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Do people have an ethical obligation to be healthy?


Karst

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Black Tourmaline

as far as my personal beliefs go, i get my ethics from Torah and according to the Torah it is necessary to make the attempt to maintain health. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch writes in his book, "Horeb", in his explanation of the mitzvah (commandment) of guarding our health:

'Limiting our presumption against our own body, God's word calls to us: "Do not commit suicide!" "Do not injure yourself!" "Do not ruin yourself!" "Do not weaken yourself!" "Preserve yourself!"

You may not . . . in any way weaken your health or shorten your life. Only if the body is healthy is it an efficient instrument for the spirit's activity....Therefore you should avoid everything which might possibly injure your health. . . . And the law asks you to be even more circumspect in avoiding danger to life and limb than in the avoidance of other transgressions.'

 


 

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On 1/26/2021 at 3:36 PM, Beam Anne said:

She lived with her family.  So I did not jump at that at first.  Just let her vent.  She said she worked "odd jobs", meaning she had some income of her own.  So I said maybe they did not have all the meals together, why not consider healthy food when she ate by herself.

Yeah, I feel this. I'm not a minor, can't afford to move out and pay over a week's income in rent (or two weeks depending on the month). Luckily my family doesn't eat all my food though... if they did I'd have to buy food from the gas station every day. 

 

On 1/26/2021 at 3:36 PM, Beam Anne said:

Health Education is an (/possibly the most) essential part of Health Care.

I totally agree, we need to invest more in education and health literacy. Don't just tell kids they need a serving of vegetables, show them how to make a healthy recipe with vegetables. Teach them about vitamins and minerals, and how to read nutrition labels. Let them try growing their own vegetables, or bring them to a farmer's market and let them buy something (I worked at a farmer's market that gave kids Power Of Produce tokens - they loved buying their own cherry tomatoes or pooling tokens for a melon).

 

ETA: Damn it, I didn't realize the post I was replying to was so old! Thought this was a new topic 🙈 

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On 1/30/2021 at 9:39 PM, Moonman said:

Let's be fair though, people do get hurt and injured whilst exercising and playing sport and these things are choices too. A healthy lifestyle might give you a dislocated shoulder from a rugby tackle, a fractured skull from a clash of heads jumping for the same corner kick or a torn bicep attempting one way too many dumbell curls. You choose to play sport, you choose to go the gym and yet here you are burdening the government with your injuries and your persistent issues that you wouldn't have if you just made better choices. We wouldn't need to foot the bill for that physiotherapy treatment for your tennis elbow if you just stopped playing tennis! 

That makes no sense. 

 

The odds of injury pales from the benefit to your health.

 

I was an athlete all my teens and early adult life.

 

We are talking physical sports.

 

Injuries for the most part, were ones you could play through. 

 

I can count on one hand, where I injured myself so badly I had to stop playing, let alone go to the hospital.

 

You're comparing this to a lifestyle that can have permanent consequences, which you must administer care to on a daily basis. 

 

Older in life, put you on a path of additional issues on an already strained system.

 

You could make that argument for the current times as you're taking places of those who are on wait lists waiting behind covid19 patients.

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Also, why is it taboo in western society to point out that unhealthy lifestyles are, well...unhealthy?

 

Pointing out statistics and facts aren't fat shaming.

 

Just like say, pointing out crime rates in a city slum mostly populated by minorities isn't racist.

 

I put on a ton of weight and am short of breath doing simple  tasks, I know I am in bad shape. I don't need to gaslight people into calling me voluptuous or big sexy playa playa.

 

I think its healthier to accept these people are human and have feelings, vs pretending highly unhealthy behaviors are just fine and without consequence.

 

Shaming doesn't work. Encouragement is best. Reality, is healthy lifestyles are hard. This also cannot be lost.

 

Maybe morals attached to this is a stretch, but all civilians should have access to the benefits, along with the financial incentives to leading healthy lives. 

 

Socially, it pays for itself.

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Stressing out so much over other people's weight isn't good for your health, Perspektiv. Maybe take a step back and meditate for a while.

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47 minutes ago, Snao Cone said:

Stressing out so much over other people's weight isn't good for your health, Perspektiv. Maybe take a step back and meditate for a while.

No stress here, plus I do yoga and meditate. 

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I fail to understand how debating online is stressful. Heck even live. I would get into heated debates in debate class and remain calm.

 

Debate and emotion don't mix, just like the human body and a highly sedentary lifestyle.

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lol, ok, posting repetitively and obsessively about a topic where other people's existence bothers you implies differently, but I won't judge your lifestyle. 

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10 minutes ago, Perspektiv said:

I fail to understand how debating online is stressful... Debate and emotion don't mix

Ah, yes, the absolutely golden "why is everyone else getting so emotional?" take, with a rich overtone of willful literalism. Savor it like a fine wine, friends. It's a real classic.

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34 minutes ago, Moonman said:

All I did was take your argument and apply it to a relevant context.

