The first generation of FatLanders were so pleased to be able to live their lives without stigma and without persecution that they weren't interested in rocking the boat socially. They were pleased and often thrilled to be appreciated and admired. They were tickled to be able to marry, to work, to mingle, to have social lives, to walk up and down streets without being jeered and harassed.
The second generation, however, born and raised in FatLand, took their freedom/s from stigma, persecution and harassment for granted. (This was, however, at least partly because their parents could not bring themselves to speak of the horrors of the Pro-Health and Diet administration and years.) Many started to rebel against what they perceived as the stolidity and boring nature of life in FatLand.
However, the ones who were either sent to the OtherSide/USA or heard or read in more detail about the Pro-Health and Diet times started to appreciate anew life in FatLand.
But it was true that the second generation was not as interested in marrying (one person at a time) or setting up cozy, nuclear style families.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
The No-Nocebo Effect
(Several studies have already established that when a doctor tells a patient that he or she will or even may get some illness or chronic condition, the patient is a lot more likely to get this illness or condition.)
When FatLand doctors and medical personnel were discussing resources to allot to certain conditions experienced more often by fat people on the OtherSide/USA, they budgeted with the help of the Board and added beds and sections as well.
Thus they were astounded when no more than a third of the beds allotted for these conditions were filled. The conditions: diabetes, arthritis, knee problems, hip problems, back problems, heart conditions of all kinds, lung problems. Other conditions which on the OtherSide/USA necessitated outpatient care: High cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain cancers, thrombosis, conditions associated with pregnancy.
What happened? the doctors asked themselves.
It took about a month for them to ascertain that FatLanders, not having been told constantly that they were in danger of developing the illnesses and conditions mentioned above, and many others, simply had not developed them. Also, there were/was no negative background talk, no body shaming, no anti-fat bigotry, no food shaming, no embarrassment, no implications of wrongness or otherness.
And even more astounding was the fact that FatLanders who had experienced these illnesses and conditions on the OtherSide/USA shucked them off to the tune of a 95 percent improvement when they had lived
in FatLand anywhere from 2 years to 10 years.
"Let it grow...let it grow...greatly yield!" (Grateful Dead, Weather Report Suite: Let It Grow)
When FatLand doctors and medical personnel were discussing resources to allot to certain conditions experienced more often by fat people on the OtherSide/USA, they budgeted with the help of the Board and added beds and sections as well.
Thus they were astounded when no more than a third of the beds allotted for these conditions were filled. The conditions: diabetes, arthritis, knee problems, hip problems, back problems, heart conditions of all kinds, lung problems. Other conditions which on the OtherSide/USA necessitated outpatient care: High cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain cancers, thrombosis, conditions associated with pregnancy.
What happened? the doctors asked themselves.
It took about a month for them to ascertain that FatLanders, not having been told constantly that they were in danger of developing the illnesses and conditions mentioned above, and many others, simply had not developed them. Also, there were/was no negative background talk, no body shaming, no anti-fat bigotry, no food shaming, no embarrassment, no implications of wrongness or otherness.
And even more astounding was the fact that FatLanders who had experienced these illnesses and conditions on the OtherSide/USA shucked them off to the tune of a 95 percent improvement when they had lived
in FatLand anywhere from 2 years to 10 years.
"Let it grow...let it grow...greatly yield!" (Grateful Dead, Weather Report Suite: Let It Grow)
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Teaser
Teaser
In FatLand 3: To Live Fat and Free, a shyly handsome man from the first two volumes becomes a lovely fat woman. Can you guess who it might be?
In FatLand 3: To Live Fat and Free, a shyly handsome man from the first two volumes becomes a lovely fat woman. Can you guess who it might be?
Monday, July 14, 2014
Stark and WMD
Winston Stark designed a veritable castle fortress with arms of all sorts, including nuclear-powered rockets, barely ten minutes away from FatLand by air. Air was the easiest way to get there, but people were invited by Stark. It was not open to the public.
FIN (FatLand Intelligence Network) knew of Stark's fortress soon after it was built, but they also knew that he would never actually fire on FatLand. He used the idea of the weapons - his own WMD, so to speak- to deter action by FatLand against him for his questionable business deals and practices. Occasionally he did send drones over FatLand to intimidate the FatLand Board, but did not do more.
