Why it is acceptable to criticize smokers, but not fat people?

[Dorian6]

What? Fat people get made fun of all the time.

 

[PZF]

Wait a minute, I change my mind. If people want to be large and not exercise and eat a lot, I'm all for it! Smokers too! Smoke two packs a day if you want to. Just means I have a better chance of outrunning zombies...

 

[Ariyura]

I'm a poor college student with too much homework and a slow metabolism.

Healthy food is more than twice as expensive as trashy food. I can't afford to go to a gym, nor do I have four hours a week to go. I'm gaining weight because all my exercise comes from running between classes.

What do, OP? What do?

Admitedly I do not know you, or the reasons you are overweight. I do not want to sound rude in any way but couldn't you just eat less?

Eating less is not always the answer, actually its good to eat more frequently.

No matter how busy you say you are you have at least four hours a week to exercise, and you don't even need four hours, just as much as you can manage. Hell I know a girl who is taking 28 credit hours and still works out 3 times a week. And I know since you're a college kid you have free access to a gym and most likely located a pretty short distance from said gym.

Not trying to blame you but just pointing out that any amount of exercise you can fitg in is beneficial even if it's just a few push ups before bed or maybe a spin of the exercise bike. You can even bring your notes to look over while you ride if you are that overloaded.

Plus working out gives you a great natural high from releasing endorphins and knowing that you are taking care of your body.

I didn't have four hours a week, I had work, school, get homework in there somewhere. It's fascinating when people say you HAVE to have time for it! No excuses. I made my way through school by myself, on scholarships and money that had to be paid while I was attending school. So no I wasn't sitting back playing video games and partying like all college students do I was working my ass off. I was actually so stressed out that I skipped a lot of meals and learned to write papers while being half asleep...

 

[Korolev]

It's not good to be obese or smoke. Smokers get more flak because the science is extremely clear: Smoking raises your chances of contracting lung cancer anywhere between 11% to 30% - it depends on how much you smoke and what you smoke, but it's a significant increase in risk. And even if you don't get cancer, smoking still badly damages your lungs.

Now, being obese is also not a good thing, but the science is a little shakier on the subject. First of all, what counts as fat these days? I've seen perfectly normal people being called "fat". BMI isn't the greatest measure of obesity. Now, of course, there are people who are so overweight that it becomes immediately obvious that their health is at risk - but there are people who, frankly, we're not sure if their weight causes all that many problems. Being slightly chubby probably isn't going to hurt your health all that much (or at least, no more than being underweight could hurt your health, and yes, being underweight CAN increase your risk for certain diseases).

But yes, obesity is bad. There are a lot of "Fat Acceptance" groups out there who try to twist the science in order to say "THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT BEING OBESE IS BAD FOR YOU", but no Doctor I've talked to has said that - and I've talked to a lot of doctors. The science is pretty clear - obesity is bad for your health. Being underweight is bad for you... but so is obesity.

Do they deserve hate speech? No. But, neither do smokers. I'm studying to become a doctor, and I have to say, if I ever treat a smoker, I will NEVER treat them like a second class citizen. I will advise them to quit smoking, but no doctor, no person ever in fact, should stand there and lecture to them like they are a child. Of course, I do disagree with their lifestyle choice, but if you run around and try to make them feel bad in order to make yourself feel superior to them, you're a jerk. Same goes for people who are overweight - if you think their health is in danger, the humane thing is to try to get them to stop their bad habits, and you DON'T STOP their bad habits by running up to them and hurling insults at their face! Medical Students are taught that patient co-operation is VITAL to the health of the patient, and disrespecting them is not a good way to get them to co-operate with them. Also, EVERYONE deserves health and healthcare, regardless of their life-style choices or past (except if they are Hitler. I make an exception - I would not have ever treated Hitler).

