CNN Opinion Piece About Being Obese

[MikaDubbz]

That's assuming I was scouring the Internet webs in hope to find something to be outraged about. That's not the case.

Yeah I totally get that, I see pieces like this far too often in various news outlets across the country. This shit shouldn't be up for debate, being obese is unhealthy, and no one should be looking for (or giving out) excuses to maintain that kind of lifestyle. End of story.

 

[cots]

I accused you of posting an opinion piece that has nothing to do with current events, politics, or world news. I've not done that here once.

No, you just post stuff like "Guess what someone told someone else over the phone". Quality stuff right there.

Obesity is a current event (when I was growing up it wasn't a big issue) and the opinion piece was posted under the Political section on a website for a major self proclaimed news organization. Clearly, posting about global warming isn't a current event because it's been happening "for decades" and we should all stick to posting gossip related to bashing the president. How about addressing the subject matter instead of trying to discredit the way it was delivered.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Obesity is absolutely a problem that continues to be a current event in America, just because it isn't new and has been ongoing for years doesn't make it any less of a current event. Again, just like the homeless problem, it is a current event that persists.

 

[Xzi]

I think opinion pieces on things that are objective facts are a cancer on the news industry and dumbs it all down and makes it all less reputable.

This isn't about objective fact, and it's not a black and white issue. Fat people don't have to be stupid or uneducated to be comfortable in their bodies, most of them are fully aware of the detrimental effects on their health. And who are you to tell them they have to be angry or disappointed with themselves? Unless taken to an extreme, over-eating certainly won't kill you faster than alcohol or tobacco vaping, both of which continue to be glorified in our society.

No, you just post stuff like "Guess what someone told someone else over the phone".

Now you're just being reductionist out of spite, and you know it. It wasn't a phone call, it was a letter, and it was between the Special Counsel and the United States Attorney General. Not two random nobodies. Again very much relevant to the topic of politics.

 

[cots]

Obesity is absolutely a problem that continues to be a current event in America, just because it isn't new and has been ongoing for years doesn't make it any less of a current event. Again, just like the homeless problem, it is a current event that persists.

"In 1990, obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in most U.S. states. By 2010, 36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher, and 12 of those had obesity rates of 30 percent or higher" [Source]. I'd say if we solved the current epidemic back in the 50's it wouldn't be considered current news. Two of out 3 people are overweight. Why not try to focus on how to address and solve the problem instead of try to promote it as being normal and okay?

 

[kuwanger]

It's literally just someone's opinion, probably not even a writer on their staff.

Yet CNN chose to publish it. That alone is, if not an endorsement of the piece at least an endorsement of discussion about the piece. I doubt CNN would be so willing to publish an opinion I wrote.

don't see the political aspect of this regardless of how CNN (mis)labeled it. Fat people aren't strictly liberal or conservative.

Politics aren't strictly liberal or conservative. There's clearly a political agenda by many to normalize obesity. That political agenda may be a small, fringe group, but they definitely exist. No doubt, that's part of why CNN put it on their website which, as noted, was probably the click-bait nature of it to drawn in money. More specifically, mannequins go hand-in-hand with models, and plus-size models are very much a current events thing. Does it rise to the level of news? Probably no more than a lot of other news articles which are 10% news and 90% speculation and opinion.

I don't think opinion pieces are the bread and butter of any news organization.

News organization? Maybe not. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News? Absolutely. Covering 24/7 with actual news is hard. Dragging in 5 people with polar opposite opinions and letting them shout at each other Jerry Springer style is cheap. Consider that local news (~2.5/day, 6 days/week) only represents ~9% of that 24/7 cycle. And local news is often heavily padded with weather + sports + repeating content earlier reported in the day. Now imagine if any one of the three cable news channels actually spent a considerable amount of resources collection information on and reporting news in the world without every "breaking story" being 10 minutes of news and 1 hour before and after of speculation.

 

[MikaDubbz]

This isn't about objective fact, and it's not a black and white issue. Fat people don't have to be stupid or uneducated to be comfortable in their bodies, most of them are fully aware of the detrimental effects on their health. And who are you to tell them they have to be angry or disappointed with themselves? Unless taken to an extreme, over-eating certainly won't kill you faster than alcohol or tobacco vaping, both of which continue to be glorified in our society.

