Samm and I have been reading You on a Diet: The Owner's Manuel for Waist Management by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Dr. Oz). This book has truly been amazing and I would suggest it to anyone and everyone simply because of all of the information about the human body. While I am sure that Samm and I will do reviews of this in the future, there is something that has been bothering me ever since I read it.
pg.170: found under "Dieting: Avoiding the Issue"
"For a second, think about one particular kind of person - the extreme example of fat gone wild. These people are often the stereotypical ideal - funny, kind, generous, charming, articulate, creative, and more brilliant than a perfect diamond - except for the fact that they're overweight. (We all say it: 'He'd be so great if only he were thin.') That bothers us."
Do people really say that about each other? Does it really bother people? I'd like to think not. What happened to the idea of being judged "by the content of their character" (MLK)? I understand caring about one another's overall health out of true concern, but this exerpt takes it to a level of being a judgemental bastard. If we read this inbetween the lines, the person saying this must be of an advantage weight/health wise, and is judgemental. They have a bigger battle to be fought in order to overcome such an elitist attitude. They are shallow because their own character is lacking development, and this will be a detriment to their own quality of life. They are not seeing others clearly. Look past the exterior shell - look past the vessels we were born into - our bodies are only temporary facades protecting the soul within.
Anyway, I think losing weight is a lot easier than overcoming a character flaw of being an a-hole, and anyone can be absolutely fabulous at any size or level of health. I do love this book, but I think this paragraph should be re-written/revised/deleted immediately.
Or have I just been sheltered from this? Do you know anyone who would agree with this excerpt? Did I misunderstand it, or do you agree?
2 comments:
I totally agree with the a-hole flaw being harder to overcome. But I do notice the thing a lot of people first see about a person is weight. They make assumptions based on that, and that says more about them then you. People should realize by now that just because someone is thin, doesn't mean they are healthy. However, because they are thin, their problems / flaws are less visual.
Excellent points and well said!
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