What Does Sklansky Say About This One

[Timer]

Why are people fat? We know why dumb people are fat, but I'm talking about otherwise intelligent people. Let's say you can reach down with both hands and grab two big handfuls of fat just above your belt--we'll define this as fat. Why would an intelligent person allow this to happen? Do intelligent people not have discipline?

If you're fat--why? If you're fat--why not become unfat and stay that way? (Assuming of course you're intelligent.)

[tomdemaine]

Because the utility of eating burgers and fries today outweighs the utility of living a few extra years in the future. It's simple economics.

[benkahuna]

It's biological. No animal is designed to pass up on food. We're designed for a scarcity of resources, to get while the getting is good. Such a trait would clearly have a competitive advantage which is why natural selection would have favored it. As an aside, no rational person would deny natural selection which is as logical a notion as there is and does NOT require evolution. The natural selection process would not have eliminated this feature in only a few generations despite a lack of competitive edge. Remember the success of a species is the ability to reproduce fertile offspring. Most people do not die from being fat before they are able to have kids.

Additionally, we're removed from the natural roles into which we've grown. We'd normally be much more physically active. Since there's a balance between ativity and consumption, if you limit activity the same amount of consumption will make you fat (duh) even given the lowering of basal metabolic rate as a result of less phyical activity.

These deeply embedded drives supercede common notions of rational thought. We can pretend we're not animals, but oh, we are. The animal inside us drives much of our behavior.

[mackthefork]

Good post

I think if we all had to catch our own food now, armed only with pointy sticks, then 99% of this forum would be emaciated within a month.

Regards Mack

[chezlaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Why are people fat? We know why dumb people are fat, but I'm talking about otherwise intelligent people. Let's say you can reach down with both hands and grab two big handfuls of fat just above your belt--we'll define this as fat. Why would an intelligent person allow this to happen? Do intelligent people not have discipline?

If you're fat--why? If you're fat--why not become unfat and stay that way? (Assuming of course you're intelligent.)

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm fat. What's it got to do with intelligence? Should I be thin just to please you?

I squeezed out of the closet years ago.

chez

[Timer]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm fat. What's it got to do with intelligence?

Intelligent people don't do stupid things. Intelligent people will be the ones to stop hurricanes. Being fat is unhealthy. Fat people don't get old. Being fat is stupid. Intelligent people shouldn't allow themselves to get fat. Why are you fat?

[ QUOTE ]
Should I be thin just to please you?


[/ QUOTE ]

You should be thin to please yourself.

[chezlaw]

[ QUOTE ]
You should be thin to please yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Should you need a logical argument to convince me or should I just believe you?

chez

[ QUOTE ]
Do intelligent people not have discipline?


[/ QUOTE ]

You could kinda say this

Why are people skinny? What ever benifits there are from being skinny may or may not outweigh the benefits from becoming and remaining fat (you can be lazy and eat tasty food)

[Mr. Curious]

Genetics plays a fairly important role in a person's body.

[coheedandcambria]

Is this just supposed to be a harsh critisism of the average level of obesity today? If you can't think of any reasons why someone would be fat, maybe you aren't as "intelligent" as you think. Here are a few easy ones to get you started.

1. He/She is lazy and does not wish to exercise.
2. He/She likes eating fatty foods and as a direct result is fat.
3. He/She finds it much easier to be fat than to be skinny and has no problem with being fat.

I'm sure you can think of more.