Why is society so cruel to others who have visual differences, ie larger folk, the physically challenged etc..

Answer 1

Yeah, I recently asked a question along those lines in the category of people with disabilities, or whatever it is they call it. It's a new category under Society & Culture. I think some people may not realize that making jokes is being cruel. I am certain that some (especially the very young) think that mocking fat people will "persuade" them to "lose weight," as if we did not already desire that most sincerely. I have actually had a kid say something nasty about my weight, and when I told him it was rude, he said, "Well, if you don't like it, go on a diet." Do they think diets work instantaneously?

But some of it has to be laid at the feet of their parents. It is apparently mostly very young people, and they simply have not been taught that making jokes and being mocking is in fact cruel, and should not be done. Sadly, I think they hear their own parents doing it sometimes. Then, too, there are parents who will defend their child's behavior to others, whether or not they approve. They feel it is disloyal to the child to allow anyone else to criticize their words or deeds: My kid, right or wrong.

Then there is the fact that the immature will sometimes say the most outrageous things just because they can startle a laugh out of someone, and so they feel it is evidence that they are witty. In this, I think they are only half correct.

Slinky faerie: Yes, it is instinctual to prefer the healthy to the unhealthy. But that instinct does not explain being rude and crude. Sympathetic would make more sense. And to those who believe ones past bad habits necessarily continue into the present, or that being morbidly obese "proves you are lazy," that is just short-sighted. At most, it is evidence that the person has, at some point in their lives, been out of control, either in eating too much, exercising too little, or having an illness that caused the problem.

I was OK until I broke my leg and could not get significant exercise to work off the food I ate partly out of need, partly out of boredom and depression. Once you have the arthritis, bad heart and other problems caused by excess weight, it is all the harder to get proper exercise to lose it.

The answer is to take care of yourself, be glad you are healthy, but don't make jokes about people who are different from yourself.

Answer 2

Appart from my depression I'm on the whole average, but I have still been at the receiving end of cruel and nasty comments from others.

What I have come to believe is like in a lot of other topics, religion, politics, rasicim, it's not the whole of a particular group from society, it is the minority that give that sectio a bad name.

And these individuals are normally narrow minded and very shallow people, who obviously have a huge void in their lives somewhere that means they have to fill it by being cruel to others.

Don't let them get to you - remember they still have to sit on the toilet with their pants around their ankles like everyone else.

Answer 3

It's partially instinctual, and partially societal programming. For someone to be too overweight means that they are an unhealthy person, and, by instinct, we look for the stronger, healthier mates. Society has played on this instinctual response by not only exploiting this fact, but actually giving the sympathy card to those who say they just " can't get off the couch and stop eating." As far as the physically challenged go, again, that's instinctual. Like it or not, we're animals, and our instincts govern our impressions of someone's physical being.

Answer 4

aheew koff kofff my theory is this: people albeit civilised are still not that far from our animal past, that is survival of the fittest - old and week die from hunger as they do not (can not)contribute. children are probably the worst. at school if from other town they get picked on if all from same town then other housing estate if from same estate then different street if all from same street then hair colour or height & etc. as we get older we are trained to socially accept but it is a thing we have to learn and the "poor learners" as in everything else have trouble learning to co-exist.

Answer 5

Maybe you could put it down to evolution - survival of the fittest, so all of those who aren't nearing perfect mustn't carry on the human race. Thankfully humans also have morals so we can see that this evolving job isn't as important as making those who are on earth at the moment as happy as we can while we're still here...

Answer 6

It's the herd mentality: if it's different, it must be wrong, so gang up on it and kill it.
We don't (usually) kill those who are different but people often feel it's "OK" to ridicule those who are obviously different. It also makes some people feel "better" about themselves because "they're the OK ones."
What is OK about belittling and mocking others, is what I don't get...

Answer 7

i think it's because we have a society with too many people who never progressed emotionally past the 3rd grade...now, as to how and/or why THAT is the case, you could start an entire site for just that question...

Answer 8

Love works in mysterious ways.

Answer 9

because they are ignorant and losing out on meeting some great people with wonderful personalities and skills.

Diversity, and disability Awareness is what they need

Answer 10

Because they lack compassion, that part of their personality is missing.