I'm not saying fat people are stupid or uneducated at all. I'm saying that pieces like this shouldn't be promoted on News sites because it is an objective fact that being obese isn't healthy. Now you can live that way if you want, by all means, that is fine. I'm not telling them to be angry or disappointed in themselves, I'm just saying don't lie to yourselves and especially others by reading and eating up such pieces that promote being obese as if it is a healthy way to live, when it simply objectively isn't.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

"In 1990, obese adults made up less than 15 percent of the population in most U.S. states. By 2010, 36 states had obesity rates of 25 percent or higher, and 12 of those had obesity rates of 30 percent or higher" [Source]. I'd say if we solved the current epidemic back in the 50's it wouldn't be considered current news. Two of out 3 people are overweight. Why not try to focus on how to address and solve the problem instead of try to promote it as being normal and okay?

Why are you quoting this to me, I totally agree with you that it's a current event and isn't normal and shouldn't be considered OK, I've been saying as much this whole time. It's also been a current event for some years that is only getting worse as time goes on... which is exactly what you are saying here...

 

[Xzi]

Why not try to focus on how to address and solve the problem instead of try to promote it as being normal and okay?

I seem to remember a particular first lady who tried to tackle the issue of childhood obesity head on. She probably could've gotten a lot more done on that front if the other party didn't treat the issue like a political football.

I'm saying that pieces like this shouldn't be promoted on News sites because it is an objective fact that being obese isn't healthy.

Opinion pieces don't get front page promotion, or much of any promotion at all. You have to seek out the opinion section or Google a specific headline from it.

 

[MikaDubbz]

Opinion pieces don't get front page promotion, or much of any promotion at all. You have to seek out the opinion section or Google a specific headline from it.

You literally scroll down on the front page and there is the Opinion section with a big headline right next to the Sports section, and bizarrely, above the World and US sections (On CNN anyway).

 

[Xzi]

You literally scroll down on the front page and there is the Opinion section with a big headline right next to the Sports section, and bizarrely, above the World and US sections. (On CNN anyway)

That's the way websites work, scrolling down is the equivalent of flipping the page. I count nine sections in front of their opinion section.

I'm just saying don't lie to yourselves and especially others by reading and eating up such pieces that promote being obese as if it is a healthy way to live, when it simply objectively isn't.

The article doesn't say anywhere that obesity is good for your health. The closest I can find to that is, "a fat person who exercises can be healthier than a slim person who does not, and exercise can counterbalance risks -- such as cardiovascular disease -- normally associated with being overweight." There's nothing incorrect about that statement.

 

[MikaDubbz]

That's the way websites work, scrolling down is the equivalent of flipping the page. I count nine sections in front of their opinion section.

Oh brother that's all I gotta say to that.

The article doesn't say anywhere that obesity is good for your health. The closest I can find to that is, "a fat person who exercises can be healthier than a slim person who does not, and exercise can counterbalance risks -- such as cardiovascular disease -- normally associated with being overweight." There's nothing incorrect about that statement.

I'm not attacking this opinion piece specifically, like I said this is but one of many, and so many of them go on and on about how one should celebrate their obesity, not be ashamed about it, not be too concerned about it being unhealthy, etc. etc. We need to stop dressing this shit up and just acknowledge it for what it is: unhealthy.

 

[Xzi]

Oh brother that's all I gotta say to that.

I don't know what you expect, this isn't the 90s any more, website design is far more streamlined than it used to be. Everything is on one page, that doesn't mean it's all on the front.

I'm not attacking this opinion piece specifically, like I said this is but one of many, and so many of them go on and on about how one should celebrate their obesity

I doubt you have any specific examples of an article directly stating that obesity is healthy. That's not the same as telling people they don't have to feel like shit over how they look in the mirror.

 

[cots]

I seem to remember a particular first lady who tried to tackle the issue of childhood obesity head on. She probably could've gotten a lot more done on that front if the other party didn't treat the issue like a political football.

Opinion pieces don't get front page promotion, or much of any promotion at all. You have to seek out the opinion section or Google a specific headline from it.

I hope it wasn't Mrs. Obama because she sure as hell isn't setting a good example with her own weight.

Funny as I simply loaded the page, didn't scroll down and it was included in with the other headliners. I would have probably missed it as the last place I'm going to browse is the opinion section on CNN.

 

[Xzi]

I hope it wasn't Mrs. Obama because she sure as hell isn't setting a good example with her own weight.

Holy Christ, what? Michelle Obama is not overweight by any standard, and by your own admission, you're the last person who should be calling anyone fat.

Edit: not to mention it completely undermines your own opinions on the matter when you don't acknowledge others' efforts to curb the obesity rate.

Funny as I simply loaded the page, didn't scroll down and it was included in with the other headliners.

Bullshit. I'm on a 4K display and I still have to scroll down a fair amount for the opinion section.

 

[osaka35]

there are a few separate issues that can be sub-categorized from "being fat".

