For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh?
please excuse me, thats the way i, and many other europeans have been taught/made to believe. we arent spoonfed hollywood stereotypes or "the american dream", but the exact opposite. i know its harsh and unfair to most of americans and im not saying its true but still. yeah.
btw, yes i feel sorry for that person.
edited because im tired and dunno wth i was thinking.
For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Thank you sir for returning me to my senses.
<!--QuoteBegin-_Creep_+Sep 14 2004, 10:29 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (_Creep_ @ Sep 14 2004, 10:29 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Gross neglect of one's self is rarely pure choice. I expect that this story started with a genetic dispostion towards the larger side of the clothing rail. It would have included poor diet as a child, possibly abuse. Compound this with mental health problems, agoraphobia, depression, etc... and it quite understandable why someone wouldn't want to face humanity at all. Although this is an extreme, there are many who take this path.
Incidentally, my faith in humanity's ability to be unsympathetic and bigotted is affirmed. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> you're probably right, i admit that. however, i still can't bring myself to feel sorry for her, or people like her. my contempt for the average overweight american derives from many many bad encounters with them, and that's something that isn't changing anytime soon. am i bigotted? am i a freaking ****? yes and yes. so bang me.
p.s. know any countries with a 15% overweight population?
edit again: Yes, I'm laughing at other people's misery. Tell me you don't stare at vicious car crashes with mild interest before trying to be righteous. In fact, don't even tell me, just ask yourself.
For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> What made ME lose my faith in humanity is the fact that when someone dies a gruesome death, people laugh.
Of COURSE she decided "You know, I want to get so disgustingly fat that I can't stand up." One of my close friends was overweight(moved away), and he caught **** for it all the time. It wasn't his fault- the poor bastard tried everything. Slimfast, Atkins, ACTUAL EXERCISE, not eating... In the end, it didn't help much, he had a specific body type or something. Society, with it's incessant mocking turned him into such a cynical **** that I couldn't stand being near him for more than five minutes at a time. He started off as a pretty nice kid, but high school did that to him. Making fun of people for their appearances is not funny.
I can laugh at deaths involving poetic justice (For example, this sick bastard was shooting puppies [PUPPIES FOR GOD'S SAKE! LITTLE BABY LABS! HEARTLESS BASTARD!] for sport, and he decided to position the puppy on his lap, with the barrel pointed at it's chin, and then have it use it's little paws to pull the trigger, blowing it's brains out. The gun slipped at the exact moment the puppy pulled the trigger, and blew HIS brains out instead. Burning in hell, I'm sure.), but deaths attributed to suicide or something involving a physical disorder are not something to be laughed at.
Flint, I applaud you.
EDIT- No, BloodySloth, I look away from accidents. I've never seen the appeal of watching a bloody corpse being carried away.
<!--QuoteBegin-docchimpy+Sep 14 2004, 05:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (docchimpy @ Sep 14 2004, 05:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> EDIT- No, BloodySloth, I look away from accidents. I've never seen the appeal of watching a bloody corpse being carried away. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> If you're being honest, you'd have to be the only person I've ever seen in my entire life not drawn to a car accident.
Well, I'm either a dying breed, or the beginning of a new wave of humanity, one with compassion for it's brethren. I'm hoping for the latter, rather than the former.
Compassion? I feel compassion for people, but I have no tolerance or sympathy to people who bring these consequences upon themselves in such a manner.
Let's look at it from a logical perspective, and the reasonably possibilites that could have occured:
- The woman did not know she had a problem, nobody around her knew she had a problem, and she ignored all the symptoms of gross, unhealthy obesity. She neglected to go to a doctor or an expert or anybody who would reccomend her to a doctor, neither for this "disease" nor for anything else during her stay on this earth as a giant behemoth of unmoving lard.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Nothing from the article suggests she had any <i>clinical</i> mental problems that would deny her the common sense to visit a doctor for her [apparently] self-induced condition.
Reason 2: You'd have to work pretty damn hard to distance yourself from anybody who could tell that a 600-pound woman might be a health issue.
- She did not know she had a problem, but went to a doctor and was told that she was dangerously obese and that her living conditions/style would end up with her dead [and stuck to a couch]. She refused to acknowledge or act on this information, and resumed her death-inviting lifestyle.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Obviously had a death wish.
