Technology makes you fat
September 20th 2006 03:03
Well Mario's weakness is mushrooms, just can’t get enough of 'em
Technology does make things a heck of a lot easier, everything is so streamlined now, you send emails instead of letters, and even for inter office communications nowadays (who wants to get up and walk over to the next cubicle anyway?) you can travel great distances without so much as breaking a sweat in a car. Your work probably requires little physical activity, and what it does contain is your fingers moving all over the place on a keyboard. Here is an article on how technology affected world wide obesity.
But what about the ‘what goes around comes around concept’? Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Couldn’t all this technology also make us thinner than we are?
Well in a way that’s possible, in the most literal sense we have treadmills among various other exercise equipment. However we have other more novel ways, do a Google search on ‘weight loss technology’ and you’ll see what I mean. It is probably all nothing but fad, but damn if they aren’t tempting fads. Let me know if you try any.
However, nestled in between all of those hyped products is a blog by Troy Janisch who says it all in the iPod as the single magnificent weight loss tool, iPod, I Run. As he says (quoted from his site) “I find myself using it almost exclusively for “reading.” For $15 per month, I subscribe to two books per month from Audible.com”. This encourages him to go out and go for a little jog.
You see, the thing here isn’t that technology makes people fat, its that technology is exploited by people to make themselves fat, the same way they might stuff food in their mouths get fat as a result then blame the food for it. Its silly and I think what Troy Janisch shows is that its not the technologies fault that makes you fat, but yours, and how you choose to exploit the technology for either your good or your bad.
I believe I shall coin the term ‘fatology’ for people who believe it is technology that makes them fat. Whoever follows this line of thought if a ‘fatologist’ and is more likely than not looking for an excuse for being so fat and not doing anything about it. I'll extend the definition for all overweight people who like to blame their weight on other things and act as if helpless.
So people, I urge you to find ways of using all your technology FOR your benefit rather than lack thereof, and when you do or if you already do, post here and share with us (I do doubt it being a possibility, but theres always hope).
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Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
Comment by Ahmed
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
I'd put it like this.
I think your argument is that technology is just an instrument. People can use it for good or for evil, for fat or for thin. The instrument doesn't make them do anything.
Well, in response, I'd want to explore the idea that technology in general, rather than particular pieces of it, does make people do things. In particular, I'm curious about the idea that technology changes people, or takes away their ability to choose.
I don't know if this was suggested in one of the articles you linked to (I didn't follow the link).
Now, in a sense, very little is a necessity apart from food-shelter-water. But in another sense we do have needs and drives quite apart from these basic ones. I mean, we have created-needs -- to be among other people, to improve ourselves, to satisfy our curiosity, etc.
So I guess the main idea is this --
That perhaps technology creates needs or very strong desires. There is a sense in which you can alter people's behaviour by, for instance, advertising, propaganda, threats of violence, etc. -- you can change people.
And when one reflects on all the difference that technology makes, all the ways it enables control of populations -- by way of advertising, healthcare, manipulation of the physical environment, law enforcement, etc -- I think it's more plausible that technology can make people do things.
What do you reckon?
Whether it makes people fat is a subset question... And I think it might well do this as well. Not the particular pieces of technology, but the effect of technology as a whole.
Comment by Ahmed
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Okay, you're saying it's never the technology's fault that your fat, it's yours. I'm suggesting that sometimes it's the technology's fault
Maybe this is a good example... Anorexia is a state of mind. People just stop eating. I'm assuming it's because of some sort of psychological compulsion due to ideas about body image. They can't control themselves -- they'll starve themselves to death.
Now, you can say to such a person, "It's your fault you're hurting yourself. It's your choice to stop."
But I don't know if this is realistic. I don't know if the person has free will.
What I'm suggesting is that technology, in general, can enslave people in the same way. In the annorexia example, it's partly the technology of mass media that has taken away their free will.
I'm suggesting that many sorts of technology change your environment, and change your psychology, and do force you to do various things. So, often it is the technology's fault.
What do you reckon?
Comment by Ahmed
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What I'm saying is it does counter balance it with other advances, such as treadmills.
Like it is conveniant to sit behind a desk all day and do little physical activity, however it is also conveniant for you to do a half hour walk on a treadmill.
People even blame technology for taking away jobs, so riddle me this, if machines replace your work, who'll be operating the machines? I remember 'Charlie and the Chocoalte Factory' were Charlie's dad gets fired because machines replace his lowly work then he is re-employed to maintian those same machines, and his work coniditon also improves. So this is just another example.
As for anorexia for instance, it is more of a psychological problem isn't it? With all these image conscious people running all over the place it does cause these problems in some peoples minds so that can probably be considered another thing enitrely.
Comment by Joy
Comment by Johanna
PCOS Mum
On one hand technology is great because it enables us to connect with people we wouldn't probably never meet, like we are doing now, but on the other hand has it made us less willing to interact personally if we can do it quickly electronically? This way we can say we have made contact, but without the need to actually talk, and the other person does the same and the cycle continues.
I have deviated from your topic somewhat, sorry. In the simplest terms you could argue that the technology of cars means we don't walk as much anymore, so we don't burn off as many calories and, therefore, are getting fatter.
Comment by MichaelB
Diet Dog
Comment by Anonymous
But I do think that technology has greatly contributed to a more sedantary lifestyle. eg, DVDs, computer games...
Comment by Ahmed
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Comment by Anonymous