A Virus?
For some reason, I’ve been up since a quarter till 4. Which has allowed me the opportunity to hear today’s headlines about 5 times now, still not yet 6:30. So after hearing this the first time, then the second, and the third, I knew what I had thought I had heard, but had surely mistook, was indeed, accurate. Some scientists are suggesting that obesity is a virus, therefore, like a cold, can be caught? Are they out of their minds? Contagious fatness? Can we even begin to understand the ramifications of this discovery on a segment of our society already standing as the last acceptable group to despise, pre-judge, exclude and ridicule? An over-weight person is already nearly a pariah in our culture of skinny obsessed citizens. Now were going to add to that by suggesting, just possibly, that if we get too close, we may get it? How much more isolated could a person feel? A person who may already feel extremely ostracized. Someone who may feel so visible. Odd. Alone. Disliked. Already as if, and sometimes possibly accurately, people don’t want to be near them. We’re now going to announce that it’s catching.
I certainly haven’t seen the findings personally, but what about this makes sense? The fact that often, entire families struggle with obesity? That certainly can be explained by sharing a similar life style. Or that large numbers of children in schools are now considered morbidly obese? Large numbers of our entire population consume unhealthy food, and get little to no exercise. And we live in a nation of cities largely not planned for walking, but for cars and taxis. In truth, it would be wonderful if a vaccination could indeed prevent or cure obesity. What a concept. Line up all the little babies as they’re born and stick a needle in those little bums. Guaranteed not to exceed a size 12, ever, or your money back. Been on every diet on the planet? Get to your doc’s office and watch the pounds melt away. But I do have to wonder, does this mere suggestion make an already sometimes near parylizing inertia in some people suffering with obesity, to begin to win their health back, tempt them to give up entirely? Offer them hope and prayer if they just wait long enough, there’ll be a shot to save the pain and effort of calorie counting and putting on the walking shoes?
Additionally, it occurs to me, that this sounds a bit like so many aspects of our society that just won’t accept that we are responsible for our own actions. It’s just never our fault. And while it seems clear that not each and every obese man or woman can simply take charge of their diet and exercise routine, there are extenuating circumstances, apparently conventional wisdom proves that many, many could, and that that move in the right direction would make an enormous difference in their long term health. I’m just not sure I’m buying this. Maybe they’ll come up with a vaccine for, I don’t know, um, being an asshole. And I’ll recommend the guy who works at our cleaners for the intial trials.
