Social media platforms are now in the business of curating what they believe is right and wrong based on their fragmented understanding (aka philosophy) of right and wrong, truth and lies. (I don’t really blame them…I personally hate weight loss ads, diets and shaming people) but what this means… is that these social media platforms are legislating morality, setting up their own religious system, and dealing out judgement and transgressions.
Perhaps, a website built to offer a gluttonous amount of the most unhealthy recipes and the worship of a consumer lifestyle that encourages, validates and is dedicated to the acquisition, decoration and consumption of as much stuff as humanly possible DOES NOT understand that their entire site is part of the problem, and they are actively causing the issues that they think they are solving.
Unfortunately, we are at a point that we have to do more than simply ban ads, prescribe diets, treat diet-related sickness and disease and shame people. Rather, we must have a serious conversation about health especially now…when over 88% of Americans have some form of diet-related disease that kills more Americans than any other disease, causes 80 to 90% of all cancers, has reduced life expectancy, is a national security issue, is now affecting youth and forever altering their DNA, changes families, affects emotional and mental health, causes physical pain and suffering, stresses relationships and cost tax payers trillions each year. More than ever, we need to take a serious look at why we continue to “treat” diet-related disease as a shame inducing issue.
Health is not an option.
Health is not a social construct.
Health is not a lifestyle.
Talking about our health is LITERALLY a life and death matter.
If Pinterest is worried about body image issues, then it should take down every girl in a swimsuit, doing a workout and wearing skinny jeans. When over 88% of the country is suffering from diet-related disease and sickness, then every image that does not reflect our current reality has the potential to expose us, and when we are exposed then we can feel guilt, shame, fear and pain.
Truthfully, if we properly educated our country on health, then we would have no need of weight-loss ads, the diet and fitness industry and much of the medical industrial complex. But… this what naturally happens in a world where everyone is living like consumers who are over informed but undereducated.
No longer, do we get to determine what “health” means to me when we are experiencing the same epidemic of the same diet-related sickness and disease that… is killing us.
We must talk about health. The number one killer of Americans is diet-related disease not self-esteem. No, I don’t believe in shaming people but I also think it’s a shame to let people die from over consuming junk and from preventable disease and sickness.
If Pinterest is really wanting to fight the good fight, then why don’t they take down all fast food advertisements and unhealthy products? This would include soft drinks and alcohol. If we are really going to censor what kills people, then we have to talk about food-all unhealthy recipes must go! (But who gets to determine which recipes are unhealthy and what algorithm will make that call?)
If we let the world take us down the path of curating morality, where will it stop. Don’t they know that lust is adultery, hate is murder, and there are sins of omission and commission. Do they understand the heart? Would homes, clothes, shoes, jewelry, decor and crafts tempt us to covet? Wouldn’t they need to go too? Perhaps, the whole site could be a case of idolatry. Would they understand and delete themselves?
Or would they do what they do best and that is curate a Pinterest board of morality, where they pick and choose by some strange and superficial reasoning what they think is right and what they think is wrong.
DeeAnn Dean 