I am a regular viewer of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
Both shows typically have consistent advocacies. However, today's Colbert Report sent mixed signals. First, Colbert had a segment essentially attacking McDonalds for paying a number of public schools to include free Happy Meal coupons with good report cards.
Story Here
Fair enough. I don't think that public schools should contribute to childhood obesity. I suspect medium quality schools in a privatized system would be unlikely to do this sort of thing for fear of losing students.
Next,Colbert interviewed Leonard Nimoy, who was promoting The Full Body Project, a book of photographs of nude overweight women. Nimoy attacks society's conception of beauty as being thin and healthy. The message was that all people are beautiful.
Not for the faint at heart
So, I'm confused. Should we encourage people to be healthy or obese? It seems that Nimoy is encouraging obesity far more than McDonalds. McDonalds sells a product, which some consumers choose to overuse. Nimoy, on the other hand, is directly glorifying obesity.
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
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2 comments:
On the one hand, American obesity is out of control, and we as a society need to get serious about our diets.
On the other hand, although Nimoy is glorifying the obese in his book, the gross majority of media glorifies anorexics 24/7. I like me a woman with some curves; not one who looks like a sick little boy.
I think the bigger issue is this: who is responsible for obesity? Is it the government's job to ban trans fats? Is it McDonald's responsibility to refuse visibly unhealthy customers? Is it the school's fault, for not teaching children about proper nutrition? Is it the parent's fault for expecting school to teach this? Is it the corporation's fault, for selling food known to be garbage, and attempting to suppress the long-term health consequences? Is it big pharma's fault, for profiting from countless medications used to treat preventable illness?
Or maybe, just maybe, the world is a twisted place, and the individual must take responsibility for themselves.
Agreed zaphod. Thanks for the comment.
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