupose of a female orgasm.

Irina

29-10-2011

Hi Daniel,

nice to know when someone agrees))

this post was maybe a little more driven by emotions (than usually )

on one hand, if you think of humans as having evolved from our common ancestor with monkeys, we've shown some great results, and maybe deserve some sympathy for 'walking in the dark' all this time trying to understand the best way to live in this hostile environment

on the other hand, we've caused so much harm to each other and the world around, all our achievements appear rather tarnished to me

frankly speaking, if we go extinct, i don't see it as a problem, on the contrary

we die anyway. extinction only means noone will be born any more. big deal!

brent mosher

01-01-2012

To begin, I have never had a problem with my weight. I am fortunate in that I am one of those who could eat chocolate cake all day and never gain an ounce (my skin, however, would be another matter).

I do not believe taxing people for their weight is a good idea. First, because as is acknowledged in the article, some people cannot control their weight due to genetics. Others put on weight as a result of sexual abuse. Others due to the side effects of drugs, particularly some anti-depressants. Others do use food as an emotional coping mechanism, so why punish them when they are already having problems. And, as "junk" foods are already taxed, and "healthy" foods are not taxed (at least here in Canada), people are already being taxed for their nutritional choices.

One of the major reasons (I suspect) for the increase in obesity is the use of corn product as sweetener in food. The banning of this would go a long way towards addressing the problem. Though good luck fighting the lobbyists for the food industry.

Here in Canada, we once had a national fitness program called Participaction that encouraged all school children to get involved in atheletic activity. That program was scrapped. After junior high (age 14) I did not have the opportunity to take a single phys ed. class, as much as I wanted to. Lots of math I've never used, though. We had one year of health education. There is currently no national physical or mental health awareness program in this country. The anti-smoking ads I saw as a kid definitely influenced my decision to never smoke. So I am of the opinion that concerted and long term educational programs do work.

Finally, the issue of class. Poor people may (and I stress the word may) have trouble affording healthy food choices. Fact is, pop and sugared fruit drinks are cheaper than juice (although water, my drink of choice, is virtually free). They may have trouble accessing nutrtional food (grocery store chains often won't locate in poor neighbourhoods, and I've noticed that many items available in upscale neighbourhoods cannot be found in poorer ones, even within the same chain). And, the quality of public education within these neighbourhoods on all fronts is often below that of richer enclaves.

There was a brief attempt to have a farmer's market in the 'hood in the city I used to live in - Halifax Nova Scotia. I witnessed one fellow form the neighbourhood questioning an organic farmer as to why he should buy his organic beans for X amount, when he could go over to the local grocery chain and get the "same" beans for less. Blaming this guy isn't the answer. He was using what to him made perfect sense.

If "we" are going to say that nutrition is important, and that fat people are unsightly, then we should put our money where our mouths are. Education for everyone, and food subsidies for the poor. Don't give them charity at Xmas, give them enough money, or a nationaly owned grocery store chain, where quality food can be purchased at reasonable prices.

Irina

01-01-2012

I do not believe taxing people for their weight is a good idea

Neither do I, why do you bring it up? Is this being discussed in Canada?

One of the major reasons (I suspect) for the increase in obesity is the use of corn product as sweetener in food.

Sure, all that unnecessary sugar everywhere, fructose that doesn't send brain a signal of the calories being consumed, and the junk food in general. But junk food addiction is also partly laziness and irresponsibility. Parents buying their kids pizzas and fries instead of spending 20 minutes in the kitchen to cook from raw products. Partly addiction - read that some ingredients in junk food are addictive.

I guess this post displays my ambivalent feelings about what I'm seeing. On one hand, I understand people have their reasons and circumstances, on the other Im just disappointed at how people seem so unable to figure out whats good and whats harmful for them, or care enough, or be curious enough...

brent mosher

01-01-2012

I mentioned taxes because your first commenter, Jaume, brought it up, and also because I have heard the idea before. I have also heard the opposite idea - that of giving tax breaks to people who make healthy choices (not smoking, eating healthy food, exercising). A good idea, and would reinforce positve behaviour as opposed to punishing negative, but how would it work?

A complex issue for sure. I think we need to be just as wary of victim blaming, though, as we do of excusing personal irresponsibility.

The working poor may not feel they have the time to cook proper meals - yet it would certainly be in their financial interest to do so.

They built a new high school in Halifax for kids largely from midle class homes. In the cafeteria, school authorities decided they would only serve healthy food - no junk. What happened? The kids deserted the school at lunch hour in search of fast food.

(Is pizza junk food to you?)

Also, I heard a guy on the radio (CBC) talking about how the causes of obesity aren't as simple as that people eat too much, and that simplistic solutions like telling people to eat less or better are not the cure all one might think. Couldn't find the show when I searched for it, unfortunately.

Josh	29-05-2012 Hey I love your posts and videos. Just out of curiousity, what are your political views?

Irina

30-05-2012

I'm a bit lost in all those definitions, I must admit. Perhaps Im leaning towards a liberal democracy. Anything that supports individual liberties and the possibility to influence the government.