- Health issues
- Society Issues
- Personal issues
- Rights issues
- Work Issues

Personal and societal issues are close, but probably deserve their own category. How you feel about someone being overweight is a personal issue, same as how they feel about themselves. Obviously you can be whatever size you want, eat whatever you want, and look however you want. Other folks are also perfectly okay to feel a certain way about how you look. The problem comes when folks decide "how I feel" is the same thing as "how you should be". Just because you don't like the way someone looks, that doesn't mean you can throw all the other categories I mentioned at them to force them to change into something you like better. That's just manipulative.

If you want to discuss the other categories as separate topics to how you it makes you feel, then you should. I personally want people to live long, healthy, productive lives. This is best done by everyone getting proper sleep, eating quality foods (but not more than needed), working out, continuing education, continuing growth of emotional maturity, and not being a tool. Generally if you live life to maximize happiness and minimize suffering, you tend to be more fit and not fat. But not always, and everyone's mileage varies. My attraction to someone doesn't really enter into the picture.

But in the "work" and "society" categorize, perceptions of other people influences a lot of decisions, so how folks are treated based on how they look is important. Definitely should be discussed, just not conflated with other categories, that's all.

 

[th3joker]

what disgusts me is fat parents feeding their kids crap and making them fat too. its one thing to be a adult and choose to buy crap food, its child abuse to be a lazy fuck and feeding crap to kids who have no choice. mother fuckers who free their kids mac and cheese all the time becuase its easy to make. i think it should be legal for the state to take away kids from shitty parents like that.

 

[Xzi]

what disgusts me is fat parents feeding their kids crap and making them fat too. its one thing to be a adult and choose to buy crap food, its child abuse to be a lazy fuck and feeding crap to kids who have no choice. mother fuckers who free their kids mac and cheese all the time becuase its easy to make. i think it should be legal for the state to take away kids from shitty parents like that.

There's a direct correlation between poverty and childhood obesity. You can't feed your kids healthy foods if you can't afford them or they aren't available in your area. Often it's both. The country as a whole is just too deep into the pockets of big sugar and big corn, and has been for a long time.

 

[cots]

Holy Christ, what? Michelle Obama is not overweight by any standard, and by your own admission, you're the last person who should be calling anyone fat.

Edit: not to mention it completely undermines your own opinions on the matter when you don't acknowledge others' efforts to curb the obesity rate.

She's not overly obese, but she's definitely overweight (aka fat). I've also got some more work to go (aka I'm still fat, don't have any problems admitting it and don't take offense if you call me fat), but at least I'm not obese anymore. It's good that she tried to implement something relating to losing weight (if she's the women you were referring to), but it would probably come across better if she was setting an example to follow.

Bullshit. I'm on a 4K display and I still have to scroll down a fair amount for the opinion section.

Great, doesn't change the fact that I simply loaded cnn.com and the opinion piece I linked to was featured in the main headlines. I never scrolled down or loaded another page to find it. It was located in the link block to the right of the main headline on the top of the page. No scrolling down to any sub-section was necessary.

 

[Xzi]

She's not overly obese, but she's definitely overweight (aka fat).

Dude, that's probably the worst picture you could find of her, and her belly still isn't protruding at all. I seriously doubt she's considered overweight for her height.

Great, doesn't change the fact that I simply loaded cnn.com and the opinion piece I linked to was featured in the main headlines.

I see which section you're talking about, 'news and buzz,' but those aren't the main headlines. Seems to be a random sampling of their content from all sections, probably based on what's trending at the moment.

 

[cots]

There's a direct correlation between poverty and obesity. You can't feed your kids healthy foods if you can't afford them or they aren't available in your area. Often it's both. The country as a whole is just too deep into the pockets of big sugar and big corn, and has been for a long time.

Yes, it's really hard to maintain a diet when you can't afford to buy food in the first place. For me, Keto works out great. I've never tried any other diets so I'm no expert, but you can get away with eating 1 meal a day which drastically cuts down the overall grocery bill. You can do it for really cheap if you don't mind limiting your food intake to the same basic things every week as the less money you spend the less variety you're going to get. I don't think it would be feasible if you're only source of income for food is nutrition assistance, which is funny because the government tells you that you need to eat better, but then only gives you enough money to buy junk with, but is okay with spending thousands of dollars per month on your medical bills because your health then deteriorates. It also doesn't help the people who don't have a kitchen, are living in shelters or depend on food boxes or food pantries for meals. Although, with 2 out of 3 people being obese I don't think that the problem only effects poor people as I don't see any major difference between the amount of obese people when I travel around the ghettos to when I'm in some expensive restaurant in a rich suburb full of multi-million dollar homes.