I actually do feel a great deal of compassion for older (40+) smokers - there was immense social pressure to smoke in their day (much like there is immense social pressure to drink these days), and while the first signs that smoking was detrimental to your health came out in the early 1950's, the smoking lobby and industry fought like hell to suppress it. If you are over 40 and you smoke, I understand: you grew up in a period in which the media and the smoking corporations tried to lie to you and hide the evidence. You didn't know. You were exposed to immense levels of advertising encouraging you to smoke.

If you are under 25 and smoke, however, I still feel sympathy for you, although I am very puzzled as to why you ever started. Guys and Gals, it was on the packet. It said it was bad for you. And not a "little" bad for you, it said it was REALLY bad for you to start smoking. And... yet you did anyway?

But regardless, you don't deserve to be hated. Smokers, fat people - as a student in medicine, I disagree with your diet or leisure activity, but I will not insult you.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm a poor college student with too much homework and a slow metabolism.

Healthy food is more than twice as expensive as trashy food. I can't afford to go to a gym, nor do I have four hours a week to go. I'm gaining weight because all my exercise comes from running between classes.

What do, OP? What do?

I doubt that bro. I'm a little overweight, but I know damn well that if I took some of the time I use to play videogames or screw around on the internet I could get into relatively fit state, and I'm in one of the most work-intensive programs in my university. Also buying your own food and making it by hand is less expensive than eating fast food (especially if your buying stuff at campus restaurants), its just more time consuming. Also any decent sized post secondary school has a gym open to its students for a very low fee.

Basically, what I'm getting at is I'm not going to preach to you to lose weight (shit its not like what I say is actually going to change your mind anyway), but don't make up excuses for your weight gain; you're just lieing to and hurting yourself.

>implying I play games any more
>implying I don't try to make my own food
>implying there's ever room in the University gym (believe me, I've tried)
>implying that I'm a normal person who can actually finish homework in a reasonable time

I don't have to make up excuses, they're right there.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm a poor college student with too much homework and a slow metabolism.

Healthy food is more than twice as expensive as trashy food. I can't afford to go to a gym, nor do I have four hours a week to go. I'm gaining weight because all my exercise comes from running between classes.

What do, OP? What do?

Admitedly I do not know you, or the reasons you are overweight. I do not want to sound rude in any way but couldn't you just eat less? (tell me If I am out of line here, I do not want to cause offence)

Nah, it's fine. Anyways, I'm thinking I should be eating MORE, just smaller portions more often. I have a friend in the nutrition program who says its immeasurably better for your weight than my current "stuff down one meal a day".

 

[Death God]

Because of the two of them, second-hand smoke can kill but being fat can not kill somebody who isn't. I'm not saying being fat is a good thing but compared to smoking, being fat is a lot better for you. You can be fat but not necessarily be obese to the point of danger. Obesity is a rather large topic in the U.S. but at the moment, second-hand smoke and lung cancer are a much bigger issue at the present.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Hmmm.... Good point. I guess I'll have to start telling all the fat people I know to drop a few pounds.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm a poor college student with too much homework and a slow metabolism.

Healthy food is more than twice as expensive as trashy food. I can't afford to go to a gym, nor do I have four hours a week to go. I'm gaining weight because all my exercise comes from running between classes.

What do, OP? What do?

Admitedly I do not know you, or the reasons you are overweight. I do not want to sound rude in any way but couldn't you just eat less?

Eating less is not always the answer, actually its good to eat more frequently.

No matter how busy you say you are you have at least four hours a week to exercise, and you don't even need four hours, just as much as you can manage. Hell I know a girl who is taking 28 credit hours and still works out 3 times a week. And I know since you're a college kid you have free access to a gym and most likely located a pretty short distance from said gym.

Not trying to blame you but just pointing out that any amount of exercise you can fitg in is beneficial even if it's just a few push ups before bed or maybe a spin of the exercise bike. You can even bring your notes to look over while you ride if you are that overloaded.

Plus working out gives you a great natural high from releasing endorphins and knowing that you are taking care of your body.

