Please stop eating shit

[Red]

This new guy seems pretty alright, why is almost everyone lining up to shit on his perfectly reasonable post about being frustrated that people seem to choose the lower-nutrition options every time?

I think it's because people are tired of people being preachy, don't see the issue and/or just feel like tearing things up.  It seems to happen a lot around here.

Personally, I can see why there's frustration.

Food tends to show what a person deems valuable. For example, twinkies here are being chosen over granola because the group values the sweet taste of "comfort food" over the future benefits of actually taking care of their health. Either that or it's crappy granola (compare the boxes some time- some granola bars are about as bad as twinkies) and/or people don't want to be singled out for not being one of the cool kids by eating the granola, but I digress.

Anyway, the reasons behind ignoring future health issues for quick satisfaction can vary wildly and some of them can be very frustrating when you're trying to encourage people to better themselves. A couple common ones I have encountered from people who don't care for themselves is "Who cares- I'll be old by the time this makes me miserable", "I don't plan on living long enough to have this make me miserable" or "I don't care because the government is paying for my healthcare." If its an image issue, these people put looking cool over their health. None of these are things that sound like a person invested in bettering themselves. Considering Scilon Agent is trying to get these people to better themselves, I can sort of see why there's frustration at the least.

Either way I'd offer things that aren't granola bars and check the boxes before buying. Seriously- some granola SUCKS all around and there is a weird stigma about eating granola in some circles. Maybe offer dried inexpensive cereal and paper cups, little boxes of raisins or something like that instead?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

This new guy seems pretty alright, why is almost everyone lining up to shit on his perfectly reasonable post about being frustrated that people seem to choose the lower-nutrition options every time?

I was going to point out my track record on this, but I am not really on my game these days and thus in my own opinion, my accuracy is in question...So I'll just say that I find him arrogant, which offends my meek and mild nature to no fucking end.  Why, if he had HALF the humility I have, he wouldn't have a problem anywhere.  I could loan him some; I have "humble" leaking out of every orifice.   

[ThatGreenGentleman]

So, wait. You're getting upset because destitute people eat sweet food when they have a choice?

I hadn't explored it that deeply actually. What it is is this;

I spend a certain amount of hours a week really putting honest time in with these citizens trying to improve their lives. The problem is, they have made and continue to make all the wrong choices. Consistently. Sometimes it does come down to a choice as small as breakfast.

Obviously I can't fault them too hard, I am the one providing the shit after all. I am the shit supplier, the shit dealer if you will.

Wow it sounds like they're adults who can make their own decisions about what they eat. Having a healthy diet is important, but if they want to eat a twinkie every now and then, then let them eat the fucking twinkie.

[Reginald Ret]

So, wait. You're getting upset because destitute people eat sweet food when they have a choice?

I hadn't explored it that deeply actually. What it is is this;

I spend a certain amount of hours a week really putting honest time in with these citizens trying to improve their lives. The problem is, they have made and continue to make all the wrong choices. Consistently. Sometimes it does come down to a choice as small as breakfast.

Obviously I can't fault them too hard, I am the one providing the shit after all. I am the shit supplier, the shit dealer if you will.

Wow it sounds like they're adults who can make their own decisions about what they eat. Having a healthy diet is important, but if they want to eat a twinkie every now and then, then let them eat the fucking twinkie.

A thought: They make 'bad' nutritional choices because they are too stressed out about other (money) issues to worry about such trivial stuff.
Wasn't there a link around here about that subject?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So, wait. You're getting upset because destitute people eat sweet food when they have a choice?

I hadn't explored it that deeply actually. What it is is this;

I spend a certain amount of hours a week really putting honest time in with these citizens trying to improve their lives. The problem is, they have made and continue to make all the wrong choices. Consistently. Sometimes it does come down to a choice as small as breakfast.

Obviously I can't fault them too hard, I am the one providing the shit after all. I am the shit supplier, the shit dealer if you will.

Wow it sounds like they're adults who can make their own decisions about what they eat. Having a healthy diet is important, but if they want to eat a twinkie every now and then, then let them eat the fucking twinkie.

A thought: They make 'bad' nutritional choices because they are too stressed out about other (money) issues to worry about such trivial stuff.
Wasn't there a link around here about that subject?

What got me giggling was the OP being frustrated because he already MADE all the good choices for them, but they kept doing it wrong.

[Reginald Ret]

So, wait. You're getting upset because destitute people eat sweet food when they have a choice?

I hadn't explored it that deeply actually. What it is is this;

I spend a certain amount of hours a week really putting honest time in with these citizens trying to improve their lives. The problem is, they have made and continue to make all the wrong choices. Consistently. Sometimes it does come down to a choice as small as breakfast.

Obviously I can't fault them too hard, I am the one providing the shit after all. I am the shit supplier, the shit dealer if you will.

