Fat Princess: Helping to create...

[Munatik]

Aye, binge eating/compulsive overeating is also considered an eating disorder and, like anorexia, usually manifests as a coping mechanism. Or so they say

 

[Meteo]

I've seen guys run off crying from cruel jokes, and other assholes holding down fat guys and rubbing their dicks on their faces, making jokes about them liking sausage.

Dude...what the fuck?! D:

 

[Channy]

Well, it's kinda stupid to compare asshole ratios from gender to gender anyway

But doesn't that stuff stop once you get out in the real world on your own?

Generally the only people you get exposed to a lot after school are the friends you want to keep right?

Anyway, I've said my piece, I'll give other members room to have a say. I'll say I disagree with you all and hope a hooker crashes from the ceiling into your lap.

I'm off to play Killzone 2 till the new contractor calls back.

Yeah it is. But not everyone's above that. You state what you experience an such.

And not necessarily. There's people at work who, while aren't vocal as teenagers, can be just as vindictive. There was this girl at work who used to be a good friend but after we stopped talking cause I called her loud, she tried spreading rumours about me. Work people can be just as bitchy. And you often spend more time at work than you do at home/out with friends.

 

[Max Payne]

Well the kind of work I do people usually don't talk much. But yeah, I suppose.

 

[firehahahahahaha]

So who's all gonna buy this game?

 

[ForceStealer]

I'm sorry to resurrect this if people were understandably tired of this discussion. But there's something I never quite understood about all this:

This might come off as offensive in its own right and for that I apologize, I'm merely dramatizing for the sake of exposing what I perceive as a contradiction.

I have been forced to endure many a speech/joke/article/rant/etc. about how fat America (or the western world at large, pardon the pun) is and how it is certainly to be the downfall of society, for the very simple reason that we'll all be dead...or something.
These mediums go on to blame fast food, overindulgence, cholesterol, whatever you wanna call it, the message is simple: it's their own damn fault.

And then there are cases such as this game, or when dealing with individual fat people. Suddenly, it is not their fault at all. It's a mental disorder, or a physical deficiency, or depression, or something that essentially means that they would get fat eating celery.

So which is it? Is it their fault or not? If it is their fault, and it's such a huge societal problem, wouldn't a game that makes someone fat the object of ridicule encourage children not to become fat? Which...would in turn be good, right?
Of course, if it isn't their fault, then the most noble message in the world wouldn't save you from obesity.

Incidentally, I happen to agree with Dacon that people are simply choosing a target as a reason to fight. If it was a fat alien doing the EXACT SAME THING, no one would complain. Even though the insidious message that Mako talks about would still be there.
No one bitched about Fat Albert, or the 'get in my belly' guy from Austin Powers, why? They're both men....but I dunno if that actually has any bearing or not.

 

[Channy]

I have been forced to endure many a speech/joke/article/rant/etc. about how fat America (or the western world at large, pardon the pun) is and how it is certainly to be the downfall of society, for the very simple reason that we'll all be dead...or something.
These mediums go on to blame fast food, overindulgence, cholesterol, whatever you wanna call it, the message is simple: it's their own damn fault.

And then there are cases such as this game, or when dealing with individual fat people. Suddenly, it is not their fault at all. It's a mental disorder, or a physical deficiency, or depression, or something that essentially means that they would get fat eating celery.

I agree and disagree. A lot of overweight people can get the weight off. They just have to try. Try exercise, try diet regimes, try drinking more water, any one of those alone would work in a slow but steady way, and then combined you can do it. The thing is, people are lazy. And they refuse to acknowledge that they could have done something to stop it from happening. They try to blame it on something that they couldn't control, such as babies, depression, marriage, break ups, work, moving..

But the thing is if you watch yourself very carefully and really care about yourself enough, you CAN prevent it from happening. The whole "it's not my fault, I have a slow metabolism" thing is complete bullshit. Because there are ways to bring it up.

Whether it's addressing the public as a whole, or even a fat individual, it doesn't change the fact that they could have stopped it. Nobody force fed them cheeseburgers and fries everyday.

So which is it? Is it their fault or not? If it is their fault, and it's such a huge societal problem, wouldn't a game that makes someone fat the object of ridicule encourage children not to become fat? Which...would in turn be good, right?
Of course, if it isn't their fault, then the most noble message in the world wouldn't save you from obesity.

I have hope that this might open kids eyes more. But at the same time, I don't think it really will. Society has always taught us to pick on the minority, and the minority is the fat kid in class. So if you're used to picking on the fat kid at school, you'll just laugh at the princess.

No one bitched about Fat Albert, or the 'get in my belly' guy from Austin Powers, why? They're both men....but I dunno if that actually has any bearing or not.

I think because society's picture of man vs woman is different. The man is supposed to be the caregiver. The breadwinner. And he can still do that if he's fat. The woman is supposed to be the prize that the man has won. And what sort of prize is she, if she's fat?