Margaret Clancy, whom Stark continued to woo, even after his second marriage (to a Scandinavian/Russian model and gymnast), was a prisoner in Stark's fortress for a short period of time and managed to gather some information about the weapons systems, which were then redone by Stark so that FatLand would not have access to them.
FIN (FatLand Intelligence Network) knew of Stark's fortress soon after it was built, but they also knew that he would never actually fire on FatLand. He used the idea of the weapons - his own WMD, so to speak- to deter action by FatLand against him for his questionable business deals and practices. Occasionally he did send drones over FatLand to intimidate the FatLand Board, but did not do more.
Margaret Clancy, whom Stark continued to woo, even after his second marriage (to a Scandinavian/Russian model and gymnast), was a prisoner in Stark's fortress for a short period of time and managed to gather some information about the weapons systems, which were then redone by Stark so that FatLand would not have access to them.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Strange Rumor
In the days after the Pro-Health and Diet Laws were annulled, and FatLand and the OtherSide/USA resumed relations, a strange rumor started to circulate.
The rumor was that from the first, FatLand had tried to keep out OtherSiders who were not fat.
This flabbergasted most FatLanders.
When it was discussed at the next Board Meeting, board members as well expressed their astonishment.
"I frankly didn't know or see that slimmer OtherSiders were clamoring to get into and be part of FatLand," the Chair said.
"I remember having a lot of fun made of us," another member said. "By OtherSiders. I truly did not know that slimmer people were so intent on getting in."
"Our priorities were saving fat people who were being harassed and sent to Reeducation Centers at the time," yet another board member stated. "I mean, maybe there were a few non-fat people who wished to get in, but the fat people were the ones who were facing Reeducation Centers or worse."
After the meeting, two archivists were asked to locate applications for FatLand visas by non-fat people. The archivists pored over newly found records of people seeking to obtain visas for FatLand. Out of 240,000 applications, one hundred and twenty were applications from slimmer people. (Fifty were granted.)
Not exactly clamoring...
The rumor was that from the first, FatLand had tried to keep out OtherSiders who were not fat.
This flabbergasted most FatLanders.
When it was discussed at the next Board Meeting, board members as well expressed their astonishment.
"I frankly didn't know or see that slimmer OtherSiders were clamoring to get into and be part of FatLand," the Chair said.
"I remember having a lot of fun made of us," another member said. "By OtherSiders. I truly did not know that slimmer people were so intent on getting in."
"Our priorities were saving fat people who were being harassed and sent to Reeducation Centers at the time," yet another board member stated. "I mean, maybe there were a few non-fat people who wished to get in, but the fat people were the ones who were facing Reeducation Centers or worse."
After the meeting, two archivists were asked to locate applications for FatLand visas by non-fat people. The archivists pored over newly found records of people seeking to obtain visas for FatLand. Out of 240,000 applications, one hundred and twenty were applications from slimmer people. (Fifty were granted.)
Not exactly clamoring...
Friday, July 4, 2014
Progress
In FatLand, anyone desiring the equivalent of Hospice Care receives it. But so much progress has been made in improving outcomes of diseases and illnesses that formerly led to this state that very few people now need such care. People who would formerly have been confined to their beds receive therapies targeted to their conditions, especially but not only the Mondo Sized on whom OtherSide/USA doctors often gave up.
Of course there are way fewer Mondo Sized people than there were a generation ago in FatLand. Why? Well, people are not put on diets, which turned out to be one of the quickest ways to gain weight. People are not harassed when they move or participate in athletic activities or simply take a walk. People eat Kwhat they like, so they don't develop eating disorders which cause their weight to yo yo or spiral up. And no one is told that they cannot have x food or that s/he must eat y food, or must eat 12 servings a day of z food.
Kind of like the best kind of urban planning: Let people do as they wish and build as they wish, but be prepared to help them along, and make sure that no one tendency or fashion or building group accumulates too much power.
Of course there are way fewer Mondo Sized people than there were a generation ago in FatLand. Why? Well, people are not put on diets, which turned out to be one of the quickest ways to gain weight. People are not harassed when they move or participate in athletic activities or simply take a walk. People eat Kwhat they like, so they don't develop eating disorders which cause their weight to yo yo or spiral up. And no one is told that they cannot have x food or that s/he must eat y food, or must eat 12 servings a day of z food.
Kind of like the best kind of urban planning: Let people do as they wish and build as they wish, but be prepared to help them along, and make sure that no one tendency or fashion or building group accumulates too much power.
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