- She was told by the doctor that she had a problem, then she tried to arrange for some way to reduce her obesity and resume a normal, healthy lifestyle, only to be informed that there were no centres/assistants who could work her through her obesity issues [seeing as it's so rare]. She was also informed that there was absolutely no exercises or ways she could help her situation, and that sitting at home on the couch for a few years would be the best course of action.
Verdict: Obligatory sarcastic option.
Reason: To prove a point.
- She organised help for her condition, but they ended up neglecting her and left her alone, where she decided to sit on the couch for a few years instead of figuring out why she wasn't getting help, or how she could get help.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Lack of desire to solve her condition. She didn't feel sorry enough for herself to get help, so why should I feel sorry for her?
- She had a mental condition that forbade her from rational, self-preserving human thought or common sense, and had absolutely no sentient human contact with either family or friends or anybody that could recognise the signs of dangerous obesity [for e.g. 600 pounds of cushiony goodness].
Verdict: Not found to be a likely scenario.
Reason: Nothing in the article suggests this.
As a further note, there must have been people [or at least, her] who could recognise the danger of difficulty breathing - so why couldn't they recognise the danger of a giant van of human flesh sitting on the couch merrily eating cheetos?
It would seem to me that this is just a simple case of stubborn human stupidity and arrogance.
I don't feel sorry for this woman. There is little enough compassion in the world already, why should it be wasted on hopeless shells of humanity like this? Nothing from the article suggests that she was somehow undeserving of the end result.
[On a side note, I have a friend in my grade who is large. Not fat, just large. I think the word is mesomorphic, I'm not sure. He doesn't appear to have recurring or significant emotional/social issues resulting from this. It depends who you are, and what your situation is. It's not something he can help, but he seems to be dealing with it. I don't see what the problem is with being "omg large"... he can have the nickname Big Man, and be just as different as everyone else in the world is.]
<!--QuoteBegin-eediot+Sep 14 2004, 09:55 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (eediot @ Sep 14 2004, 09:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Compassion? I feel compassion for people, but I have no tolerance or sympathy to people who bring these consequences upon themselves in such a manner.
Let's look at it from a logical perspective, and the reasonably possibilites that could have occured:
- The woman did not know she had a problem, nobody around her knew she had a problem, and she ignored all the symptoms of gross, unhealthy obesity. She neglected to go to a doctor or an expert or anybody who would reccomend her to a doctor, neither for this "disease" nor for anything else during her stay on this earth as a giant behemoth of unmoving lard.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Nothing from the article suggests she had any <i>clinical</i> mental problems that would deny her the common sense to visit a doctor for her [apparently] self-induced condition.
Reason 2: You'd have to work pretty damn hard to distance yourself from anybody who could tell that a 600-pound woman might be a health issue.
- She did not know she had a problem, but went to a doctor and was told that she was dangerously obese and that her living conditions/style would end up with her dead [and stuck to a couch]. She refused to acknowledge or act on this information, and resumed her death-inviting lifestyle.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Obviously had a death wish.
- She was told by the doctor that she had a problem, then she tried to arrange for some way to reduce her obesity and resume a normal, healthy lifestyle, only to be informed that there were no centres/assistants who could work her through her obesity issues [seeing as it's so rare]. She was also informed that there was absolutely no exercises or ways she could help her situation, and that sitting at home on the couch for a few years would be the best course of action.
Verdict: Obligatory sarcastic option.
Reason: To prove a point.
- She organised help for her condition, but they ended up neglecting her and left her alone, where she decided to sit on the couch for a few years instead of figuring out why she wasn't getting help, or how she could get help.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Lack of desire to solve her condition. She didn't feel sorry enough for herself to get help, so why should I feel sorry for her?
- She had a mental condition that forbade her from rational, self-preserving human thought or common sense, and had absolutely no sentient human contact with either family or friends or anybody that could recognise the signs of dangerous obesity [for e.g. 600 pounds of cushiony goodness].
Verdict: Not found to be a likely scenario.
Reason: Nothing in the article suggests this.
As a further note, there must have been people [or at least, her] who could recognise the danger of difficulty breathing - so why couldn't they recognise the danger of a giant van of human flesh sitting on the couch merrily eating cheetos?