Wow it sounds like they're adults who can make their own decisions about what they eat. Having a healthy diet is important, but if they want to eat a twinkie every now and then, then let them eat the fucking twinkie.

A thought: They make 'bad' nutritional choices because they are too stressed out about other (money) issues to worry about such trivial stuff.
Wasn't there a link around here about that subject?

What got me giggling was the OP being frustrated because he already MADE all the good choices for them, but they kept doing it wrong.

I was trying to ignore that. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I was trying to ignore that. 

Well, you know.  "Holy Man™".

[Cain]

On the one hand: real social and personal costs of malnutrition.

On the other hand: freedom without the freedom to do bad/irresponsible things is pointless.

Suggestion: education and freedom of choice, where informed consent is possible.

Strangely enough, this is the position that, in theory, care in the UK is meant to work under.  In practice, of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but in theory.  So, for example, you cannot stop people from smoking.  Not even if they have lung cancer.  You have areas where they cannot smoke, for health and safety reasons and to prevent them bothering other people, you can tell them about how smoking is impacting on their health, but you cannot, at any point, take the cigarettes off them like you would a naughty child.

Of course it's frustrating seeing people make the wrong choices.  I saw it every day I was a housemaster (point of clarification: my students were 16+, and so technically adults under UK law).  Oh, you chose to stay up late at night, to watch movies instead of study, and to never attend class.  Well, that you're failing now is tough luck.  I can't make you attend the classes you should.  I can wake you up in the morning, give you copies of the school rota, provide quiet spaces for study, contact teachers with queries about homework and so on, but ultimately, the choice is on you.  You have to actually go, actually do your work, actually attend the classes on your schedule.

I think that's the only reasonable way to treat an adult.  Anything else gets into some serious slippery slopes.

[hooplala]

Do I really need to point out the tangible societal costs of poor nutrition?

Really?

I live in Canada, so no.  I pay for everyone's stupid choices, constantly.  And they can damn well pay for mine too. 

[hooplala]

And, what Cain said. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

On the one hand: real social and personal costs of malnutrition.

On the other hand: freedom without the freedom to do bad/irresponsible things is pointless.

Suggestion: education and freedom of choice, where informed consent is possible.

Strangely enough, this is the position that, in theory, care in the UK is meant to work under.  In practice, of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but in theory.  So, for example, you cannot stop people from smoking.  Not even if they have lung cancer.  You have areas where they cannot smoke, for health and safety reasons and to prevent them bothering other people, you can tell them about how smoking is impacting on their health, but you cannot, at any point, take the cigarettes off them like you would a naughty child.

Of course it's frustrating seeing people make the wrong choices.  I saw it every day I was a housemaster (point of clarification: my students were 16+, and so technically adults under UK law).  Oh, you chose to stay up late at night, to watch movies instead of study, and to never attend class.  Well, that you're failing now is tough luck.  I can't make you attend the classes you should.  I can wake you up in the morning, give you copies of the school rota, provide quiet spaces for study, contact teachers with queries about homework and so on, but ultimately, the choice is on you.  You have to actually go, actually do your work, actually attend the classes on your schedule.

I think that's the only reasonable way to treat an adult.  Anything else gets into some serious slippery slopes.

Of course, one of the core questions in public health is "Why do people make the decisions they do, and how can we encourage them to make better ones?"

[Cain]

Yeah.  It's the only reasonable way to proceed.  Any other majorly different approach is either irresponsible, or smacks of nanny-statism (which is a form of irresponsibility in its own right).

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Of course, one of the core questions in public health is "Why do people make the decisions they do, and how can we encourage them to make better ones?"

Sure.  But making them FOR people and then getting mad because the cats won't corral is a different matter entirely.

It's also worth mentioning that people who have fallen off the bottom rung may not consider this sort of thing to be important enough to think about, in the grand scheme of their lives.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Yeah.  It's the only reasonable way to proceed.  Any other majorly different approach is either irresponsible, or smacks of nanny-statism (which is a form of irresponsibility in its own right).

Bump, because I just accidentally buried this at the bottom of last page (simulantaneous posting).

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Of course, one of the core questions in public health is "Why do people make the decisions they do, and how can we encourage them to make better ones?"

Sure.  But making them FOR people and then getting mad because the cats won't corral is a different matter entirely.

It's also worth mentioning that people who have fallen off the bottom rung may not consider this sort of thing to be important enough to think about, in the grand scheme of their lives.

It's just incredibly hypocritical, considering the vast numbers of posts on this board by regular posters complaining about human behavior.

This guy seems fine and has been trying to participate, but it seems like there just aren't enough asswipes lining up to be shat on so we can all feel superior, so he got nominated for stand-in.

I'm just about done with Peedee myself.