A few days back my g-chat status message read - If fat people lost some weight, we would have not only have more space in local trains, it would also be beneficial for them as they would be healthier.
This got me into a heated argument with my friend as she tried to 'logically' convince me that an individual in 'our' country had a choice to remain fat. Two other plump friends of mine too opposed my status message. Our conversation was interesting and ironic, I must say. She being THIN (on the verge of anorexic), argues for the fat people...posting our chat.
Also, please make sure you read Freakonomics fame guy Levitt's post titled To Fight Global Warming We Must Tax All Recreational Exercise
me: well, maybe.. i understand if someone is fat because of a health problem, i acutally know some like that bt there are ppl who are just fat, without any reason and research has indicated that it dulls the brain so basically, its good if they actually reducve maybe they consume more oxygen etc etc
her: yeah but with some ppl, they try and try and it doesnt work its in their genes and also, its a free country
me: yeah, so health problem like i said, i understand bt its frustrating to see ppl who can lose eight, remain fat.
her: if they want to be fat and have no problems with it, then its their choice and we shd just accept that
me: i know its tough to differentatiate, bt atlesat they can try.
her: you cant force a fat person to lose weight
me: ok they can be fat, but dont occupy so much of space then. how do the eu countries do it? its better for their health too na its nt u are asking them to commit suicide.
her: well that's patronising. you cant force someone to be concerned abt their own health. In that case you shd have some ban on chocolates and cigarettes and alcohol
me: applying that logic, u cant force anyone to do anything.
her: no you cant
me: no ... they just need to keep a check
her : but that's their choice. maybe they like being fat. they may be well aware of the associated problems with it, but they choose to live with those problems, whatever that may be.. thats an informed choice that they make. just like a person makes a choice to smoke depsite reading the instruction on the packet , and chooses to drink. you cant force them to lose weight or not smoke or not drink
me: my point, keep ur choices at a pvt level..dont make it affect others.. if u smoke..and it affects me, i think i shld have the right to tell that other that he is killing me. he can smoke in his own quarters and i care a damn similarly, be fat, i am not bothered. bt if u wanna travel in locals and occupy gen space, then lose weight, i mean, u have limited space ya
her: so you're proposing some kind of weight bar for ppl to travel on local trains?
me: yeah it'l help for sure on an avg ther are like 10 fat females everyday in each compartment of the train imagine the numebr of trains running and imagine the number of fat ppl!
her: so?me: there wld be what a maaax 10 percent health related issue...her: you shd be asking for more trains then me: the rest are fat becuase they choose to be..
me: thats nt possible why imcrease imfrastructure at some ppl's cost! maybe they can have a special train for fat ppl
her: yeah so basically it boils down to improving the infrastructure rather than denying a person something simply becasue they are fat
me: yeah maybe, so fat ppl shld be charged extra fees
her: and even if you put a weight bar (which i dont agree with in the firs place) how do you think you're going to differentiate bw persons who are fat because they dont have a choice, ppl having some health problem and the rest fo the fat ppl
me: well, a flimsy solution: a health certificate and maybe they shld have a weighing machine at the ticket coubnter... the railway ppl are quite efficient here u know. public transport is quite impressive..
her: okay so everytime you want to go from andheri to colaba, you have to show a health certificate yeah i'm sure itis
me: so it can be a small paper na just like u have ur i card... u can have a health i card. which u renew every pd.
her: which says that I'm fat becuase i dont have a choice, so pls dont discriminate
me: correct.
her: do you realise that you're just adding to another kind of discrimination ? dont we enough already
me: bt fat is not good heatlh wise. eventually this is for the greater goood.