Between Perceptions
Due October 8
Read "O.K., So I'm Fat" ( p.179) and give a commentary on Steinberg's
attitude in "Diabestity: A Crisis in an Expanding Country "(p182),
including details from both articles. You must address the tone and
voice of both articles. As always, your opinion on this blog does
matter, so be sure to tell me what you think about these perceptions.
Neil Steinberg and Jane E. Broday mention different sectors of obesity, fat, and/or diabetes. Steinberg is just expressing his emotions about being fat or over average weight and the way people look at it. He seems to think that people are always judging fat people when they actually work to be thin. But, he does mention that people "born" thin don't seem to care about their diets or the excersise that they get or the excersises that they don't do at all. In "'Diabesity,' A Crisis in an Expanding Country," Jane E. Broday views obesity and diabetes differently. She goes beyond the fact that it is not an individual responsibility but more of a national responsibility. The amount of people diagnosed with diabetes has increased in the United States as a whole. Children are now a part of the disease, as it used to only be for adults in the past. Brody explains that it is the environment in the workplace or at school that gets these kids and adults prone to bad eating habits and few physical activities. I agree with Steinberg and Brody. Steinberg sees obesity as an individual responsibility because there are many individuals who are capable of getting on a diet and constructing excersise programs for themselves in order to prevent diabetes or lose weight, but I also agree with Brody at the same time. The government does need to regulate school and work food systems, as well as fast food industries. Fast foods should not be permitted to contain an excessive amount of fats in their meals and drinks. Poultry and Meat should not have hormone injections, or very few so that these foods don't result in diabetes or fatness, as well as other foods also. Organic food is way more expensive than anything on the regular supermarket shelf. Brody is certainly right about doing something for the people diagnosed with diabetes as a nation, because it will result in more effective outcomes. However, Steinberg does represent many people in America who are overweight without diabetes yet.
ReplyDelete“O.K., So I’m Fat” has a different outlook on the world when it comes to food. He knows that there can be health problems (such as in "Diabestity: A Crisis in an Expanding Country " talks about) however in his case his weight increase is in sync with his increase of love and appetite for food. When people who are naturally skinny it’s one thing because they can understand how you eat, they eat in similar manners. When it comes to skinny people who have to work for it that’s when the envy begins and the dislike. A person can learn how to say no and understand that something is bad for them and they can watch others eat it as long as it is not themselves they do not care. However loving food and being able to control yourself sometimes can’t change the outcome. In "Diabestity: A Crisis in an Expanding Country " informs about the facts that’s you can have a greater chance with health issues such as diabetes if it runs in the jeans. Everyone is different some can control themselves, some don’t know how, and others are on their journey learning to understand their body’s and to change into a better them.
ReplyDelete“O.K., So I’m Fat” by Neil Steinberg and "Diabestity: A Crisis in an Expanding Country" Jane E. Broday portray two different perspectives when it comes to obesity and diabetes. Neil Steinberg takes accountability for being obese but disavows how some thinner people act towards him. He even went to say that he's not "that fat" because he feels like he is held in a lower regard because he is obese. Jane E. Broday believes that parents should educate their children and a public health initiate should be launched to prevent obesity and diabetes. She also says how we live in a time where fruit is more expensive then fast food and that strays people away from eating healthy. 18 million people in America have diabetes and we need to take more steps to prevent people from getting it. Children need to be taught to eat healthy by their parents so they can learn to stray away from fast food and other fattening products. However, we can not look past peoples personal accountability for not eating healthy. We need to realize that obesity and diabetes are a growing medical problem in this country and we need to take beneficial steps to ensure that we stay in shape.
ReplyDeleteSteinberg's attitude in ''Diabestity:A Crisis in an Expanding Country" he expresses how being over weight is the most serious and costly problem in America. His tone in this article is rather serious in which he says that a estimated 18.2 million Americans have diabetes. He is insuiating that it is a serious preventable issue in which people should take action of.
ReplyDeleteIn OK. So I'm Fat people Jane takes a different approach blaming society for the fact that people are over weight and how skinny people dont get as much as attention as the obese even when they have the same eating habits. In a way i think both articles make sense. I agree with ok so im fat in the sense that if people are content with the way they feel it shouldnt be nobody's buisness, but i agree with second that people should be concerned with their weight because it can be dangerous for their health.
In "Diabesity", A Crisis in an Expanding Country, Jane E.Brody mentions that obesity is one of the most serious problems in America. Obesity is spreading and causing health problems such as diabetes. The number of people who are diagnosed with diabetes has increased. Jane says that there are 18.2 million Americans have diabetes. She believes that there should be a national initiative to control obesity and diabetes. However, the society and leaders are ignorant about what is going on. In O.K I'm Fat, Neil Steinberg is aware that being over weight is dangerous for his health. He also thinks that fat people are being judged by other people who work to be thin. However, people who are naturally thin don't seem to care about exercise or diet.
