Oblivious to Variety

Oblivious to Variety

In the article “Fat and Happy?,” Hillel Schwartz proclaims that obese people are the victims of a fit society that humiliates and discriminates them, one where even the physicians and psychiatrists oppose them. Schwartz ultimately arrives to the conclusion that a society in which citizens build upon ideals revolving around obesity is a culture that surpasses its own. Schwartz indicates that women in particular would be living in a more comfortable environment that would not critique their genetics or clothes size. Schwartz attempts to provide a positive solution by drawing on past experiences and personal beliefs in order to answer numerous social issues regarding obesity, but fails in doing so by presenting biased statements and a lack of statistical information in the attempt to persuade his readers into thinking that a fat society is a utopia with no problems or health issues.

Schwartz states that individuals who are in good physical shape are the reason why obese people become so depressed. Not because of the standards placed by the fit, but because of the insults said by so called fit people. The manner Schwartz phrases this issue suggests the notion that obese people are constantly being insulted by every individual they encounter. Not only is this not the case, it is blatantly a logical fallacy. To state this would be implying that everyone wants to verbally abuse the obese at any given moment. Naturally, there will be incidents where obese individuals get insulted by immoral people, but how often does this situation happen? Not enough to justify the amount that Schwartz is implying.

Schwartz eventually focuses his attention onto doctors and physicians, claiming that doctors are not there to actually help them, but to threaten them and provide them with diet pills that affect blood pressure and kidneys (Schwartz 182). Schwartz attempts to paint the picture of

doctors being greedy, nefarious human beings that want to abuse and take