It would seem to me that this is just a simple case of stubborn human stupidity and arrogance.
I don't feel sorry for this woman. There is little enough compassion in the world already, why should it be wasted on hopeless shells of humanity like this? Nothing from the article suggests that she was somehow undeserving of the end result.
[On a side note, I have a friend in my grade who is large. Not fat, just large. I think the word is mesomorphic, I'm not sure. He doesn't appear to have recurring or significant emotional/social issues resulting from this. It depends who you are, and what your situation is. It's not something he can help, but he seems to be dealing with it. I don't see what the problem is with being "omg large"... he can have the nickname Big Man, and be just as different as everyone else in the world is.] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Mental issues are not something to be underestimated. If this woman was suffering from any severe mental problems, even or perhaps especially depression, and had a compassionless caretaker / whoever kept her freaking alive as she obviously never left that couch, things get more complicated. What if it was an abuse case, her caretaker making her feel even more like **** than she already felt for being as extremely overweight as she was. If it was due to a malfunctioning thyroid gland, her obesity is most certain beyond her control. No amount of Sunday morning walks is going to stop a chemical imbalance.
I think there is way more to the story than was told, but people only took it at face value because as Flint pointed out, they simply saw what they wanted to believe: "Oh she was just fat and that is her fault entirely." Since the media is Society's puppet, they too would only released whatever information people would care to hear, thus branding this story as a freak show, instead of the sad sad thing it was.
--------------------------------- Oh and no, I don't stop for big accidents, but everyone else sure as heck seems too, even if it isn't blocking the road. The only reason I would stop on the highway is if someone is in distress, like a car broke down and needs a jump start or something. Looking at gory accidents involving real people, to me is just ogrish. Simulated gore, in movies or games, I could care less, but real gore, I tend to think of the pain that person must have felt.
If she had a mental illness so severe that she didnt want to move or interact with the world, wouldn't death be welcome? It's obvious she had no one who cared for her when she was alive, why should strangers care in death?
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore.
<!--QuoteBegin-BloodySloth+Sep 15 2004, 02:33 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BloodySloth @ Sep 15 2004, 02:33 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If she had a mental illness so severe that she didnt want to move or interact with the world, wouldn't death be welcome? It's obvious she had no one who cared for her when she was alive, why should strangers care in death?
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> This isn't right, but neither is cold-nite. The article, which is all we have to go on, said nothing about mental issues. All we can go on is face value for this event, because this is what we're given. You people who are blaming whoever puts their head up are just brining up unrealistic and unfounded "possible situations" to put forward a hypothetical situation that you can't justify from that article.
I believe any regular person would've been able to realize how large and massively overweight they were getting after a couple hundred pounds, so I believe there was some sort of disorder involved. But people in this thread act like she enjoyed being fat, which annoys me.
I was wondering if the topic of mental illness was going to come up...
I strongly believe that, except in extreme cases, we're <i>always</i> responsible for our actions. That includes being responsible for finding help, and making use of help once you've found it.
I'll give you a personal example. I've got ADD (no, not the hyper-nutso-bounce-off-the-walls type; that's ADHD), so when it comes to trying to focus on something that I know I have to do, the deck is stacked against me. ADD medication levels the playing field. The fact is, I'm responsible for making sure that I complete the work in time; I might not have the sheer willpower to force myself to stay focused, but I <i>do</i> have the power to keep taking my medication, discuss with the psychiatrist the right dose, etc.
If someone's depressive, they make the decision whether or not to take antidepressants - they are responsible for that decision, and therefore they are responsible for their actions.
Oh, and I'm not trying to say that chemicals are always the answer, either. Whether or not to seek counselling is a decision, too.
But, as I said, there are always extreme cases. If someone is so severely disabled that they can't take care of themselves <i>at all</i>, under <i>any</i> circumstances, then that's another story entirely.
Although there are so many derogid things happening right now, it's a warm feeling to know that there is some goodness left for e.g. seeing children innocently smile.
<!--QuoteBegin-kida+Sep 15 2004, 04:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (kida @ Sep 15 2004, 04:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Although there are so many derogid things happening right now, it's a warm feeling to know that there is some goodness left for e.g. seeing children innocently smile. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Agreed.