ReplyDeleteIn “Ok So I’m Fat”, Stienberg’s attitude seems to be calm. He’s living in his own little world, where the only problem there is being judged by then people. He is well aware of the being obese, but he claims to be not as a compared to the “Chinese Buddha.” He is not fully aware of his condition, as for he sounds satisfied with being fat. In the essay “Diabestity: A Crisis in an Expanding Country” Brody is constantly stating the issues as for the problem of being overweight. Her tone sounds overall impatient and wants change now. “In just over a decade, she noted, the prevalence of diabetes nearly doubled in the American adult population: to 8.7 percent in 2002, from 4.9 percent in 1990.”Although she is right about the issue, many are not going to feel this type of way as she does. She insists of educators and parents to allow more fruits and vegetables to be served in cafeterias. She also blames the media and the economy for showing ads regarding the fast foods and making fries cheaper compared to fruits. Brody uses statistics as for all races towards how likely they are in to getting diabetes.
ReplyDeleteNeil Steinberg has his own way of looking at obesity than Jane E. Brody. Steinberg's approach to the topic is that it shouldn't be a sensitive one and Jane E. Brody thinks its corrupting our country and needs to be put to a stop because the number of people with diabetes is increasing drastically.
ReplyDeleteBoth of the author's attitudes are very different. The first article is to entertain and the second one is to inform us. "Diabesity, A Crisis in an Expanding Country" consists of only facts and statistics. According to Jane E. Brody, an estimated 18.2 million Americans now have diabetes. That's an outstanding number and the number will continue to grow. In "O.K. So I'm Fat" it is more of a story and speaks about his struggles of being fat. He mentions being at a dinner party and eating a fattening dessert and when he asked the hostess to have some she said no because of the fattening. You can only imagine how he felt about that, he said he wanted to grind her face in his dessert. The tone and voice of the first article starts off negative because he says that people right off the bat assume he drinks diet coke instead of regular which isn't the case. But then the article ends off positive saying he is very comfortable being around his wife's friend Larry even though he is a thin guy and still eats unhealthy food. The second article is an informative article so the tone and voice is getting straight to the point and letting you know what are the consequences if you take in too much sugary and fatty foods. I understand what Steinberg is trying to say about how people assume a lot of things about a big person like they only drink diet drinks and must have fattening meals.The second article was interesting in a way because it explains how many people will get diabetes in the future, what race of people will have a higher percentage, and what age group are more at risk. This can probably change peoples eating habits because it will kind of scare them off but for the better.
Neil Steinberg is, by his own account, "fat because [he] eats a lot." His attitude toward his own weight is as arrogant as it is self-abusive. In O.K., So I'm Fat, he seems to be thumbing his nose at the society that looks down on him for his expanding waist line by indulging further in decadent desserts, fatty foods, and sugary sweets.
ReplyDeleteOddly, instead of disdain for those who remain thin, despite eating habits as unhealthy as his own, he feels comfortable around them and finds some camaraderie in their company. The ones whom he loathes are the self-satisfied, admonishing healthy eaters. Their condescending comments feed his “envy stoked anger.” One wonders how he is any better off for his choice of diet. And, he admits in the opening paragraph that he is not overweight due to bad genes, but only because he eats too much of the wrong foods. Perhaps, if he set aside his pride and humbled himself to accept the possibility that maybe he could benefit from a change in diet he would shut his detractors up in the best way possible: by leading a healthy life.
One hundred eighty degrees out of sync with Steinberg’s view is Jane E. Brody with the offering, “Diabesity,” A Crisis in an Expanding Country. She is one of the holier-than-thou that evoke so much ire in Steinberg. In spite of an abundance of well founded clinical support for her argument she has a tone of self-righteousness that makes reading her article a test of one’s anger management. Brody’s proselytizing sabotages her best attempts at providing good and needed information. Sensationalized, scathing lines may draw derisive laughter from those who are like-minded, but they do little to bring others around to your side.
In the end, if an author wishes to convert readers to their point of view, the more effective route is one paved in humility and traveled solemnly. These two articles seem to be bogged down by their own arrogance and thus will only appeal to the choir.
I lost paragraph indentation when I copied from word doc.
DeleteNo problem, Philip. And thank you for your well-written response.
