I have received emails for some time generated by several writers stating they were members of the greatest generation and were, therefore, “HIP!”
What, in the writer’s opinion, did this mean?
While this seems to vary from writer to writer, various examples include: no frozen foods; five and ten cent stores where you could actually buy things for five cents and ten cents; ice cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel; a nickel could buy enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards; when being taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents was a rare privilege; eating Kool-Aid with powdered sugar; eating candy cigarettes and Coke-shaped wax bottles with colored sugar water inside; playing with peashooters.
The inspiration for the title of this article did not come from those particular emails, however—it came from the vast number of women I have encountered lately who talk about being overweight. I would daresay that I have encountered an equal or greater number of men in the same time period who in my opinion, could safely consider themselves overweight, but I have not heard one male express any concern at all about obesity.
Obviously having little better to do in leisure moments, I have pondered on the concerns of being overweight I have heard recently. What exactly determines if a person is obese? Doctors and other health experts work with the body/mass index (BMI), a comparison of height to weight, ideally with consideration to gender and age factored into the equation. Perhaps that is the most pertinent concern for determining obesity, as many health concerns such as risk for diabetes have research-based direct correlation to BMI.
Many times, however, I think concerns about being overweight are related to perceptions of others’ opinions. The term “peer pressure” is generally thought of in relation to children in school, but the sad truth is that peer pressure is an issue for almost everyone all throughout life.
Turn on the television for proof.
Note how many network commercials shamelessly advertise food then turn around and advertise weight loss products.
It’s almost like they “build you up” to “slim you down.”
It’s really amazing how much influence television and now the ever-increased sources of social media affect people’s perceptions of each other and the opposite sex. What is it that for years has influenced what men and women find attractive about each other?
Think back years ago when the “Twiggy” look was in. That seemed to give way to the Marilyn Monroe look in the next decade. Hollywood and the media have provided an endless list of iconic images for women to emulate to be appealing to men—Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Natalie Wood, Jayne Mansfield, Sophia Loren, Hedy Lemarr, Nancy Kwan, Jane Russell, Raquel Welch, Bo Derek, Cheryl Tiegs, Ann-Margret. Conversely, there have been a number of iconic male images for men to emulate so they would appeal to women—Elvis, James Dean, Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, Sidney Poitier, James Stewart, Rob Lowe, Channing Tatum, George Clooney, Paul Newman.
The fact that some of you Dear Readers won’t know who some of these people are is evidence of how fickle public perception of the world’s most beautiful and desirable people can be. You might find a Google search for images of these people most entertaining.
It wasn’t long ago that Victoria’s Secrets announced that its advertising was changing its image to include more “full-figured” or “full-bodied” females. So entered another shift in what was to be presented to the public as an image of desire.
It has been said there is someone for everyone. I might not have believed this if not for personal experience.
When I was in college, I met this girl that just seemed gorgeous to me. Not only did I think she was pretty, but she had a personality that seemed to compliment mine. We became acquainted, and it turned out we were mutually attracted to each other. I could perfectly understand what I saw in her (though there were a few who could not), but I could not understand how she could get past my ugliness (I’ve not always been the gorgeous hunk of manhood that I am now) to want to have anything to do with me. There were many (including her mother) who thought I was not worthy of such a prize as she.
My best advice, Dear Reader, for what it is worth, is “let your conscience be your guide.” Don’t let the opinions of others rule your life. In most cases in which I did, I think I compromised happiness for the opinions of others who have been out of the picture of my life longer than they were in it.
I leave you with some further reflections on health and weight from my email world.
Covid-19 Fact: 87% of gym members didn’t even know their gym was closed.
Covid-19 Observation: Had I known in March 2020 that it was the last time I would be in a restaurant for two years, I would have ordered the dessert.
Vegetarians live up to nine years longer than meat-eaters. Nine horrible, worthless, bacon-less years.
I’d grow my own food if only I could find bacon seeds.
Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space
because passing wind in a spacesuit damages them. (Damages which—the suit or the astronauts?)
We all get heavier as we get older, because there’s a lot more information in our heads. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
They say every piece of chocolate eaten shortens your life by two minutes. I’ve done the math. Seems I died in 1937.
Ladies: It’s been said that men have two motivations: Hunger and hanky-panky, and they can’t tell them apart. If you see a gleam in his eyes, make him a sandwich.