<!--QuoteBegin-SoulSkorpion+Sep 15 2004, 08:56 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SoulSkorpion @ Sep 15 2004, 08:56 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If someone's depressive, they make the decision whether or not to take antidepressants - they are responsible for that decision, and therefore they are responsible for their actions. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> I'm not trying to be in the least disrespectful of your problem, but I've got to note that ADD is a comparably 'minor' mental illness (consider that it's still controversial as to whether it can be considered a mental illness at all outside the US), whereas serious depressions are uncontestedly major and, what's more, personality altering illnesses. I agree with you that there's still some responsibility, but seeing that one of the most characteristic symptoms of a severe depression is heavy apathy, it's not at all a clear issue in my mind.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Although there are so many derogid things happening right now, it's a warm feeling to know that there is some goodness left for e.g. seeing children innocently smile.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> What age group are we talking about? 'Cuz, you know, I remember too much of what I did when I was eight not to wince at the word 'innocent' <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-Nemesis Zero+Sep 15 2004, 09:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Nemesis Zero @ Sep 15 2004, 09:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-SoulSkorpion+Sep 15 2004, 08:56 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SoulSkorpion @ Sep 15 2004, 08:56 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If someone's depressive, they make the decision whether or not to take antidepressants - they are responsible for that decision, and therefore they are responsible for their actions. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> I'm not trying to be in the least disrespectful of your problem, but I've got to note that ADD is a comparably 'minor' mental illness (consider that it's still controversial as to whether it can be considered a mental illness at all outside the US), whereas serious depressions are uncontestedly major and, what's more, personality altering illnesses. I agree with you that there's still some responsibility, but seeing that one of the most characteristic symptoms of a severe depression is heavy apathy, it's not at all a clear issue in my mind. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Yeah... I know...
I just hate to think (admit?) that we're not responsible for our actions.
<!--QuoteBegin-eediot+Sep 14 2004, 11:42 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (eediot @ Sep 14 2004, 11:42 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-BloodySloth+Sep 15 2004, 02:33 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BloodySloth @ Sep 15 2004, 02:33 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If she had a mental illness so severe that she didnt want to move or interact with the world, wouldn't death be welcome? It's obvious she had no one who cared for her when she was alive, why should strangers care in death?
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> This isn't right, but neither is cold-nite. The article, which is all we have to go on, said nothing about mental issues. All we can go on is face value for this event, because this is what we're given. You people who are blaming whoever puts their head up are just brining up unrealistic and unfounded "possible situations" to put forward a hypothetical situation that you can't justify from that article. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Sure her having some mental issues is an assumption that I chose to make. But logically, can there be any other alternative? No healthy and completely sane person would do that to themselves. The truth of the matter is that we <b>don't</b> know the entire story. So instead of just relying on the bare minimum of facts, we have to establish a common agreement over what the most probable situation was. I put forward the possibility of severe depression, since I think that to be the most likely case and such a depression would only be heightened by one's low physical health.
you know... when I saw the title of this thread I was half expecting to read another topic from someone who'd just seen the Alien versus Predator film <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Although there are so many derogid things happening right now, it's a warm feeling to know that there is some goodness left for e.g. seeing children innocently smile.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Children are too stupid/weak to be able to do much of anything that could be considered malicious or bad, being "innocent" in this case doesn't mean being "good", it just means they haven't had a chance at being "bad". Might as well point at a rock and call it innocent IMO.
(and if they actually do something bad it's just cute and sent in to funniest home videos type shows(e.g. all those little kids hitting daddy in the **** with various blunt objects or throwing up on mommy))
Comments
For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh?
please excuse me, thats the way i, and many other europeans have been taught/made to believe. we arent spoonfed hollywood stereotypes or "the american dream", but the exact opposite. i know its harsh and unfair to most of americans and im not saying its true but still. yeah.
btw, yes i feel sorry for that person.
edited because im tired and dunno wth i was thinking.
For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thank you sir for returning me to my senses.
Incidentally, my faith in humanity's ability to be unsympathetic and bigotted is affirmed. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
you're probably right, i admit that. however, i still can't bring myself to feel sorry for her, or people like her. my contempt for the average overweight american derives from many many bad encounters with them, and that's something that isn't changing anytime soon. am i bigotted? am i a freaking ****? yes and yes. so bang me.
p.s. know any countries with a 15% overweight population?
wait... don't answer that.
edit again: Yes, I'm laughing at other people's misery. Tell me you don't stare at vicious car crashes with mild interest before trying to be righteous. In fact, don't even tell me, just ask yourself.