Sorry, but I'm in a Comp Sci program. It's physically impossible to type out assignments, keep a clear and streamlined head, and exercise at the same time. Your laptop, brain, or training equipment will break.

No one's more upset about my lack of exercise than me, but seeing how I work, attend six classes, and put in fifty hours of homework a week and STILL turn in unfinished assignments, I simply don't have time. Period. End of. Unless I remove the half-hour to hour of time I spend on the Escapist/Cracked every day, but I dare you to disconnect yourself from the internet entirely minus assignments. I'd snap.

As for push-ups before bed... I can't do push-ups...

 

[Laxman9292]

I didn't have four hours a week, I had work, school, get homework in there somewhere. It's fascinating when people say you HAVE to have time for it! No excuses. I made my way through school by myself, on scholarships and money that had to be paid while I was attending school. So no I wasn't sitting back playing video games and partying like all college students do I was working my ass off. I was actually so stressed out that I skipped a lot of meals and learned to write papers while being half asleep...

I'm not denying you were busy but I would put money down on the fact that throughout your day you spend at least 30 minutes a day doing unnecessary things like watch tv, play games, lurk on the internet or even just chill out and rest for half an hour. If instead you worked out for that half an hour then boom! That's your 4 hours there. Granted it might be difficult to drag yourself to the gym (I know how that feels, it's been forever since I've worked out to be honest), but I am 90% sure you have 30 minutes in your day that could be used to exercise. And like I said it doesn't even have to be that frequent. Or you could do a quick 10 minute job three times a day or any number of combinations. Exercise is flexible and there's a way to do it anywhere at anytime. And everyone in college writes papers half asleep and now we're starting to do it in high school too. Personally, I had way more work in high school and I was in the best shape of my life then.

Again, like I said, I'm not trying to attack you or anyone nor bash on lifestyles. I could really care less what people do to themselves, but I had to point out that there is always time to exercise and you can multitask and study at the same time (which makes working out a billion times easier conveniently enough).

 

[peruvianskys]

I think of a lot of it has to do with the fact that while smoking is an activity, obesity is a condition; it feels way more like a personal attack to tell someone to stop being fat versus stop doing something unhealthy. I think people should be allowed to smoke or drink or eat whatever they want, but I definitely agree that fat acceptance movements should not place obesity on par with, say, ethnicity or gender.

 

[DrummerM]

In Australia fat people are one of the three main public enemies, the other two are smokers and reckless drivers.

 

[lacktheknack]

I didn't have four hours a week, I had work, school, get homework in there somewhere. It's fascinating when people say you HAVE to have time for it! No excuses. I made my way through school by myself, on scholarships and money that had to be paid while I was attending school. So no I wasn't sitting back playing video games and partying like all college students do I was working my ass off. I was actually so stressed out that I skipped a lot of meals and learned to write papers while being half asleep...

I'm not denying you were busy but I would put money down on the fact that throughout your day you spend at least 30 minutes a day doing unnecessary things like watch tv, play games, lurk on the internet or even just chill out and rest for half an hour. If instead you worked out for that half an hour then boom! That's your 4 hours there. Granted it might be difficult to drag yourself to the gym (I know how that feels, it's been forever since I've worked out to be honest), but I am 90% sure you have 30 minutes in your day that could be used to exercise. And like I said it doesn't even have to be that frequent. Or you could do a quick 10 minute job three times a day or any number of combinations. Exercise is flexible and there's a way to do it anywhere at anytime. And everyone in college writes papers half asleep and now we're starting to do it in high school too. Personally, I had way more work in high school and I was in the best shape of my life then.

Again, like I said, I'm not trying to attack you or anyone nor bash on lifestyles. I could really care less what people do to themselves, but I had to point out that there is always time to exercise and you can multitask and study at the same time (which makes working out a billion times easier conveniently enough).

You forget that that half hour of rest is exactly that... rest.

