Creeper shots and body shaming.

[Salty]

Not to get all tumblr on you spag...

But I think this is a fairly important issue.

We've all done it. All those chuckles and drawn up faces at People of Walmart. No doubt, there are some people out there that wear some pretty weird shit, exposing their strange and less-than-magazine-material bodies for the world to see.

Then again, those magazine bodies are almost all photo-shopped, so I ask you, what is freakier:

The flabby, "unshapely" bodies laid bare by halter-tops? Man boobs glistening, soaked in sweat and indifference?

Or the fact that we base what bodies are SUPPOSED to look like on complete fabrications concocted by the very same corporations we Discordians tend to mistrust and dislike for the effects they have in our culture?

Human beings, despite what you have been told, are not really fit into any one particular mold. This goes for the architecture of our brains, our personalities, our desires and cravings and pretty much every facet of our existence. And yet, even the best of us are prone to enjoying the pointing and laughing of people who, by and large, cannot exactly help what they look like.

Exercise, you may say. Take care of yourself.

Well, just what IN THE FUCK do you know about it? Can you LOOK at another human being and ascertain the state of their biological machine? Do you KNOW that someone is just saying they have a thyroid disorder? How is that any different from that horrible faux pax where you assume someone is pregnant? And just what fucking business is it of yours anyway?

Too fat, too thin. Too tall? Too short? Hair not full and thick enough? You may or may not find someone personally attractive. BREAKING NEWS: That is not an invitation to criticize them.

And here's another bit of news you may be unaware of: YOU HAVE BETTER MOTHERFUCKING THINGS TO DO.

That's right, I, ALTY, while living, am telling to your fucking face that the time you spend judging and pointing and laughing at those who dare to have some random asshole snap their picture and post it online without permission (Which, BTW, is gross and creepy and something I doubt any one individual would appreciate. I highly doubt any of YOU would appreciate it if it happened to you) is time that is wasted.

You could be making art, or contributing to the aid of people who are getting fucked over EVERY SINGLE DAY by powers we will probably never fully overcome, or just sitting around masturbating in your own feces. Any of these things would be time better spent than making sure the whole fucking world knows what you think of some random strangers body.

Additionally, much like racist or sexist humor, it is so fucking boooooooring. It's the same tired ass shit that other stupid assholes have been repeating since time out of mind. There is nothing new there, folks. It's not funny because it is offensive, it's not funny because 9 times out of ten it just isn't funny. It's hackneyed humor, low hanging fruit, the dull efforts of a lazy, lazy mind that can't think of anything better.

Finally, again, about the god damned creeper shots. EWWWWWWWW. What the fuck is wrong with the people who take those pictures? It's weird, man. You see some body that fills you with disgust and the first thing you think to do is broadcast it to the whole world? How pathetic. How utterly lame. Is your life that uninteresting? Is that all you've got?

By further spreading those images you reinforce that kind of behavior, which is weird and creepy and so terribly unkind. You endorse it.

And, you know, the real litmus test, the one that stands the test of time and ignorant tumblr screeching is this: if you had one friend in the world, one single person who actually gave a fuck about you, and such a thing well and truly hurt their feelings, would you give a fuck? That's for you to say, but I think the answer says a lot about the kind of human being you are.

By the way, I have absolutely been made to feel shitty about my body, many a time, offhand and casually, by cowards who could not say it to my face. And when you are down and out, that is the last fucking thing you need. The last god damned thing.

What would Mr. Rogers say?

OR KILL ME.

[Salty]

That said, pretty much anything can be funny, in a certain light.

But, you know, actually make that shit funny or GTFO.

[Pæs]

Feel free to channel tumblr any time you like, Alty. Total agreement on this.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I agree.

Fat or skinny, short or tall, lovely or butt-to-the-bone ugly, all human beings have the right, the obligation to SHAKE THAT and no other person has a moral right to give them shit for it.

I saw the picture that brought this on, and I think it's great.

[Cain]

It certainly lacks a certain level of class.  I mean, I can understand going "huh" or maybe cracking a grin at the occasional "People-of-WalMart" style photo, especially when the person in question is clearly unhealthy or way out from the norm.

But for the most part, it's the 21st century equivalent of pointing and laughing at someone for being different from the norm, and it's not even done with them being aware of it (which may or may not be more cruel).

I mean, certainly, if people want to do that sort of thing, I suppose they should feel free to do so.  But like I said, it definitely lacks class and style.  And doing it often is pretty obviously a sign of some kind of mental insecurity or unhealthiness.

The same can be said, incidentally, for people who take pictures of gay couples kissing or holding hands in public and then fetishize it.  Sure, it's less negative, but it's same kind of unhealthy preoccupation with others.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It certainly lacks a certain level of class.  I mean, I can understand going "huh" or maybe cracking a grin at the occasional "People-of-WalMart" style photo, especially when the person in question is clearly unhealthy or way out from the norm.

But for the most part, it's the 21st century equivalent of pointing and laughing at someone for being different from the norm, and it's not even done with them being aware of it (which may or may not be more cruel).

I mean, certainly, if people want to do that sort of thing, I suppose they should feel free to do so.  But like I said, it definitely lacks class and style.  And doing it often is pretty obviously a sign of some kind of mental insecurity or unhealthiness.

The same can be said, incidentally, for people who take pictures of gay couples kissing or holding hands in public and then fetishize it.  Sure, it's less negative, but it's same kind of unhealthy preoccupation with others.

Sort of a carnival sideshow mentality, then.

[LMNO]

I reserve the right to be snarky and shady about certain people's fashion choices.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I reserve the right to be snarky and shady about certain people's fashion choices.

Can you give us an example, you horrible privileged CISHET shitlord?   

[LMNO]

The kind of things Tom and Lorenzo do, but with less famous people.

[Cain]

Sort of a carnival sideshow mentality, then.

Yeah, that was exactly what I had in mind.  It reduces people to personal entertainment and/or tokenism.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The kind of things Tom and Lorenzo do, but with less famous people.

Oh, I dunno.

Beats the hell out of, say, neckties.  Which make no sense.

[LMNO]

Hey, I look good in a necktie.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I agree about the sideshow mentality, and in fact I agree in a large part with most of this. However, I also want to point out that it is absolutely normal for people to gawk at those who violate social norms. That's a factor that people like the Cacophony Society and others, including sometimes ourselves, use to our own advantage or delight.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Hey, I look good in a necktie.

Neckties are things lowlanders wear to reduce all the unnecessary oxygen that they have available.

[hooplala]

I like people looking weird.  You will never see me mock someone for looking "weird"... I enjoy extremes.  It's the suburban dull folk who raise my ire, but I still wouldn't mock them for how they look. 

I prefer to poke at a person's personal character, if I'm going to start snarking.