For example, laughing at someone who had slit their wrists after a five year long battle against neverending depression!
We'd all make a thread and giggle like morons if someone did that, right? No?
But this woman, she's ripe for mocking, she was fat and now she's dead! Ha ha ha! She won't have had ANY personal demons, she just enjoyed pork pies too much! She only stayed in the house for that time because she enjoyed daytime TV! Chuckle guffaw!
Absolute ignorance.
Worst yet, I cannot (CANNOT) believe I'm the only one that thinks like this.
Maybe not the only one, but still, people can laugh? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What made ME lose my faith in humanity is the fact that when someone dies a gruesome death, people laugh.
Of COURSE she decided "You know, I want to get so disgustingly fat that I can't stand up." One of my close friends was overweight(moved away), and he caught **** for it all the time. It wasn't his fault- the poor bastard tried everything. Slimfast, Atkins, ACTUAL EXERCISE, not eating... In the end, it didn't help much, he had a specific body type or something. Society, with it's incessant mocking turned him into such a cynical **** that I couldn't stand being near him for more than five minutes at a time. He started off as a pretty nice kid, but high school did that to him. Making fun of people for their appearances is not funny.
I can laugh at deaths involving poetic justice (For example, this sick bastard was shooting puppies [PUPPIES FOR GOD'S SAKE! LITTLE BABY LABS! HEARTLESS BASTARD!] for sport, and he decided to position the puppy on his lap, with the barrel pointed at it's chin, and then have it use it's little paws to pull the trigger, blowing it's brains out. The gun slipped at the exact moment the puppy pulled the trigger, and blew HIS brains out instead. Burning in hell, I'm sure.), but deaths attributed to suicide or something involving a physical disorder are not something to be laughed at.
Flint, I applaud you.
EDIT- No, BloodySloth, I look away from accidents. I've never seen the appeal of watching a bloody corpse being carried away.
If you're being honest, you'd have to be the only person I've ever seen in my entire life not drawn to a car accident.
Let's look at it from a logical perspective, and the reasonably possibilites that could have occured:
- The woman did not know she had a problem, nobody around her knew she had a problem, and she ignored all the symptoms of gross, unhealthy obesity. She neglected to go to a doctor or an expert or anybody who would reccomend her to a doctor, neither for this "disease" nor for anything else during her stay on this earth as a giant behemoth of unmoving lard.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Nothing from the article suggests she had any <i>clinical</i> mental problems that would deny her the common sense to visit a doctor for her [apparently] self-induced condition.
Reason 2: You'd have to work pretty damn hard to distance yourself from anybody who could tell that a 600-pound woman might be a health issue.
- She did not know she had a problem, but went to a doctor and was told that she was dangerously obese and that her living conditions/style would end up with her dead [and stuck to a couch]. She refused to acknowledge or act on this information, and resumed her death-inviting lifestyle.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Obviously had a death wish.
- She was told by the doctor that she had a problem, then she tried to arrange for some way to reduce her obesity and resume a normal, healthy lifestyle, only to be informed that there were no centres/assistants who could work her through her obesity issues [seeing as it's so rare]. She was also informed that there was absolutely no exercises or ways she could help her situation, and that sitting at home on the couch for a few years would be the best course of action.
Verdict: Obligatory sarcastic option.
Reason: To prove a point.
- She organised help for her condition, but they ended up neglecting her and left her alone, where she decided to sit on the couch for a few years instead of figuring out why she wasn't getting help, or how she could get help.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Lack of desire to solve her condition. She didn't feel sorry enough for herself to get help, so why should I feel sorry for her?
- She had a mental condition that forbade her from rational, self-preserving human thought or common sense, and had absolutely no sentient human contact with either family or friends or anybody that could recognise the signs of dangerous obesity [for e.g. 600 pounds of cushiony goodness].
Verdict: Not found to be a likely scenario.
Reason: Nothing in the article suggests this.
