There have been a slew of weight loss shows over the years. Some examples include, I Used To Be Fat, Extreme Weight Loss, My 600-lb Life and the Biggest Loser. All of these shows have done one of two things with viewers, they’ve either inspired them or left them so angry that they’ll track these contestants down on social media and troll them.
Why the anger? Let us take My 600-lb Life for example. This past season there was a woman named Pauline. From the way she was portrayed, it looked like she relied too heavily on her son for support and that she didn’t take her weight loss seriously. People were furious with her and pretty much bullied her on social media. Let me ask again, why the anger? Did Pauline owe you something? People sure seem to think so. If they’re not left cheering at the TV and instead feeling like their time was wasted, they then want to make themselves feel better by shaming the person to the point that they’ll feel like their time was not wasted.
First off, I just want to say that I’ve found out that Pauline has been walking, losing weight and exercising. I’ve also found out that her relationship with her son is not nearly as bad as it was portrayed on the show. I’ve found this out through multiple sources. But, that’s beside the point. If you feel like Pauline didn’t take a big opportunity seriously, then that’s her business. Whether or not she takes it seriously will not affect you one way or another. Your life will continue.
Another somewhat old example is Tanner from I Used To Be Fat. Boy, were people mad at not only him, but at his girlfriend as well. Viewers felt like Tanner slacked off and that his girlfriend was a bad influence. People trolled them so much that I actually saw one guy asking for tips on how to bully them on a message board. How pathetic.
First off, Tanner’s girlfriend was not responsible for his transformation. That was all on him. Second of all, I have read that Tanner was dealing with drug addiction behind the scenes and that’s what caused tension between him and his girlfriend. I am not 100% positive, but it seems pretty likely.
Look, I’ll admit that I don’t think that Tanner really grabbed the bull by the horns on his episode. He had also looked like he had gained a lot of this weight back when he came back for a reunion episode. I will give him credit for at least having the gall to show up. The bottom line with Tanner, just as it was with Pauline, was that he owed you nothing. So, he didn’t take it seriously. And? Your life will continue. You’ll still have bills to pay and a job to go back to in the morning. Your life will not end because of Tanner’s lack of success.
I’m writing this blog not so Tanner and Pauline can see it. Chances are, they won’t. This is a very blunt message to everyone that thinks that they can shame a person enough to change their lives. You’re wasting your time. Take that energy and do volunteer work, become an advocate, or take up a hobby. But, trolling someone will achieve NOTHING!
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