The Naked Body:

[Vagrant0]

You know Vagrant0, I find it pretty immature that you just said, "Overweight people should be ashamed..."

 

I assume that they are, and they eat because they're sad. Just like Carah said. Sometimes it is because there are other issues in life. :yes:

Then shouldn't they be seeking less destructive ways to "feel" better? I could spend most the day drunk off my ass, not giving a damn about anything... But all I'll get from that is a failure of a life, a loss of anything good that people might see in me, and a pickled liver. A similar comparison could be made with any drug that is used to "feel" better. Why should eating habits be any different? Excess is excess, bad decisions are bad decisions. If people don't feel obligated to re-evaluate their decisions or their lifestyle, they aren't likely to make any changes.

 

And you may be reading too much into things. I'm not attacking people who have medical conditions, or a genetic disposition to being overweight, and are actually making some effort to understand what they are putting into their bodies. I'm attacking the notion that overweight people should be encouraged in behavior which is unhealthy, for anyone, and more over, celebrating the cost of such a lifestyle. Maybe I just happen to have been exposed to too many shameless people who seem to have made it their life's goal in being offensive because they can get away with it.

 

If it was anything else which caused people to be less energetic, less physically capable, and less visually appealing, would you still defend it in the same way? Probably not, but it is being defended because it affects so many, who don't want to have their livestyles changed. There are many other equally unhealthy things people do, because it feels good, that aren't nearly as tolerated, or encouraged.

[Lisnpuppy]

You know Vagrant0, I find it pretty immature that you just said, "Overweight people should be ashamed..."

 

I assume that they are, and they eat because they're sad. Just like Carah said. Sometimes it is because there are other issues in life. :yes:

Then shouldn't they be seeking less destructive ways to "feel" better? I could spend most the day drunk off my ass, not giving a damn about anything... But all I'll get from that is a failure of a life, a loss of anything good that people might see in me, and a pickled liver. A similar comparison could be made with any drug that is used to "feel" better. Why should eating habits be any different? Excess is excess, bad decisions are bad decisions. If people don't feel obligated to re-evaluate their decisions or their lifestyle, they aren't likely to make any changes.

 

And you may be reading too much into things. I'm not attacking people who have medical conditions, or a genetic disposition to being overweight, and are actually making some effort to understand what they are putting into their bodies. I'm attacking the notion that overweight people should be encouraged in behavior which is unhealthy, for anyone, and more over, celebrating the cost of such a lifestyle. Maybe I just happen to have been exposed to too many shameless people who seem to have made it their life's goal in being offensive because they can get away with it.

 

 

I can understand that...some people have no self-awareness or desire to have any. I live in WV were probably over 1/2 of the population is overweight. But alot goes into weight and maybe you could have picked your initial words better?

:)

[IndorilTheGreat]

Yes. I agree with Lisnpuppy. You probably should have worded it better.

 

But, I do also agree with you as well. :yes: I don't think, however, that people are PURPOSELY making themselves obese.

 

 

Okay. Let's try to get back on track. :D (Or maybe not. This is turning into an interesting debate... :) ).

[Torren]

I'm gonna toss a little gasoline into the fire here...

I know often people do destructive things to themselves when deep in depression because to them it is the only form of 'control' they have in their lives. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking anyones posts here, just adding fuel to this debate because often this is an aspect of depression that is often overlooked. You simply cannot say "Oh, go find something less destructive to do to yourself" to someone who is depressed, it does not work.

Now, on to the lighter...or maybe darker...side of things, this wholly depends on perspective. People who often have no symptoms of depression or genetic issues making them larger, fat, or obese are often victims of mass advertising and convenience. It is largely the plan of corporations to keep certain members of the public blind to what is happening to their bodies (Fast-food chains). I'm not condoning this activity in any way, nor am I supporting the people who get hooked into that lifestyle, because they do have the choice to truly check what is going into their bodies. Granted, if that is what they want, it is their sole right to choose....who are we to judge? We play video-games, often viewed as a bad influence to youth, and a way to train teens as killers. No one judges us for it.

[IndorilTheGreat]

I'm gonna toss a little gasoline into the fire here...

I know often people do destructive things to themselves when deep in depression because to them it is the only form of 'control' they have in their lives. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking anyones posts here, just adding fuel to this debate because often this is an aspect of depression that is often overlooked. You simply cannot say "Oh, go find something less destructive to do to yourself" to someone who is depressed, it does not work.

Now, on to the lighter...or maybe darker...side of things, this wholly depends on perspective. People who often have no symptoms of depression or genetic issues making them larger, fat, or obese are often victims of mass advertising and convenience. It is largely the plan of corporations to keep certain members of the public blind to what is happening to their bodies (Fast-food chains). I'm not condoning this activity in any way, nor am I supporting the people who get hooked into that lifestyle, because they do have the choice to truly check what is going into their bodies. Granted, if that is what they want, it is their sole right to choose....who are we to judge? We play video-games, often viewed as a bad influence to youth, and a way to train teens as killers. No one judges us for it.

