3 ms·
Yes, and anyone should be able to hold their breath for 3 minutes. Oh wait, that's hard? Is it possible there is a strong biological drive that makes it difficu
by ericb 12y ago
Yes, and anyone should be able to hold their breath for 3 minutes. Oh wait, that's hard? Is it possible there is a strong biological drive that makes it difficult? So does that mean these drives affect our behavior? Imagine there was a similar drive for food. Let's call it "hunger." If such a drive existed, it is conceivable it would vary from person to person, and things would be more complicated than "a calorie is a calorie" because there's this whole strong drive drive influencing things. What if other factors could mess with the strength of this drive?
Thank goodness this is all hypothetical, otherwise "a calorie is a calorie" might be just a meaningless platitude.
- judk 12y agoYour analogy and message would be more pleasant if you didn't wrap it in the confusing and unfriendly sarcasm.
- ericb 12y agoA fair point. I have tried putting this in friendlier terms at times, but my perception is that most people who hold the reductionist view want fatness to be a morality tale where bad things happen to people who deserved it. That notion offends me, and it seems far-fetched since this is happening in animals, too. That or someone is generalizing from their n of one anecdote to all people. Even worse, I feel like this platitude is used as an excuse to stop thinking. The least interesting part of this whole thing is the thermodynamics--to the point of being so uninteresting that I can't believe it gets talked about. How about why are people eating more? Do some foods satiate hunger better? Why is the problem accelerating over time? What is causing animals to weigh more--has their willpower diminished? A calorie is a calorie misses the point so thoroughly it infuriates me. Apologies for the tone.