Bill Maher Calls Out American Obesity Crisis, Says Fat Shaming Needs To Come Back

[Cristiano]

The idea that shaming fat people will make them lose weight is just patently stupid. Maher is a complete tool. I used to find him entertaining, but lately he just seems whiny and out of touch. On the other hand, James Corden's eloquent response to him made me love James even more, and I was already a huge fan.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

It's biologically *very*addictive.

Shaming had far less to do with the decline in smoking than it being taxed all to hell. When a pack of cigarettes is $8, people start rethinking things.

I didn't say it wasn't addictive, I said it wasn't a fundamental evolutionary drive in the way that food is. We evolved to be addicted to food for far longer. And I agree that the price increases helped. It's been supposed that this mattered most among the demographic that mattered most, teenagers that are just getting started. But we also know that's not the whole story, because despite that, poor people are the most likely to smoke. And packs are still much less than $8 in much of the US.

I think costs helped, but so did education and peer pressure. There are better forms of peer pressure than shaming.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

The idea that shaming fat people will make them lose weight is just patently stupid. Maher is a complete tool. I used to find him entertaining, but lately he just seems whiny and out of touch. On the other hand, James Corden's eloquent response to him made me love James even more, and I was already a huge fan.

Even if it did work, I think it would be unethical to use shaming.

 

[Free]

Even if it did work

Descartes called, he said your cogito ergo doesn't sum up.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

How to survive a Twitter storm

Tanya Gold published a piece about a plus-size mannequin one Sunday. By Monday morning the internet had gone mad and was out for her blood

www.theguardian.com

Her situation and motivation aren't the same as Bill Maher's, of course, but I think she offers some useful insights into some of the issues involved.

 

[Brenda Archer]

How to survive a Twitter storm

Tanya Gold published a piece about a plus-size mannequin one Sunday. By Monday morning the internet had gone mad and was out for her blood

www.theguardian.com

Her situation and motivation aren't the same as Bill Maher's, of course, but I think she offers some useful insights into some of the issues involved.

Maybe a little unrelated, but maybe this shows one of the sources of fat-shaming. Addicts seem to project their condition into the environment, so if they see someone who they think is also an addict, they project their self-hatred onto that person. If that targeted person can legitimately say, “I’m not addicted, I have medical condition such-and-such” instead of getting a reprieve from the projection, the projector flies into a rage and amplifies it.

I have also seen this happen to disabled people whose condition resembles something that makes people think they are addicts, when there’s something else going on, like an injury or illness.

The worst fat shaming I ever got from a doctor was from one who seemed like he was on something - he was completely erratic. The terrifying part of this hostile exchange is that I couldn’t prove it, so I had no way to make a complaint.

I’ve also had plenty of people who know nothing about PCOS insist it can’t possibly be the cause of my weight and I must be overeating, *just as they had once been overeating* which proves it wasn’t about me at all.

I get a lot of this kind of projection from people, in different subjects, but usually weight or disability related. It’s obvious it’s projection, but it’s not always obvious what the person is projecting, and I have never been able to find a defense against these people that works, except avoidance.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Maybe a little unrelated, but maybe this shows one of the sources of fat-shaming. Addicts seem to project their condition into the environment, so if they see someone who they think is also an addict, they project their self-hatred onto that person. If that targeted person can legitimately say, “I’m not addicted, I have medical condition such-and-such” instead of getting a reprieve from the projection, the projector flies into a rage and amplifies it.

I have also seen this happen to disabled people whose condition resembles something that makes people think they are addicts, when there’s something else going on, like an injury or illness.

The worst fat shaming I ever got from a doctor was from one who seemed like he was on something - he was completely erratic. The terrifying part of this hostile exchange is that I couldn’t prove it, so I had no way to make a complaint.

I’ve also had plenty of people who know nothing about PCOS insist it can’t possibly be the cause of my weight and I must be overeating, *just as they had once been overeating* which proves it wasn’t about me at all.

I get a lot of this kind of projection from people, in different subjects, but usually weight or disability related. It’s obvious it’s projection, but it’s not always obvious what the person is projecting, and I have never been able to find a defense against these people that works, except avoidance.

Yeah, my mom tends to project her own issues [and my spouses] with food onto me. I can have a box of cookies in the house for months, and have even somehow forgotten I had them - its not that I don't love cookies, but for me, food is very much either nourishment or special treat I'll horde for an emergency mood crash.

So, before last weekend's trip, I was at 203, and when I got back, I can't get below 208. I tried to tell my mom that I don't know what's going on [I think my scale is messing with me], and she's like, you're eating too much. We stop by her place on our way into atlanta to visit and eat [like we normally do] and she saw me eat less than her or my spouse - he even told her I don't eat all that much and generally stick to healthy eating. But I'm sure she still thinks I'm gorging and idle eating and that I need to write it all down.

Then again, I get my competitive streak from her, and I still weigh a smidge less than her.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

We evolved to be addicted to food for far longer.

Not sure that's relevent, because what we're actually addicted to is rewarding chemical imbalances.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Why we’re proud of our fat bodies

Photographer Alice Zoo speaks to six women about body positivity and fat activism

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Zaida Gearbox]

I just want to say Bill Maher is a piece of shit. Can we please shame him for it?

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Shit-shaming?

 

[Lady Darnk Juniorette]

Bill is far to smug and high on his own fumes to feel shame.

 

[Free]

I just want to say Bill Maher is a piece of shit. Can we please shame him for it?

Pieces of shit cannot be shamed.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Sorry for the almost necropost (though it is almost Halloween), but this seems something that people might find interesting (not sure about availability outside the UK, but probably it's available somehow):

Who Are You Calling Fat? review – pride, prejudice and gastric bands

From a body-positive activist to ‘good fatties who work out’, this fascinating reality show brings together nine people to tackle all the biggest questions about their weight

www.theguardian.com

BBC Two - Who Are You Calling Fat?

People living with obesity move in together to explore what it means to be larger bodied.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Brenda Archer]

Sorry for the almost necropost (though it is almost Halloween), but this seems something that people might find interesting (not sure about availability outside the UK, but probably it's available somehow):

Who Are You Calling Fat? review – pride, prejudice and gastric bands

From a body-positive activist to ‘good fatties who work out’, this fascinating reality show brings together nine people to tackle all the biggest questions about their weight

www.theguardian.com

BBC Two - Who Are You Calling Fat?

People living with obesity move in together to explore what it means to be larger bodied.

www.bbc.co.uk

Thanks, I will try to see if these will play for me when I get back to my computer.

I’m not one of the people who get mad at words - I’m from a different generation I think. I almost can forget I’m fat, except in the doctor’s office. Some doctors are fine but a few have been really awful. It seems doctors are the most fat hating part of the population, and it really opened my eyes to how little some of them are aware of their own science.

I also think it makes a big difference, in an ableist society, how large you are, how old you are, and how much your mobility is affected. It makes a big difference if you are in a situation in which you can purge the fat hating people from your life (which I will do) or if you’re stuck with someone who is cruel or misinformed. It makes a difference if you grew up fat, or if it happened after young adulthood.

I could say really similar things about any kind of difference. Independent adults have much more freedom to avoid abuse and persecution.

 

[Ava Glasgow]

I almost can forget I’m fat, except in the doctor’s office. Some doctors are fine but a few have been really awful. It seems doctors are the most fat hating part of the population

So fucking true.