 

Um, did you read what this topic was about? :unsure:

 

Now then, let's get back on track. This is a very sensitive issue (the last thing we need is an explosion). :ermm:

 

 

 

P.S. Not aimed specifically at you, Torren. :no:

[Torren]

I know ^^;; Sorry about that last post, I couldn't let it slide without saying something. :whistling:

I voted on the poll, btw, and here is my input on that subject.

The human body is among the most perfect forms of art in all of its sizes and shapes (yes, *gasp shock* I honestly think this). We were given the look we have to be appealing to others, granted not everyone would be appealed by how I look, but those who are will like what they see, and the same can be said of anyone reading this. A persons body is the only true natural beauty and art we possess as humans. Sure we can create things, but often artists go back to the art form that is most often found as the greatest. Us.

Clothed or nude, the body should be celebrated and revered. Weather or not one prefers clothes or not is a choice of the individual...some clothes look absolutely wicked on people, and often enhances their natural beauty. But don't forget...the clothes that cover us also hide the beauty that is you and you alone :)

[IndorilTheGreat]

I know ^^;; Sorry about that last post, I couldn't let it slide without saying something. :whistling:

I voted on the poll, btw, and here is my input on that subject.

The human body is among the most perfect forms of art in all of its sizes and shapes (yes, *gasp shock* I honestly think this). We were given the look we have to be appealing to others, granted not everyone would be appealed by how I look, but those who are will like what they see, and the same can be said of anyone reading this. A persons body is the only true natural beauty and art we possess as humans. Sure we can create things, but often artists go back to the art form that is most often found as the greatest. Us.

Clothed or nude, the body should be celebrated and revered. Weather or not one prefers clothes or not is a choice of the individual...some clothes look absolutely wicked on people, and often enhances their natural beauty. But don't forget...the clothes that cover us also hide the beauty that is you and you alone :)

 

Well said. :yes:

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Just to get it out of the way, I don't think people should go around 100% bare-ass naked in public; there are some very damn good reasons not to do so (starting with hygiene; imagine sitting down on a public seat that somebody just blew a wet fart all over). It's common sense behavior; all but the very least technologically advanced cultures feature some manner of basic covering (and if not, the reason is usually that they don't have access to suitable materials to make said garments). I do not, however, believe that it should be mandatory to always wear a shirt- men already have the liberty to go topless in most places, yet for women the same behavior is 'indecent exposure.' That makes no sense at all to me, and the reason for that goes well beyond any desire on my part to see more boobs.

 

I believe that our cultural taboo against nudity contributes in no small way to our horrifically skewed conceptions of what the ideal human body should look like. I don't think that the sight of a naked body is necessarily linked to sexual thoughts; that is also a learned association based on culture. The very fact that we as a culture believe that the human body ought to be covered up at all times except during sex and bathing encourages such an association.

 

As far as I'm concerned, a human body is a human body is a human body. I'm a 21 year old heterosexual male, but I'm not at all bothered by the sight of a naked man, and my thoughts don't immediately drift to sex when I see a naked woman. Part of that may be because of my upbringing; my parents are members at a nudist resort and have been my whole life, so I've seen pretty much every kind of naked body you can imagine in decidedly non-sexual situations. That's also resulted in my having a rather broad definition of beauty; I've grown up with the understanding that the body you're born with is the body you were meant to have, and it is beautiful for being well-kept and not for being changed to suit the rest of society.

 

Also, I've got a sneaking suspicion that much of our societal problem with weight and body image would just go away if nudity weren't such a taboo. I mean, think about it- clothing by its very nature hides bodily imperfections, so even the morbidly obese and dangerously underweight can just cover up their bodies and not be as noticeable. Without clothing, I guarantee you they'd stick out like sore thumbs all the time, and it would very quickly become socially unacceptable to be that careless with one's body and still be seen out in public. Since people are generally sheep who go along with whatever the social norm du jour may be, people would start taking better care of themselves and things like obesity and anorexia/bulemia would become rather scarce. Of course, that's never going to happen, because we do have a taboo against nudity and no argument is likely to change that.

 

All that said, I don't think that there's any chance of society accepting that nudity is not something to be afraid of, and even if it were legal to walk around in the buff I don't think I'd ever choose to. I'm far more comfortable with clothing than without.

[Marcus Wolfe]

I think I'll take this opportunity to quote myself:

 

I like my women like I like my steak:

 

Hot

 

Tender

 

Juicy

 

Spiced

 

Meaty

 

And with a little bit of fat around the edges

 

 

 

Seriously, what is it with girl's obsession with skinnyness?

 

Men are not turned on by skinny girls. They do not look at pictures of starving women in Africa and feel aroused. They do not find your ribcage sexy.

 

Men are just turned on by girls that aren't hideously fat.

 

Besides, men like boobs, and boobs are nothing but fat!

[Lisnpuppy]

Yes Marcus..

 

we are all too aware of your liking for chunky sizzling girls and steaks.

 

Just what a woman wants to hear..

 

"Baby, you are so sexy. Just like my steak....little fat around the edges and smelling like charcoal."

 

 

<smirk>