Exercise is NOT rest by any definition. If I'm going to only have half an hour of rest a day, then I'm going to USE it, dammit! If I had more than an hour, then I could probably use some of my spare time to exercise, but I don't.

 

[Jinjiro]

Secondhand Fat doesnt cause others cancer.

This point, and other posts stating that 'there's no second-hand obesity', are LAUGHABLY naive. Eating habits and food choice are almost always passed onto you by other people, usually starting with your family. Obese parents pass on their bad choices to their kids, and someone already posted that having fat friends make you feel normal. Learning how to eat is something you are taught, not something you learn on your own, and it is entirely our responsibility to stop eating like idiots. Otherwise, each generation is going to be fatter and unhealthier than the last one.

I won't start ranting about smoking - the TL;DR version is 'pointless, smelly, deadly pacifiers for adults'. We should have outgrown that ridiculous habit decades ago, especially with the knowledge that you're basically paying to die sooner. Oh well.

Honestly though, neither obesity nor smoking pisses me off nearly as much as the amount of food that we waste. See this infographic [http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/world-food-crisis.gif.492x0_q85_crop-smart.jpg] - it's just shocking, especially when you realise that the nations that waste the most are also the fattest nations. Ridiculous.

 

[Ariyura]

I didn't have four hours a week, I had work, school, get homework in there somewhere. It's fascinating when people say you HAVE to have time for it! No excuses. I made my way through school by myself, on scholarships and money that had to be paid while I was attending school. So no I wasn't sitting back playing video games and partying like all college students do I was working my ass off. I was actually so stressed out that I skipped a lot of meals and learned to write papers while being half asleep...

I'm not denying you were busy but I would put money down on the fact that throughout your day you spend at least 30 minutes a day doing unnecessary things like watch tv, play games, lurk on the internet or even just chill out and rest for half an hour. If instead you worked out for that half an hour then boom! That's your 4 hours there. Granted it might be difficult to drag yourself to the gym (I know how that feels, it's been forever since I've worked out to be honest), but I am 90% sure you have 30 minutes in your day that could be used to exercise. And like I said it doesn't even have to be that frequent. Or you could do a quick 10 minute job three times a day or any number of combinations. Exercise is flexible and there's a way to do it anywhere at anytime. And everyone in college writes papers half asleep and now we're starting to do it in high school too. Personally, I had way more work in high school and I was in the best shape of my life then.

Again, like I said, I'm not trying to attack you or anyone nor bash on lifestyles. I could really care less what people do to themselves, but I had to point out that there is always time to exercise and you can multitask and study at the same time (which makes working out a billion times easier conveniently enough).

You forget that that half hour of rest is exactly that... rest.

Exercise is NOT rest by any definition. If I'm going to only have half an hour of rest a day, then I'm going to USE it, dammit! If I had more than an hour, then I could probably use some of my spare time to exercise, but I don't.

I was about to say the same thing. Down time was rest time and that's what it was for. You're trying to hard to fit it in there Lax but everyone is different. I don't concentrate trying to studying while exercising. If you can do that more power to you. College was harder for me than high school. High school was a cake walk compared to my college days. In my schedule there was no time for extras, and exercising was extra to me.
If you find time for it then great.

 

[ckam]

I enjoy criticizing both and more. But for everyone else, I guess smoking has always been a choice thing and obesity might have something to do with biology. But those that become fat, though...

 

[Phisi]

Why on earth do you criticize smokers? They help the public, there are taxes imposed on cigarettes (at least here is Aus) which raise revenue and the premature deaths cause by smoking don't cost as much as other illnesses that come later in life that need full time care e.g. dementia. Yes it smells terrible and the litter is annoying but to criticize all smokers because some are pricks is like criticizing someone because their race commits the majority of crimes isn't it?

Source:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2010/pdf/social_cost_of_smoking.pdf

 

[hazabaza1]

I've got no real strong opinion, but I just want to share what this girl in my R.E class said:
"If smokers aren't allowed to smoke in hospital, fat people shouldn't be allowed to eat!"