As a further note, there must have been people [or at least, her] who could recognise the danger of difficulty breathing - so why couldn't they recognise the danger of a giant van of human flesh sitting on the couch merrily eating cheetos?
It would seem to me that this is just a simple case of stubborn human stupidity and arrogance.
I don't feel sorry for this woman. There is little enough compassion in the world already, why should it be wasted on hopeless shells of humanity like this? Nothing from the article suggests that she was somehow undeserving of the end result.
[On a side note, I have a friend in my grade who is large. Not fat, just large. I think the word is mesomorphic, I'm not sure. He doesn't appear to have recurring or significant emotional/social issues resulting from this. It depends who you are, and what your situation is. It's not something he can help, but he seems to be dealing with it. I don't see what the problem is with being "omg large"... he can have the nickname Big Man, and be just as different as everyone else in the world is.]
Let's look at it from a logical perspective, and the reasonably possibilites that could have occured:
- The woman did not know she had a problem, nobody around her knew she had a problem, and she ignored all the symptoms of gross, unhealthy obesity. She neglected to go to a doctor or an expert or anybody who would reccomend her to a doctor, neither for this "disease" nor for anything else during her stay on this earth as a giant behemoth of unmoving lard.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Nothing from the article suggests she had any <i>clinical</i> mental problems that would deny her the common sense to visit a doctor for her [apparently] self-induced condition.
Reason 2: You'd have to work pretty damn hard to distance yourself from anybody who could tell that a 600-pound woman might be a health issue.
- She did not know she had a problem, but went to a doctor and was told that she was dangerously obese and that her living conditions/style would end up with her dead [and stuck to a couch]. She refused to acknowledge or act on this information, and resumed her death-inviting lifestyle.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Obviously had a death wish.
- She was told by the doctor that she had a problem, then she tried to arrange for some way to reduce her obesity and resume a normal, healthy lifestyle, only to be informed that there were no centres/assistants who could work her through her obesity issues [seeing as it's so rare]. She was also informed that there was absolutely no exercises or ways she could help her situation, and that sitting at home on the couch for a few years would be the best course of action.
Verdict: Obligatory sarcastic option.
Reason: To prove a point.
- She organised help for her condition, but they ended up neglecting her and left her alone, where she decided to sit on the couch for a few years instead of figuring out why she wasn't getting help, or how she could get help.
Verdict: Undeserving of my sympathy.
Reason: Lack of desire to solve her condition. She didn't feel sorry enough for herself to get help, so why should I feel sorry for her?
- She had a mental condition that forbade her from rational, self-preserving human thought or common sense, and had absolutely no sentient human contact with either family or friends or anybody that could recognise the signs of dangerous obesity [for e.g. 600 pounds of cushiony goodness].
Verdict: Not found to be a likely scenario.
Reason: Nothing in the article suggests this.
As a further note, there must have been people [or at least, her] who could recognise the danger of difficulty breathing - so why couldn't they recognise the danger of a giant van of human flesh sitting on the couch merrily eating cheetos?
It would seem to me that this is just a simple case of stubborn human stupidity and arrogance.
I don't feel sorry for this woman. There is little enough compassion in the world already, why should it be wasted on hopeless shells of humanity like this? Nothing from the article suggests that she was somehow undeserving of the end result.
[On a side note, I have a friend in my grade who is large. Not fat, just large. I think the word is mesomorphic, I'm not sure. He doesn't appear to have recurring or significant emotional/social issues resulting from this. It depends who you are, and what your situation is. It's not something he can help, but he seems to be dealing with it. I don't see what the problem is with being "omg large"... he can have the nickname Big Man, and be just as different as everyone else in the world is.] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Mental issues are not something to be underestimated. If this woman was suffering from any severe mental problems, even or perhaps especially depression, and had a compassionless caretaker / whoever kept her freaking alive as she obviously never left that couch, things get more complicated. What if it was an abuse case, her caretaker making her feel even more like **** than she already felt for being as extremely overweight as she was. If it was due to a malfunctioning thyroid gland, her obesity is most certain beyond her control. No amount of Sunday morning walks is going to stop a chemical imbalance.
I think there is way more to the story than was told, but people only took it at face value because as Flint pointed out, they simply saw what they wanted to believe: "Oh she was just fat and that is her fault entirely." Since the media is Society's puppet, they too would only released whatever information people would care to hear, thus branding this story as a freak show, instead of the sad sad thing it was.
