Alright, so two people can touch eachother, and Al Gore isn't a terrorist. But I refuse to stop arguing with people that are smarter than me until I can win.
This was inspired by an episode of the television show, The Moment of Truth. A paramedic was asked if fat people repulsed him, his answer was yes. This led me to question whether fat people repulsed me, my conclusion is for myself only but it has led me to more questions, mainly, are the obese immoral?
I am sure everyone can say, that they believe that allowing another person to starve to death, specifically children, is immoral, or, not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent with principles of personal and social ethics.
A normal adult consumes 2427 calories a day, 18% less than an obese adult.
Since a baby needs 100 calories a day, every second day an obese person is effectively responsible for the death of a baby in a third world country. That is 182 babies every year. People are given the death penalty, for many less than that.
Since a baby needs 100 calories a day, every second day an obese person is effectively responsible for the death of a baby in a third world country. That is 182 babies every year. People are given the death penalty, for many less than that.
I wouldn't say it is immoral for this reason, because we can just grow more food to compensate for what people are eating. Besides, the hunger problems in third world countries don't arise from lack of food in the world, it is uneven distribution of this food. They aren't getting what they need because we still don't know how to share, not because there is not enough food.
I think we can look at this more from the 7 sin perspective: Obese individuals have committed the sin of gluttony. Because they are unable to control what they eat, they are committing this sin. Committing a sin is considered immoral. So in this way, yes, obesity may be immoral.
I have bad thyroid problems. The only diet that's ever worked for me is the "don't eat a single thing" diet. Even sticking to fruit, salad, vegetables, and long jogs every night, I lose maybe a pound a month. Otherwise, I can't help but gain weight. It sucks.
if you put it that way, you are killing children right now becuase you are not donating money to africa and are immoral you dumb arse. just becuase they eat more doesnt mean they kill people. And anyways, people are dieing becuase of the government not giving them food, or they cant afford it.
i personally think that so long as the obese person is not keeping food from otehrs and got thier food for the fair amount, it is not immoral. If the person bought it with their own money, or posibly their own work, I think it is fair that they overeat. If they have a family and eat the family's share of food, that is immoral and completely wrong. I was brought to the conclusion that SOME obese are immoral, some obese people have a glandular problem, and some have bad habits such as midnight snacking/eating.
I think its strange that with most dangerous habits for example smoking you cansay to someone 'you should put that out you're edangering your health,' but if u see some 300 pound fat bastard in MCDs people would think it extremely rude if you said,'excuse me can you stop eating that food you are endangering your health'. I just dont like the way they get preferential treatment in some ways.
@ th3pr3tz3l, look at what thelistman wrote on the bottom of page two. The point is that the thyroid disease affects their metabolism. It isn't about the AMOUNT of food they consume.
Regardless of that, the point is that there are disease and other factors outside of a person's control that has an effect on their weight. THUS my point is that a blanket statement of "Obesity is immoral" just cannot stand.
Now just to be reaaaaaallly clear. It affects metabolism, and it doesnt affect the amount of food they consume. Bit doe sit affect the amount of food they NEED to consume?
@ Woody
I agree. But maybe you could say it nicer.
@ Carlie
There is enough food RIGHT NOW. But in lesss than 50 years our population is expected to rise to 9.5 billion. And there won't be enough food then.
And I think the 7 sin perspective is a great way to look at this. All the definitions of gluttony involve excess, and most are eating and drinking in excess. In fact, this is almost my opening statement. Most obese people are eating more than they need to, all the while knowing people in their own countries and others, don't have enough food. My main point is, is it right to eat more than you Need to, knowing that in other countries, and even in yours, there are people without enough food to eat.
My main point is, is it right to eat more than you Need to, knowing that in other countries, and even in yours, there are people without enough food to eat.
Which goes back to excess, and anything in excess is not a good thing. So I would say no, in thinking about your fellow man, it is not alright to eat so much.
It affects metabolism, and it doesnt affect the amount of food they consume. Bit doe sit affect the amount of food they NEED to consume?
Tricky question, but resorting to hardline free-will arguments (as you've implicitly done in the above) will fail as that would imply that we can acknowledge elements that impinge on free will but essentially ignore them- a contradiction.
If you really examine the definition of 'need' you'll also come up short, as 'need' is ultimately a subjective term, especially as the needs of individuals is subject to variances.
Where does appetite come into this? There are a large number of drivers to appetite here, that are affected by a huge range of things including mood status and aforementioned metabolic disorders. I would say that these certainly affect the 'needs' of a being.
Frankly I think making a broad sweeping generalisation, while useful for controversy and discussion, is no longer needed at this point in the thread (which I have been quietly observing). With Carlie's statement above:
So I would say no, in thinking about your fellow man, it is not alright to eat so much.
Might we start directing our attention at examples in which 'obesity is immoral'? Specifically, where the behaviors that are positively associated with obesity, are deemed immoral?
Might we start directing our attention at examples in which 'obesity is immoral'? Specifically, where the behaviors that are positively associated with obesity, are deemed immoral?
I think that is where we would have to go with this, since I don't think that the reasoning that we are taking food from babies in third world countries really makes sense. Or is a valid argument.
I beleive the obesity of young children could be immoral of the parrents. If children don't eat healthy then the parrents deserve the blame. Though sometimes there are cases in which children can't help there weight, despite their parent's attempt to feed them healthy food. Other than that, I don't realy see how obesity can be linked with being immoral.
Overeating is something no one should do. It is also called gluttony. I dont know if its immoral but the Bible does talk about overeating/gluttony as a bad thing.
