4 ms·

And it makes more logical sense to you that everyone is just weak-willed?

by viro 4y ago

nathas 4y ago
How many times do you check HN each day instead of doing work?
- SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
  That's bizarre. Should I be bending my will to exclusively work? I work better with breaks, that's not weakness, that's realism.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
bioemerl 4y ago
It makes more sense to point to the fact that we have a far more calorie dense meal palette and a far less active lifestyle.
- ericb 4y ago
  Pets, lab rats, and wild animals have gained weight in this timeframe.
- Eumenes 4y ago
  Both of which are choices one has to make.
fxtentacle 4y ago
s/weak-willed/addicted/ There. Fixed it for you :) Yes, to me it seems like capitalism creates a society where most people get addicted just trying to cope with everyday life. For some it's alcohol, for some it's OxyContin, for some it's food, for some it's all-nighters in World of Warcraft. "59.3 million (21.4%) people over age 12 used illicit drugs in the past year." "Underage [..] 29% reported drinking alcohol" https://www.verywellmind.com/rates-of-illicit-drug-abuse-in-the-us-67027 https://www.verywellmind.com/rates-of-illicit-drug-abuse-in-... Looks like weed and alcohol already are 50% of all citizens... I don't find it difficult to imagine that the other half ab-uses food.
- happyopossum 4y ago
  You can’t add two unrelated stats together and say it’s 50% - there’s highly likely some crossover there…
- pixl97 4y ago
  So before mass capitalism people didn't drink? Can I ask that you read a large number of history books across any number of cultures on addictive behaviors throughout history, because you'll find that anytime a society had an excess of time and labor/production that people find addictive behaviors to enjoy. This is not recent. This is not capitalism. This is humanity. What capitalism has done is given everybody enough free time from starvation to actually follow addictive pursuits.
  - SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
    Aren't there claims commonly made (I haven't reviewed the literature to know if it's compelling or not) that the medieval serf worked less than the modern worker?
    - pixl97 4y ago
      I've read a number of studies like this and at the end of the day everyone ends up at apples != oranges. If you wanted to live with the same amount of 'lifestyle' as a serf did then you'd likely only have to work a few hours a week. The issue is I don't think most people want to live that lifestyle. We like clean water to drink. We like sheltered houses with electricity. We love having a house that is too large and filling it up with an inordinate amount of crap. We love living in expensive places with a lot to do. Turns out wanting all that requires a lot of stuff. At one point in my life I was more interesting in not working and messing around and doing other things. I worked around 40 hours a month for a few years and made enough of a living to pay my bills (hey, computer work pays good). So it's not impossible for at least some people to live like that , though with rent increases not sure if it's possible these days. But with all that said, I like having all the stuff that working a full time job gives to me, so there is that.
HDThoreaun 4y ago
Yes, it doesn't to you?
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  I think it makes sense to someone who has never tried to starve their body. Doing that will change your appreciation for the human brain.
  - HDThoreaun 4y ago
    I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying the reason people don't do it is because they don't have the willpower. Yes, it is possible to choose to starve yourself, just requires a ton of willpower.
    - viro 4y ago
      Starving yourself often slows down ur metabolism even more, which makes it harder to lose weight without medical issues. the will power to put urself into coma Jesus Christ.
rootusrootus 4y ago
That viewpoint has a strong attraction for people who's natural weight is low, because they get to see themselves as strong willed and morally superior.
Auracle 4y ago
Honestly, yeah? I know I'll get downvoted to hell for this but I could have absolutely nailed a quiz of "who is going to get really fat after high school." Nobody that I would have defined as a "hard worker" has gotten fat.

And it makes more logical sense to you that everyone is just weak-willed?

by viro 4y ago

And it makes more logical sense to you that everyone is just weak-willed?

nathas 4y ago

How many times do you check HN each day instead of doing work?

SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
That's bizarre. Should I be bending my will to exclusively work? I work better with breaks, that's not weakness, that's realism.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

bioemerl 4y ago

It makes more sense to point to the fact that we have a far more calorie dense meal palette and a far less active lifestyle.

ericb 4y ago
Pets, lab rats, and wild animals have gained weight in this timeframe.
Eumenes 4y ago
Both of which are choices one has to make.

fxtentacle 4y ago

s/weak-willed/addicted/ There. Fixed it for you :) Yes, to me it seems like capitalism creates a society where most people get addicted just trying to cope with everyday life. For some it's alcohol, for some it's OxyContin, for some it's food, for some it's all-nighters in World of Warcraft. "59.3 million (21.4%) people over age 12 used illicit drugs in the past year." "Underage [..] 29% reported drinking alcohol" https://www.verywellmind.com/rates-of-illicit-drug-abuse-in-the-us-67027 https://www.verywellmind.com/rates-of-illicit-drug-abuse-in-... Looks like weed and alcohol already are 50% of all citizens... I don't find it difficult to imagine that the other half ab-uses food.

happyopossum 4y ago
You can’t add two unrelated stats together and say it’s 50% - there’s highly likely some crossover there…
pixl97 4y ago
So before mass capitalism people didn't drink? Can I ask that you read a large number of history books across any number of cultures on addictive behaviors throughout history, because you'll find that anytime a society had an excess of time and labor/production that people find addictive behaviors to enjoy. This is not recent. This is not capitalism. This is humanity. What capitalism has done is given everybody enough free time from starvation to actually follow addictive pursuits.
- SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
  Aren't there claims commonly made (I haven't reviewed the literature to know if it's compelling or not) that the medieval serf worked less than the modern worker?
  - pixl97 4y ago
    I've read a number of studies like this and at the end of the day everyone ends up at apples != oranges. If you wanted to live with the same amount of 'lifestyle' as a serf did then you'd likely only have to work a few hours a week. The issue is I don't think most people want to live that lifestyle. We like clean water to drink. We like sheltered houses with electricity. We love having a house that is too large and filling it up with an inordinate amount of crap. We love living in expensive places with a lot to do. Turns out wanting all that requires a lot of stuff. At one point in my life I was more interesting in not working and messing around and doing other things. I worked around 40 hours a month for a few years and made enough of a living to pay my bills (hey, computer work pays good). So it's not impossible for at least some people to live like that , though with rent increases not sure if it's possible these days. But with all that said, I like having all the stuff that working a full time job gives to me, so there is that.

HDThoreaun 4y ago

Yes, it doesn't to you?

rootusrootus 4y ago
I think it makes sense to someone who has never tried to starve their body. Doing that will change your appreciation for the human brain.
- HDThoreaun 4y ago
  I'm not saying it's easy. I'm saying the reason people don't do it is because they don't have the willpower. Yes, it is possible to choose to starve yourself, just requires a ton of willpower.
  - viro 4y ago
    Starving yourself often slows down ur metabolism even more, which makes it harder to lose weight without medical issues. the will power to put urself into coma Jesus Christ.

rootusrootus 4y ago

That viewpoint has a strong attraction for people who's natural weight is low, because they get to see themselves as strong willed and morally superior.

Auracle 4y ago

Honestly, yeah? I know I'll get downvoted to hell for this but I could have absolutely nailed a quiz of "who is going to get really fat after high school." Nobody that I would have defined as a "hard worker" has gotten fat.