ReplyDeleteThe passage "Diabesity" A Crisis in an Expanding Country is vastly different from the passage "O.K. So I'm Fat" for many reasons. The main reason is that the passage OK So I'm Fat explains the side of the argument that states that obesity stems from one's choices. The narrator of that passage does not blame genetics or statistics, but explains that he is the way he is because he eats a lot. The Passage "Diabesity" A Crisis in an Expanding Country touches on the other side of the arguement that explains that there are many factors that go into the growing number of obese people in this country, and that many of which are out of peoples' hands.
ReplyDeleteKevin Darrah
ReplyDeleteNeil Steinberg and Jane E. Brody show too different points of view's but in the same sense. Steinberg shows how it's like for a big person, as in being comfortable, how they see others, and how sensitive they are about certain topics and their emotions. As said in the story “O.K., So I'm Fat” he states that he gets called “Hey, big guy” or if asked for something to drink they would assume something diet, to maybe insist that your on a diet, he was visiting a friend when he offered him a drink but said “A Diet Coke, maybe?”, from there you can understand that his tone was not sarcastic but in away that would make a assumption that you need to lose weight. That's why he would take it into offense and would be sensitive on that subject. Brody stated that not only is obesity a leading cause in death in America, but it's now a problem a child under 15 in going though. Brody's tone of voice in this short story has a very serious, realistic, and truthful meaning to it. She talks about how people that eat fast food only 2 times a week gain on average about 10 pounds of extra weight and doubled the risk of diabetes. Brody's perception on the topic “obesity” is very accurate in terms or getting to the point and expressing how she feels and what should be done in America to help prevent many people and children to avoid this problem. Stated in “Diabesity,' A Crisis in an Expanding Country” “We cannot simply blame this problem on gluttony and laziness and 'assume that the sole solution is individual change”, I completely agree with this because I've seen people go from 250 down to 200 pounds, with the right state of mind and dedication, it's very possible to change how an individual eats and exercises, so in all of that I truly believe in her perception and feel that would be the best way to help this country out. Self motivation is key.
IN "O.K., So I'm Fat", Neil Steinberg speaks from a happily fat person perspective. He is a person whom LOVES to eat and doesn't care that he is overweight although society around him is constantly reminding him that he is. He is very sly when it comes to talking about being "fat". He tends to use humor to pass along the message that it's not eating a lot that makes him feel fat or the way he may look but it is the thin people around him that make him feel that way. If it weren't for those thin people then Steinbeck may never feel "fat" and instead just enjoy himself and his food. In contrast, Jane E. Brody writes in "Diabesity," A Crisis in an Expanding Country", how horrible obesity and diabetes numbers have sky rocketed and how directly correlated the two epidemics are. Major cause of diabetes is being overweight or obese and not only is it prevelant in adults it has become a factor in children as well. Brody mentions major causes of obesity stem from food industrys to media that lure children to eat the wrong things as well as an ecomomic structure that makes it cheaper to eat fries than fruit. She also refers to genes as a contributing factor and although I agree if it is in your genes there is not much you can do to prevent it but there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle even if your parents or grandparents may have not done so. In speculation of the both essays I have to come to an agreement with Steinberg. Although Brody has the statistics and proven points to back her up and I do agree with what she has to say but I also am a big supporter of living your life and making decisions based on your own wants and needs especially if you are not hurting anyone around you. We are all our own people and we can choose to live and eat for that matter in any which way we please. We are only hurting ourselves and truthfully that is our choice. I do however agree with Brody on the fact that if fruit was the same cost or cheaper than the fries then we way go with the healthier choice. Unfortunately, our government issued regulations are not particularly designed to protect us and truthfully that is where the issues with eating "healthy" or the lack there of stem from.
ReplyDeleteIf one thing can be deducted from the stories “O.K., So I’m Fat” and “Diabesity,” A Crisis in an Expanding Country” by Neil Steinberg and Jane E. Brody, respectively, is that being overweight has its own share of mental and physical problems. While Steinberg’s is a reflection on his own issues being overweight and the perceptions he has of those who are not, Brody’s is a scientific analysis on the causes and results of having diabetes, how it’s the largest health issue in America, and what may be done to prevent it. These tales vary in tone and in message while sharing a similar topic, allowing a more critical examination on the issue of fatness.
ReplyDeleteSteinberg discusses the various hardships and socially awkward situations his weight usually causes him to experience. The smug superiority of skinny people who believe to be “better” than him is what he claims is the biggest problem in being fat. It is merely their attitudes and their presence that enrage Steinberg, as when present he is forced to measure himself up against them due to their better behaviors when it comes to dietary habits.
Brody’s take on the obesity epidemic is not as cynical as Steinberg’s story but is no less morose and cautious. She explains the various causes and symptoms of diabetes as well as the steps to be taken to reverse the effect of the issue on the people of the United States. It is not a personal story about Brody’s experiences with overweightness herself, but rather Brody’s opinion on the issue and the research she has found being put into writing.
