Advertising Spreads Words–Let’s Make Them Positive

Let me say, up front, I do support efforts towards body positivity. It is a real and observable fact that the way you are in the weight department has an effect on the humans around you. People really are biased on this. Some won’t admit it, but if you are heavier set, people judge you for it.

And that sucks.

But it’s also not the main point I will broach today. No. Because I am not here necessarily to point fingers at the restaurants, or the drug companies, or even the parents, and blame them for the problems of weight. But not just weight–health in general. Being overweight is just a more visible symptom of a much bigger problem.

And I think it’s a combination of things that got us the way we are. I think it’s everyone’s fault. Mine, yours, everyone’s. Sure, the restaurants and stores advertise food that’s bad for you. Sure, we worked out the exact ways to build an addiction to certain products. Sure, the economy is so messed up it costs me more to get a fresh vegetable in a decent amount than it takes to get a McDonald’s burger.

But it’s also us. We talk about how we could go to these places. We talk about cheating on diets. And if everyone knows stores like Checkers is bad for them, then why are there so many?

Someone is buying. And that is us. A free market means we decide who gets to stay in business.

And then we turn around and chastise the people who grew unhealthy off this. Belittling for lack of “willpower”.

We Ultimately Decide What Advertising We Get, By What We Allow To Exist

But let me tell you something interesting. The things almost no one is advertising. The things we all should be advertising. Because I started living healthier a while back, and when you cut out most bread, sugar, dairy, corn, fruit, soy, black beans, and white rice: you learn that the way we eat is flawed.

I am not a fad diet person. This is not a fad diet. This is a lifestyle. And let me tell you what happens when you pair it with exercise. Sugar feels like acid in your stomach.

Bread feels like a sleeping pill. Just sucks the energy out of you.

You become frighteningly aware of just how much the world pushes its food on you. How much the world wants you to eat the line-up of junk food places like on Gulf to Bay.

Because they know they can’t survive without you.

But you don’t need them.

I don’t think it could ever be easy. But if you want to make people healthier, it’s got to start with you. With us.

We all, together, have to take responsibility for this. We need to make advertising that promotes health and isn’t judgmental about it.  And, we need to make a planet where they have the right choices readily—and cheaply–available.

And then maybe we can get somewhere.

If you liked this article, you can read more of Brandon Scott’s work on The Hive, or at his website: www.coolerbs.com