Over my 64 years, I’ve observed a decline in the mental and physical resilience of our society. Many people have succumbed to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy habits, leading to widespread obesity and diminished self-discipline. A recent pharmacy commercial featured a woman who described herself as “having obesity,” as if it were an unavoidable condition rather than a consequence of her choices. She mentioned taking Pioglitazone to prevent fatty liver disease, seemingly without considering changes to her diet or lifestyle. This mindset baffles me. Losing weight doesn’t require expensive programs or medications—it starts with eating less, which also saves money.
I often hear obese individuals claim, “I can’t lose weight because of my metabolism.” This excuse defies basic physics: consuming fewer calories than you burn leads to weight loss. In extreme cases, such as the reality show Survivor, where food is scarce, no contestant has ever gained weight. The evidence is clear—discipline, not metabolism, is the key.
When I was in high school, I worked briefly as a clerk at a 24-hour Circle K. Every morning at 7 a.m., the same group of people gathered outside, waiting to buy their daily alcohol. No matter how much they purchased, they consumed it all by the next day. Their addiction was evident, yet the solution was simple: don’t go to the store. I saw similar patterns with cigarettes and harder drugs. Breaking free required one choice—stop buying the substance. My parents, shaped by the Great Depression, weren’t immune to this either. In the early 1970s, as coffee prices soared, my father complained bitterly but continued to buy it. When I suggested he stop, he replied, “Markie, it’s not that simple.” Yet, to me, it was.
Our society struggles with even minor hardships. During the pandemic, meat shortages didn’t affect me because I was willing to eat what others wouldn’t. In World War II, ration stamps were required for scarce items like meat, eggs, and rubber. People adapted to those constraints with resilience—a stark contrast to today’s reluctance to face discomfort or make sacrifices.
Published by Editor, Sammy Campbell.