---------------------------------
Oh and no, I don't stop for big accidents, but everyone else sure as heck seems too, even if it isn't blocking the road. The only reason I would stop on the highway is if someone is in distress, like a car broke down and needs a jump start or something. Looking at gory accidents involving real people, to me is just ogrish. Simulated gore, in movies or games, I could care less, but real gore, I tend to think of the pain that person must have felt.
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore.
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
This isn't right, but neither is cold-nite. The article, which is all we have to go on, said nothing about mental issues. All we can go on is face value for this event, because this is what we're given. You people who are blaming whoever puts their head up are just brining up unrealistic and unfounded "possible situations" to put forward a hypothetical situation that you can't justify from that article.
But people in this thread act like she enjoyed being fat, which annoys me.
I strongly believe that, except in extreme cases, we're <i>always</i> responsible for our actions. That includes being responsible for finding help, and making use of help once you've found it.
I'll give you a personal example. I've got ADD (no, not the hyper-nutso-bounce-off-the-walls type; that's ADHD), so when it comes to trying to focus on something that I know I have to do, the deck is stacked against me. ADD medication levels the playing field. The fact is, I'm responsible for making sure that I complete the work in time; I might not have the sheer willpower to force myself to stay focused, but I <i>do</i> have the power to keep taking my medication, discuss with the psychiatrist the right dose, etc.
If someone's depressive, they make the decision whether or not to take antidepressants - they are responsible for that decision, and therefore they are responsible for their actions.
Oh, and I'm not trying to say that chemicals are always the answer, either. Whether or not to seek counselling is a decision, too.
But, as I said, there are always extreme cases. If someone is so severely disabled that they can't take care of themselves <i>at all</i>, under <i>any</i> circumstances, then that's another story entirely.
Agreed.
I'm not trying to be in the least disrespectful of your problem, but I've got to note that ADD is a comparably 'minor' mental illness (consider that it's still controversial as to whether it can be considered a mental illness at all outside the US), whereas serious depressions are uncontestedly major and, what's more, personality altering illnesses. I agree with you that there's still some responsibility, but seeing that one of the most characteristic symptoms of a severe depression is heavy apathy, it's not at all a clear issue in my mind.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Although there are so many derogid things happening right now, it's a warm feeling to know that there is some goodness left for e.g. seeing children innocently smile.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What age group are we talking about? 'Cuz, you know, I remember too much of what I did when I was eight not to wince at the word 'innocent' <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I'm not trying to be in the least disrespectful of your problem, but I've got to note that ADD is a comparably 'minor' mental illness (consider that it's still controversial as to whether it can be considered a mental illness at all outside the US), whereas serious depressions are uncontestedly major and, what's more, personality altering illnesses. I agree with you that there's still some responsibility, but seeing that one of the most characteristic symptoms of a severe depression is heavy apathy, it's not at all a clear issue in my mind. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah... I know...
I just hate to think (admit?) that we're not responsible for our actions.
If she didnt care about her life, mental illness or not, I don't see why I should care about it for her, especially seeing as she doesnt exist anymore. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This isn't right, but neither is cold-nite. The article, which is all we have to go on, said nothing about mental issues. All we can go on is face value for this event, because this is what we're given. You people who are blaming whoever puts their head up are just brining up unrealistic and unfounded "possible situations" to put forward a hypothetical situation that you can't justify from that article. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sure her having some mental issues is an assumption that I chose to make. But logically, can there be any other alternative? No healthy and completely sane person would do that to themselves. The truth of the matter is that we <b>don't</b> know the entire story. So instead of just relying on the bare minimum of facts, we have to establish a common agreement over what the most probable situation was. I put forward the possibility of severe depression, since I think that to be the most likely case and such a depression would only be heightened by one's low physical health.
Children are too stupid/weak to be able to do much of anything that could be considered malicious or bad, being "innocent" in this case doesn't mean being "good", it just means they haven't had a chance at being "bad". Might as well point at a rock and call it innocent IMO.
(and if they actually do something bad it's just cute and sent in to funniest home videos type shows(e.g. all those little kids hitting daddy in the **** with various blunt objects or throwing up on mommy))