That history of our species has been the struggle to try and work out how to gain enough calories to see the next day: as it actually is for all other species. We’re the one that has worked out farming, economy, trade, to solve it. And we’re here in this happy day when it is actually all coming to fruition.
Consider what is the complaint. Instead of people dropping dead of starvation next week we’re now facing the idea that people might drop dead in a few decades or more from an excess of food availability. That second, in and of itself, may not be all that desirable an outcome. But compared to what went before we do indeed insist that this is a vast, joyous, victory.
So, happy dance! With, of course, lashings of ginger beer, burgers, milkshakes, fries, donuts, ice creams and syrup covered waffles to sate the appetites so created.
People who indulge their desire for the nice things in life like tasty food, have loose morals and are evil.
Isn’t that the argument?
The possibility that there might be more overweight people on this earth than underweight would indeed br worth celebrating, but these figures come from the Lancet and are therefore very likely ginned up propaganda to push their agenda.
When the definition of obesity (sic) as measured by BMI has changed several times over 1975-2014, with the change always in the direction of a lower BMI value, it’s hardly surprising that so-called obesity has increased.
And don’t get me started on the sheer stupidity of using a 2-dimensional index to rate an irregular 3-dimensional object.
@VftS How Dare You sir! the BMI is at the very cutting edge of medical science!
the BMI is at the very cutting edge of medical science
Just behind phrenology …
Evolutionary success means leaving descendants old enough to fend for themselves and ready to reproduce. Beyond that, eat, drink and piss off the puritans to celebrate.
It’s the same with the people complaining about the existance of the one fundamental invention that ensured we could have food available to eat all year round – food processing. Oh noes! Evil food processing! We must only eat what’s available on the trees at the point where’s we’re hungry and starve through the rest of the year.
Six comments here and no one bothered to post anything at Adam Smith’s site.
Tim you need to get your minions to show up outside of this bubble. The economic benefits, to you, of a large following should be obvious. Since I know you don’t want the cost of paying a commentard flock what is the plan to increase your paycheck?
I’ve pointed out before that kg·m⁻² is a bloody stupid unit unless you’re measuring floor loading in a warehouse or radiation shielding.
Hmm,
Cough, cough
That new ASI Blog design Yeech!
Reminds me of something Tim wrote about.
That new Telegraph design Yeech!
ASI has copied Telegraph bad ideas. Jack and Jill picture book site where full screen pictures and headlines are out of date.
Tim,
Sack the Windows 8 hipsters and revert ASI blog to how it was before.
P
Anyone seen Tome Stade’s bit about fat poor people? It’s good.
> Sack the Windows 8 hipsters
I agree that these modern designs are awful, but I wouldn’t blame Windows 8. It’s all about making sites viewable on bloody iPhones first and foremost. If Windows 8 were the consideration, I’m pretty sure these sites would work well on Windows Phone. And they don’t.