My context is that an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle is proven to be bad for you.

 

Your point only makes sense with sports proven to be bad for you, like combat sports which is debilitating long term to the brain. Tackle football. Contact hockey, etc.

 

Someone leading a healthy and active lifestyle taking jogs, doing yoga or Zumba or other popular methods, result in very little risk to those practicing. 

 

An incredibly unlikely event of an injury isn't the same as an almost certain fate with a highly unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle.

 

Most have an understanding that unless you're trying to make it, that you have a job to go to (regarding say, adults playing rec league sports).

 

Someone scarfing down junk food all day, and willfully damaging their body isn't the same as someone taking care of theirs.

 

I am confused how.

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2 hours ago, Snao Cone said:

I won't judge your lifestyle. 

Feel free to.

 

What I am doing is called debating. I am confused as to what point you are trying to make regarding the actual thread topic.

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Just now, Perspektiv said:

I am confused as to what point you are trying to make regarding the actual thread topic.

Being deeply invested, to the point of posting multiple times in a row, in a debate where you want to make other types of people look/feel as burdensome, unhealthy, and sickening as possible seems like a deep investment in an issue that shouldn't have that much of an impact on you.

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2 minutes ago, Snao Cone said:

Being deeply invested

I like a subject, I debate in it. What is wrong with debate in a debate forum? 

 

One can feel how they may about it, but I am just not understanding how having an opinion and debating it is a problem considering the setting it is being done in.

 

Now taking my opinion to a weight watchers clinic, and you have a point.

 

But a question that pretty much asks the question on your opinion on the said subject? Really?

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Multiple posts in a row.

 

Anyway, I'm not personally invested in this outside of generic shitposting, so you have fun. Consider me here in spirit as I continue to exist in spite of objections.

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13 hours ago, 2SpiritCherokeePrincess said:

Them being body shamed isn't the issue. Them holding the cards to what your body should look like, with size 0 waists and personal trainers, is. Reality is personal trainers is impossible for the vast majority of the population.

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1 hour ago, Moonman said:

we should be more sympathetic than judgemental.

I put on 80lbs at my heaviest. Had a stroke. I was judged, because I clearly got heavy.

 

Nobody ever pointed and laughed, but their judgment was mixed with concern.

 

I felt the judgment. Laughter isn't required when you know you're being stared at. 

 

Judgment will rarely be verbal.

 

If I see a 600lb individual getting on an aircraft, am sorry but am going to look over. 

 

I won't stare, but I guarantee you 90% of the people on that flight will.

 

We live in a society where telling this person they will have to pay for two seats is considered discrimination. 

 

I think that's ridiculous.

 

Those more than likely were conscious choices. 

 

We can't pretend highly unhealthy lifestyles are healthy.

 

I knew I needed to get to a gym and overhaul my food intake, asap. 

 

I don't see a problem with someone respectfully asking me if I gained weight. 

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Alaska Native Manitou
4 hours ago, 2SpiritCherokee Princess said:

Sorry, but that pastor telling anyone they need to be like "Melania Trump" of all people, tells you he is in no position doing any sermons. That's horrible advice.

 

Stay in a loveless marriage, for image and for what you can get out of it? Transactional marriages is why one should tie  the knot?

 

This isn't misogynistic or offensive. Its idiotic and makes no sense. 

 

He could have picked a better woman, or rather one at least in a better setting. 

 

One should strive to look their best for their partner. What's wrong with that?

 

I push myself to keep fit for my fiancee. She pushes herself to look her sexiest for me. I never ask or demand it. We just want to give our best to our partners. 

 

Find me someone who let's themselves go and stops putting effort in their relationship, and you have found me someone who will be in a loveless relationship before the 3 year or 7 year itch their relationship will hit. 

 

He had decent meat to the point he was trying to make, but totally went off the rails in his delivery. 

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People have passions. But to turn those passions into obligations, is where danger can be found

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ElusiveCreature

I haven’t read this thread, but I did read the title.

 

As someone who has an incurable chronic illness. It is unimaginably debilitating, and yet no one knows how it really works. Suggested treatments often make it worse, and it’s often been suggested to me that it is all in my head. Even though it is very real. (Has been recognised by the WHO for decades - it is real)

 

I want nothing more than to be healthy, and to be able to live a normal life. No one sane asks to be sick.

 

People with good health have an ethical obligation to respect those who have been cursed with worse bodies than theirs.

 

I do not have the luxury of eating what I want, I do not have the luxury of doing what I want. And people blame me for it, because they do not understand.

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Alaska Native Manitou

 

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When I try to be physically and mentally healthy (taking my meds, eating enough, not consuming too much caffeine or alcohol, not hurting myself, etc.) it's for myself, not out of some ethical obligation for society. I don't owe society anything. The only other people who remotely come into play are my family, people I actually know and care about, but even then that's my choice, not an obligation.

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  • 3 months later...
Alaska Native Manitou

Spoiler for artistic nudity:  

Spoiler

5czke3.jpg

 

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