elrico,
You do not sound callous, just ignorant or uneducated on the subject.
As I stated n my previous post, unless you've been there then you have no idea what it's really like.
It is NOT as simple as what you stated" It's a pretty simple equation in the vast majority of cases....eat more calories than your body needs to survive, and you gain weight. Eat fewer calories, and lose or at least hold steady." Most obese people do not eat a ton of crap food, nor do they eat a lot period. They usually eat the same as the average joe, or that has been my experience personally and with those people involved with the same surgery support group that I go to as well as my surgeons experience. My surgeon has been doing this for 27 years, was one of the pioneeers in this field and knows a HELL of a lot more than you do on this subject.
You're ignorance is glaring here with this comment, "the only ailment or condition obese people are suffering from is a lack of willpower." What you said is nothing but pure BULL****!!! This is what the majority of skinny or non-obese people think. I have plenty of will power but was unable to lose the weight without help. It got to the point where I was physically unable to exercise. But then again, that was all my fault wasn't it?. It was all my faiult that I tore ligaments and cartiliage in my knee at work while I was in college basketball shape. It was all my fault that I had to have knee surgery. It was all my fault that I could not exercise wasn't it? Then again perhaps I should have watched what I eat better huh? Well I did pal, and I still gained a ton of weight. Perhaps you should go to a support group for obese people and listen to their stories. My situation is a very common occurance. Things snowball and the next thing you know that person is unable to walk or exercise.
Boy you really are clueless, especially with your last comment, "...I actually take responsibility for my own actions." Well guess what , I do to. I am not blaming anyone for any of what happened to me. I know what happened to me and accept the consequences of my actions, I repeat MY ACTIONS. However; not all of what happened to me was under my control. I was a college basketball player in really good shape until I hurt my knee. The weight piled on in such a rapid succession and I was limited on what I could do in regard to my physical therapy. Basically I could no longer work out in a fashion to where I was active enough to maintain my weight let alone lose weight.
Just the fact that you even mention lawsuits really shows your ingnorance. Most obese people do not blame someone else, it is a few who do so that gives the rest of us a bad name. Kind of like anti-tobacco smoking people.
As to your "I have a hard time with obese people being victims" comment, when is the last time you were refused a job due to your size? When is the last time you got smirks, dirty looks, or made fun of when you go to a buffet? When is the last time you could nto go to the movie due to not fitting in a seat? How about an air plane seat? How about a booth at your local restaurant? When is the last time you walked down the mall and had kids make fun of you all while their parents just stare at you because of your size instead of admonishing them? When is the last time you were forced to buy clothes from a single store who had a monopoly on the size that you wear and charged 2-3 times the amount that other people paid? When is the last time you broke a chair or sofa? When is the last time you could not fit into one of your friend's car? All of these instances are just the tip of the iceburg on what obese people have to go thru on a daily basis. You have no friggin clue, so just shut your piehole and sit down before you make a bigger fool of yourself than you already have.
Better yet, I ahve a brilliant idea for you, why don't you go to a costume store and rent a "fat suit". Wear it all day, every day for 2 weeks or better yet one month. Then come and see me and you might have an inkling of what I went thru as well as what other obese people go thru on a daily basis.
Until you go thru the things I did and other obese people did you really haven't a clue at all!!!
Matt