The Ultimate Bias

    I was relaxing this evening  I was wasting potential sleep time this evening, having discovered some interesting You Tube videos from a TV program called "What Would You Do?" This program apparently explores people's reactions when witnessing wrong-doing / discrimination. Often people will intervene, sometimes less.

    But what I noticed was that in an episode where teenagers (actors for the show) were truly vilifying the "unknown-to-them-victim" (also an actor) for being overweight, almost no one intervened. If you get insulted by strangers for being gay, or black, people are likely to react fairly quickly. But if you are overweight, people are less likely to stand up for you. Apparently the feeling that it is "their own fault" makes it more acceptable to insult and badger a larger-size person.

     Yes, the obese individual can make better choices.  But couldn't we all? And the bystanders have NO IDEA what "beyond-their-control" factors enter into the picture here. I even noted commenters on the video saying that fat people need to be told the truth, so that they will change. I have new for them:  Insulting someone who is overweight is NOT going to make them change. Instead, they need to be encouraged to take care of themselves by getting enough sleep, taking the time for themselves that is needed to cook properly and exercise, and to love themselves as they are. ONLY then is there a hope that they can succeed at losing.