When I was writing about undesirability of obesity, I was accused of being shallow and of thinking with my penis. In fact there are graver problems with obesity than that it is unsightly. Obesity is only a most visible sign of a much larger problem in society. It is overconsumption of resources – overconsumption to the point that it is no longer even good for people doing it. An obese person overconsumes food, in the same way as some others overconsume huge houses and Hummers.
In some cases, it appears to be genetic and cannot be helped. However when obesity rates in America triple in three decades, then something must be going on to cause such a large demographic shift. What has been going on over the last three decades, that is still going on, that may have effect on the obesity of the population?
I would say, most definitely, third-wave feminism. When we have people arguing that beauty is a myth designed to control women, many women would decide to forego beauty and let themselves go. When we have people arguing that sex is exploitation of women, many women will steer clear of everything sexual. When we have people arguing that love is transference or codependence or seeking external validation, then people will avoid love. With these beautiful joys of life denied – and things such as drinking and smoking likewise frowned upon - people will have no pleasure left in life besides eating; and then they will become obese.
Now I know a number of people who'v battled weight problems, whom I hold in high esteem. However it works in nobody's best interests for majority of the population to become obese. It is unhealthy, it is expensive, and it is unethical – unethical because, once again, it is overconsumption.
I do two hours of exercise a day, and I can say for certain that anyone can spare half an hour a day doing exercise. It increases your productivity, which means that the time expended upon it pays for itself. As for food, it is possible to enjoy it without overindulging. The French have much smaller dishes than do Americans. Yet their food is excellent.
If you have genetic predisposition to obesity, then that should not be held against you. However most people do not have such a predisposition, and they become obese because of choices they make. The solution to obesity is a no-brainer: Exercise and eat right. Do not pick on people for being fat or deny these people a place in society. At the same time live a healthy lifestyle and hopefully influence others to live a healthy lifestyle as well.
As for feminism, I see no reason at all why beauty should be seen to be working against women. Swedish women are beautiful, and Sweden has stronger feminism than does United States. If anything being allowed to be beautiful works in favor of women. It allows them to express themselves. And it allows them to be appreciated for work that they do on themselves and for being their best.
The confusion that feminists have made is between a value and misuses of the value. Anything that has appeal to people can be used for wrong. That does not make it wrong in itself. That stupid teenagers attack girls for being unattractive, or that unscrupulous plastic surgeons keep already attractive women coming back for unnecessary plastic surgery treatments, does not damn beauty; it damns the misuses of beauty. For that matter money can be used for wrong things as well. It does not damn money. We see the same thing with other values, from intelligence to moral values. All these things can be used for wrong; it does not make them wrong in themselves.
Now not all feminism is wrong, but the anti-beauty trend in feminism is completely wrong. It does not benefit women, it degrades them. It denies them a clear area of women's superiority to men. Women are more naturally beautiful than men. And when they are not allowed to be beautiful, they lose that superiority and are put in a race where they are either second or merely equal.
So there are bigger problems with obesity than that it doesn't look good. It is overconsumption, and as such should be discouraged at a moral level. And yes, I am willing to address the sins of other overconsumers – such as Hummer-drivers – as well. As for feminism, it needs to correct its confusion. Beauty is not responsible for the wrongs that they see; abuses of beauty are. As for beauty, it is a wonderful thing, and women are ill-served by having their self-proclaimed leaders deny them their right to be beautiful.