Neither of these stories addresses the topic of overweightness in a positive light. While Steinberg’s reservations about being overweight himself are a more personal reflection of the social issues that come along with it, Brody’s feelings are much more scientific and analytical. Despite these differences, neither believes that being overweight is a particularly good thing. In the end, both stories should be read to attain a grasp of fatness in American society; one tells what kind of things you can expect to hate and be comfortable with, while the other explains why the issue even exists and what can be done to prevent it.
In the column O.K So I'm Fat by Steinberg talks about his life facing obesity. He seems okay with his weight because he knows his choices made him that weight. He chooses to eat what he does. Although others may look at him and talk he says in the column he's fat but "not that fat". Although at times there is guilt in his for example when he saw the girl would not have some of his ice cream simply because it was not healthy. However in the article Diabesity the tone is very different. It speaks more about the danger and health problems of being obese can cause. For example it can cause diabetes which can lead into more serious things. This article is more like a warning to people when OK So I'm Fat is more of a story of an obese boy who doesn't let his weight get in the way of his life. In my opinion I think obesity is your choice, getting diabetes because you don't make healthy choices is your fault and if its other then genetics you are responsible for your body and there are ways to prevent it.
ReplyDeleteThe two passages, "O.K, So I'm Fat" by Neil Steinberg and “Diabesity, A Crisis in an Expanding Country” by Jane E. Brody both express their opinions on being overweight/having diabetes in the United States, but from different ends of the spectrum on the issue.
ReplyDeleteIn the first reading, "O.K, So I'm Fat" Neil Steinberg talks about being a content overweight person who is fat because he simply loves to eat. While talking about how some people are overweight for reasons beyond their control, a lot of people are overweight because of the choices they make. He talks about how people (especially thin people who strive to be thin)treat him differently because of his size calling him "big guy" or offering him a diet coke, but that despite the socially awkward situations regarding his size, he enjoys to eat a lot and nothing will stop that.
Unlike "O.K, So I'm Fat", the second reading “Diabesity, A Crisis in an Expanding Country” by Jane E. Brody looks at the issues in a more serious and concerned way. Jane E. Brody writes about the facts of obesity/weight crisis's directly effect Type 2 diabetes in this country and the world. She talks about the causes and effects of diabetes and how being overweight contributes to it and the seriousness of the disease itself and all the problems that come along with it.
The two articles both have very different vibes to them, the first one being more of a personal account and opinions on being an overweight person, and the second one being full of informational facts and educating people on the seriousness of diabetes and other complications. Both articles however are reflections of how healthy lifestyles, eating and exercise choices can greatly impact your health and your well being.
Steinberg in O.K. So I'm Fat talks about how people are fat because of genes and others like him are just fat because they eat a lot. He also talks about his friend who is skinny through genes as well not because he watches what he eats or cares about being skinny but simply because he was blessed with good genes. You get a sense that he's funny and doesn't mind the way he is and how people treat him. He has a good mood and his tone seems to be layed back because you see how his wait doesn't bother him. However Brody in Diabesity cares a lot about obesity and diabetes in our society today. Her tone is almost outraged that people are understanding and doing something about this now. She seems to have a serious stand on changing the diabetes and obesity epidemic and her tone in this article shows that from the first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteIn O.K., So I'm Fat by Neil Steinberg and "Diabesity," A Crisis in an Expanding Country by Jane E. Brody, both stories explain its perspective on Obesity and Diabesity. Neil explains about be someone who is overweight but loves to eat, but finds the struggle of being judged by other people due to his weight. At a dinner party he was eating dessert a Banana Foster where he offered the hostess to eat any but she immediately turned it down saying "oh, no, she said, too sweet, too fattening." It put him to the point where he wanted to grind the banana foster in her face. Steinberg feels comfortable with his wife's friend Larry who's trim as a pencil, and yet has no self-control on what he eats or the weight he may never gain.
ReplyDeleteA Crisis in an Expanding Country explains the obesity that has affected many lives. Not only the adult population suffer from diabetes but children as well. It is stated that an estimated 18.2 million Americans now have diabetes. Teenagers weighing 200, 300, too 400 pounds. You really cant blame the adults or the children mainly because fast foods are cheaper than healthy food. When having a dollar menu in McDonald's, compared to $3-4 prices on grapes or strawberries whats more likely to be purchased? what will be their satisfaction? Kids have to be active and exercise daily, whether ride bikes or go walking, basketball is a great exercise for cardio and increase heart rate. Type 2 diabetes is not doing anyone any justice when its developing strokes or heart attacks, but if people aren't satisfied with their weight or how they view themselves then make the change, do something about it other than causing yourself your own life.