Bring on the Gimp

The war on obesity often seems to be less about the waddlers, and more about a choice opportunity to slap around favored whipping boys. Thus, depending on the proclivities of the speaker, we've heard that corporate America is to blame, for selling junk, upsizing, and seducing kids (and sometimes adults) with cool toys, like talking Homer Simpson watches. We've heard that suburban America is to blame, for keeping us locked up in cars, which have also been super-sized. We've heard that the diet industry is to blame, for telling us to worry about fat or carbs, but not calories.

Now meet another familiar gimp, if you can make it to the end of this 7,500 word-plus piece in Policy Review: The Working Mom is to blame, as are moms who don't breastfeed.

Comments

[Dan]

It's obviously unfair to single out mothers in particular, given the modern, basically gender-neutral work force.

But what's wrong with blaming childhood obesity on bad or inadequate parenting? If the kids are eating too much and leading slothful lifestyles, in what way is that not the parents' fault? They buy the food (or provide the allowance kids use to buy junk food) and they tolerate the kids who spend 6 hours a day glued to the TV or computer.

Of course, to be fair, a lot of them can't help but provide inadequate supervision. In southern California, at any rate, uf both parents don't work they can forget about sending the kids to a good college, or buying a house in a decent neighborhood.

[harry tuttle]

Well, I think the true culprit is capitalism. The sustenance and abundance that it provides turn us into Fat Cats. I hear North Koreans are pretty trim.

[RK Jones]

Since it was established that Joe Camel was to blame for children who began smoking, I have been blaming childhood obesity on the Cookie Monster. There simply couldn't be a more clear case of Big Food marketing a dnagerous product to America's children.

RK Jones

[David F]

love the hypercorrection:
"to feel badly" -- the tactile sensation ability of the parents or children isn't called into question. it's "to feel bad" (state of being).

(from the end of the second paragraph in "the whys so far")

But RK, you're absolutely right - that's fantastic with the cookie monster! (grin) let's get cookie monster for fattening our kids, let's get that purple tellytubbie or whatever that is, let's get barney for the hell of it! i love it (still grinning).

cheers,
drf

[RiShawn Biddle]

Personally, I blame it on the Keebler elves. They're just too damn persuasive for anyone to resist. Put them tiny bastards on a wax sheet and bake them until they're crisp enough to eat. Darn. Guess they aren't to blame, are they?

[Tuning Spork]

If cartoon mascots are what gets kids to eat junk and smoke cigarettes then how come kids aren't piggin' out on Vlasic Pickles and Green Giant peas? Hmmmm.

[wells]

"Gender neutral workforce?"

You're joking.

[RK Jones]

Rishawn Biddle said:

Personally, I blame it on the Keebler elves. They're just too damn persuasive for anyone to resist. Put them tiny bastards on a wax sheet and bake them until they're crisp enough to eat. Darn. Guess they aren't to blame, are they?

The shocking truth, is that Keebler is now a wholely owned subsidiary of Kelloggs, which contributes millions of dollars per year to PBS. I think I've drawn all the tenous logical connections needed to kick off this class-action suit. Just remember, you saw it here first.

RK Jones

[Discus]

The reason that kids aren't horking down bucket-loads of peas is that the Jolly Green Giant isn't backed up by a product that is addictive in the way that fat and refined sugar are.

That said, here's my take: if you don't like a product, change the market:

Don't want hookers in your 'hood? Tell their johns that their license numbers will be in the paper.

Don't want grease merchants turning your kids into insecure, rotund stroke factories? Make 'em understand that eating crap is a recipe for a short, lonely, crappy life. Maybe it isn't really, but if kids know what CAN happen, and aren't deluded into thinking that what's inside is independant of and more important than what's outside, they might make smarter choices.

All I know is that suing the bastards or pumping up laws doesn't do much but support the population of lawyasites. Just look at cigarettes! Governments wised up and put the squeeze on actual smokers instead of the companies and it seems to be working wonders!

[big andy]

get a life

[roy]

phil cliffe is a midget abuser