That's both random and obtuse.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Since when was this discussion about who's fault it was for people being fat? You're missing the entire point of the discussion, Force. It was about the societal portrayal of overweight women and how this game is apart of it.

I don't think the question of who's accountable for one's own weight was a factor in this game's controversy.

 

[Channy]

It kind of is though because it's not the princesses fault, she's force fed cake.

 

[ForceStealer]

Well A, is she force-fed or does she just eat it? And B, it was a off-topic post of a question this discussion raised for me.

Although, the question of how society is supposed to regard the overweight is pretty relevant, I think. Although you say the discussion is solely about the regard of overweight women, so I suppose that's a little different.

I explained the reason for bringing up whose "fault" it is right there in my post. If we're expected to believe its their fault, couldn't something offensive actually be deemed as encouragement to correct the problem? For the record - I'm not actually advocating that, my point is that the way all the doom-and-gloom folks talk that would actually sound like a reasonable solution.
And the way these people talk, Channy, is that the fat kid is not the minority.

But whatever, I was mostly musing on the topics raised in the thread, I guess I should have just started a new one, but cba now, lol.

 

[Munatik]

Forcestealer, I'm afraid this is one of those issues that is not either or, black or white.

I say that because I think metabolisms do differ between individuals. The following is anecdotal, but I used to work with a woman who had to constantly eat on the job. Her metabolism was through the roof. I believed her, because everytime I saw her she would be shoveling something into her face, and would put away piles of stuff like chocolate cake yet she was as thin as a rail.

There are physical conditions, too, such as hypothyroidism, which manifests as weight gain and fatigue which can affect people's diet and their desire or ability to exercise.

However, while people do vary in how easily they gain weight, I agree that there does exist some personal responsibility. If you are predisposed toward weight gain, then you have to adjust your intake and exercise more to counteract that. Or conversely, like my coworker, you have to remember to eat more frequently. And obviously, nobody can make you exercise but you, so if one chooses to be sedentary then there will be consequences.

But wait. Society isn't off the hook, either. Statistically, there is a strong correlation between obesity and poverty in the United States. There are a number of factors to consider here, but the most obvious one is the ubiquitousness of cheap, high-calorie foods (ex. fast food) as well as families being unable to afford the access to healthcare (and are less health literate).

So in some sense, obesity rates are a symptom as much as they are an epidemic.

So I won't lie; the complexity of the issue has much to do with why I struggle to find the comedic value of stuff like Fat Princess.

Society has always taught us to pick on the minority, and the minority is the fat kid in class. So if you're used to picking on the fat kid at school, you'll just laugh at the princess.

While I see the point, I want to state again that just because a society permits it, doesn't mean it's excused. I know that is not what you were saying, but it's total bullshit to think that something is okay just because others are doing it. It's also very sad that it's considered commendable or praiseworthy to put aside prejudice and to stand up for and/or to get to know somebody who happens to be different. That should be the norm, not the anomaly. /rant

 

[Channy]

And the way these people talk, Channy, is that the fat kid is not the minority.

I keep forgetting America is fatter atm than Canada is, so I was speaking from experiences.

 

[ForceStealer]

To be honest, Channy, I don't see the amount of fat people I'm told I should be seeing. But I suppose its true that I live in a city. I'm not sure why that would make people less fat though...they walk more, I guess.

 

[Channy]

Well I was told that there are actually, certain cities and states that are considerably fatter than others in America.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Try living in Texas, Forcestealer

 

[Max Payne]

There aren't that many overweight people here either.

 

[Channy]

Survey says

http://www.mensfitness.com/city_rankings/462

 

[Alex]

There are physical conditions, too, such as hypothyroidism, which manifests as weight gain and fatigue which can affect people's diet and their desire or ability to exercise.

I actually have the medical opposite of this hyperthyroidism. Still effects my diet and desire to exercise though.

Just FYI and all that.

 

[Channy]

Damn you Alex, send some of that my way.

 

[Makoeyes987]

There aren't that many overweight people here either.

LMAO

Men's Fitness's annual survey and my experience begs to differ

 

[Max Payne]

I don't particularly give a shit what you say kid.

I don't see many obese people here, haven't in the 7 years I've lived here. For every 10 average people here, there's 3 obese people. Differ all you want.

It has never been that bad in the places I've lived.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Well here in East Texas, I see at least 5 overweight people every single day. And that's not an exaggeration. Texas has been known nationally for having the most overweight people in the 48 states here. Personal experiences be damned. It's just the statistics of the population.

 

[Channy]

Dacon has a point. Granted I dunno what cities you both live in, but some cities are considerably fatter than others depending on how many fast food joins they got going on.

 

[Max Payne]

Statistics be damned, never have I see an overwhelming amount of obese people, ANYWHERE I've lived.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Wake up and smell the curly fries Dacon

We live in a big state. Take that as you will.