Published September 2, 2002
'I like myself' mentality leads overweight people to 'Loser Denial Syndrome'
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To the Daily:
I would like to comment on Aubrey Henretty's column, Food for Thought (2/12/02).
Making fun of someone because they are fat is more (I strongly stress the "more" part) justifiable than making fun of someone because they are, say, ugly or short. The reason is because people have much less control over being ugly or short than their control over their obesity (read: Fitness level). It is a shame that Henretty had to be a victim of that type of ridicule during her childhood. Kids who make fun of others in that manner likely did not have proper home training from their parents.
I know of three major types of eating disorders: Anorexia, bulimia and overeating. For the case of overeating, I feel this disorder can be remedied alone, without professional assistance. It is similar to not needing to join a gym if you want to get in shape. It can be done without spending money in that fashion. I am sure Bally's Fitness is glad not everyone thinks like me, otherwise they would be out of business.
For bulimia and anorexia, these disorders probably require professional help. The "Hollywood ideal" is not entirely to be blamed for their existence. For one, the term is ill-defined and secondly, if a woman was to think obtaining a body like Jennifer Aniston's would be virtually impossible, they would be mistaken. Would the annual cases of anorexia or bulimia decrease if Hollywood actresses did not look the way they do? Probably, but the argument is as strong as saying, "Guns should be banned because the death rate from firearms would go down."
Please do not misconstrue me. I am all for people having high self-esteems, insofar as their liking themselves is justified. But to not take care of yourself resulting in being 50(+) pounds overweight is simply having, what I have dubbed, LDS (Loser Denial Syndrome). That is when people cross over from the "I like myself" mentality into complacency. Complacency is a disease. Avoid it at all costs!
Mike Hu
Graduated senior.
