Skeg, I don't see how making comments to American culture is wrong. For instance, America is the fattest nation in the world with 29% of people overweight. Australia is about 20%. Both these figures are extremely excessive when you consider that the human body is not made to become fat, it has to be abused to become so. So one can conclude that 29% of Americans abuse their bodies to the point where their body weight exceeds the limits that your body should be. This is of course all based on solid fact.

Does it offend? You bet it does. But it's the truth, and if the truth hurts then do something about it. Don't complain that the truth is wrong. America is more capitalistic. This is what fuels the popular belief that tolerance means we have to accept everything everyone does, regardless of what we believe to be right and wrong because their opinion of right and wrong is equal to ours. (The real non-capitalistic definition of tolerance is bearing other's faults - being able to say that they are "mistaken").

The difference here, is that if someone's fat the capitalistic person will say "oh you're just big-boned" or "don't worry about it, it's normal" or "you're looking good". None of which are honest, none of which are helpful or constructive. I on the other hand will not tell white lies. I believe that lying under any circumstances devalues the truth, tells the person you lie to that they aren't worth the truth and encourages distrust and dishonesty. I also know that one white lie on its own may not make much difference, but more and more certainly do, and it is not a positive difference. Why is this a difference?

The capitalistic person believes it is his right to lie.

And sometimes it can be really hard to shake that popular belief. But what would society be like if people all said "I do not have a right to lie"? Can you see how positive it would be?

Back on topic next post, but I thought I should explain this.