Fat And Happy Analysis

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In society now, young man and women feel the calling to post about life on one of the innumerable social media sites whether it be Twitter, Facebook, or Snapchat. The posts viewed on these sights in recent years have all been bedeviled with implicit and explicit implications of how society is prided on people maintaining a slender waistline and a low number on the scale. Parallel to that, television corporations in the last several years have glorified television shows that have underlying implications of losing weight and keeping a thin waistline. These shows like the Biggest Loser, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Extreme Weight Loss, and My 600 Pound Life all are dominated by society's obsession with weight. Furthermore, the weight stigmatism …show more content…
By the same token, Mary Ray Worley author of “Fat and Happy: In Defense of fat Acceptance” also centers on the identical point established by Thompson on how society and the media is bound around the ideal of individuals conforming to thinness equals success. One example from the article states “Our society believes that thinness signals self-discipline and self respect, whereas fatness signals self-contempt and lack of resolve” (Worley 163); and Thompson would undoubtedly reply agreeing to Worley’s claim because Thompson discusses the equivalent opinion that people in society perceive bigger individuals as lesser than thinner individuals. Furthermore, Thompson goes on to explain in “Society and Eating Disorders" that the reason why individuals perceive larger individuals as less than thinner individuals corresponds to the fact people are influenced by the media’s manipulation on society. In addition, Milgram would reply this is arising because of people's social obedience to the media and society causing further stimulation on the issue at hand. Additionally, according to Worley as a consequence of this thought process it contributes to many consequences that critically impact people’s self esteem (163). Because of …show more content…
Ross M.D. author of “I See Fat People” discuss a similar claim implied by both Worley and Thompson which is that society is discriminating against overweight people. One statement in the article claims “All people are created equal that is, unless they’re fat. Although overweight and obesity affect two-thirds of Americans, the public is troubled by obese people. Furthermore, Overweight people are presumed lazy, undisciplined, dishonest and unintelligent and more than half of the people see no harm in making negative remarks about a person’s weight” (Ross). Additionally, Ross states “our society views thinness as success and a symbol of hard work, self discipline, and willpower” (Ross); which Thompson and Worley would both concur since it clearly states in their respective pieces. Because of this mindset of “thin equals success” elaborated on both Worley and Ross leads to even dire issues like “being ridiculed about their weight by a family member, being discriminated against by nurses and medical physicians, and in the case of children finding it difficult to make friends” (Ross). And for what reason? Well according to Ross society wants the public to believe it is the individual's fault for poor eating habits and lacking of intense exercise routines. However, Ross states “These misconceptions flourish in spite of five decades of scientific research documenting the negative consequences of weight stigma and the fact that many causes