My Gift to All of You

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by hahnb

That's a great article as well. You know what's funny? As soon as someone posts either of those articles, here come all the whiners and moaners, aka, the people that fit Bob's description.

I was going to say that I appreciate the intention behind your posting the article, but that I personally got bored and stopped reading four sentences in. I have now changed my mind. Apparently, you're something of an insecure ass who desperately needs to convince people that you're not a "Bob".

 

[kwilkinson]

Here comes the part where the troll accuses LD of being nothing but a middle-aged Bob. I mean, why else would LD bring up the fact that he did in his post?

 

[globetrotter]

see, the second one makes a lot more sense to me than the first.

I would like to look better naked. for a good chunk of my life, I looked better naked. pretty much for all purposes, there was no real benifit in that. seriously - I would say I didn't even have better sex when I looked good naked. I didn't have a family, I didn't really have any money, I didn't really enjoy my work/life that much.

now, I look pretty ******* hideous naked. but I have my health, I have a great family, a great career. I have a basket of experiences that a lot of men would kill for.

so, if you say to me :hey, you're a looser, because I look better than you naked. I am not going to be impressed.



I read an on-line article, recently by a body builder on how to keep fit traveling. it was a total joke. if I had somebody who worked for me who was such a ***** about how he traveled, I would fire him. basically, this guy went on and on about how he kept in shape traveling, and so could you, but he didn't do a whole hell of a lot of work while traveling.

this guy, in his article talks about how much time he spends with his iron, and he makes some time for his kids, too. great - how much time does he really make for his kids and his wife?


so, yeah, I can totally identify with the second article - I, too, was a fat kid who turned around in highschool and gained a huge amount of self respect, competing with very physical people at their own games. but, aside from short periods of my life, I can't ever remember thinking - hey, this is going to make me look better naked, I am a better person for it.

 

[hahnb]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

see, the second one makes a lot more sense to me than the first. I would like to look better naked. for a good chunk of my life, I looked better naked. pretty much for all purposes, there was no real benifit in that. seriously - I would say I didn't even have better sex when I looked good naked. I didn't have a family, I didn't really have any money, I didn't really enjoy my work/life that much. now, I look pretty ******* hideous naked. but I have my health, I have a great family, a great career. I have a basket of experiences that a lot of men would kill for. so, if you say to me :hey, you're a looser, because I look better than you naked. I am not going to be impressed. I read an on-line article, recently by a body builder on how to keep fit traveling. it was a total joke. if I had somebody who worked for me who was such a ***** about how he traveled, I would fire him. basically, this guy went on and on about how he kept in shape traveling, and so could you, but he didn't do a whole hell of a lot of work while traveling. this guy, in his article talks about how much time he spends with his iron, and he makes some time for his kids, too. great - how much time does he really make for his kids and his wife? so, yeah, I can totally identify with the second article - I, too, was a fat kid who turned around in highschool and gained a huge amount of self respect, competing with very physical people at their own games. but, aside from short periods of my life, I can't ever remember thinking - hey, this is going to make me look better naked, I am a better person for it.
If you look "hideous" naked, I would question exactly how great of health you're in. I don't know a single person that I would consider healthy that would look atrocious naked. Guess what, there are people that have everything you do and also have a great physique. Nobody is saying you're a loser. If you're happy with the way you look, great. You can't even understand the entire point of the article. The point of the article is that if you're out of shape, nobody wants to hear you ***** and moan about it. If you don't ***** and moan, more power to you-I could care less how you look. I realize working out isn't for everyone-what I hate is people that are out of shape that constantly whine about it, as if they're helpless little babies. I posted the article to inspire a few people that might be having trouble staying motivated. If you you're happy being out of shape, don't come in here and whine.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Here comes the part where the troll accuses LD of being nothing but a middle-aged Bob. I mean, why else would LD bring up the fact that he did in his post?

In my prospective defense, I would note that kwilkinson has never complained about how I look naked.

My comment was probably a bit harsh, so apologies to the OP for that, as he probably did start out trying to be helpful. But the whole "people who don't agree with me must be whiners and losers" attitude is obnoxious.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by hahnb

If you you're happy being out of shape, don't come in here and whine.

Maybe I should take back my apology.

People come here to comment and discuss, which is what happens on discussion boards. If that upsets you, maybe you shouldn't "come in here". Assuming that people who don't respond to that article the same way as you must be "out of shape" is frankly stupid. Did you attend Wharton?

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by lawyerdad

In my prospective defense, I would note that kwilkinson has never complained about how I look naked.

Of course not, I take what I can get, good sir.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Of course not, I take what I can get, good sir.

Talk about a backhanded compliment . . .

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Of course not, I take what I can get, good sir.

Jon.

 

[HomerJ]

Originally Posted by hahnb

That's a great article as well. You know what's funny? As soon as someone posts either of those articles, here come all the whiners and moaners, aka, the people that fit Bob's description.

Those two articles represent opposing perspectives. See the difference? I found Henry Rollins' writing to be thoughtful.

Originally Posted by Henry Rollins

I have never met a truly strong person who didn't have self-respect. I think a lot of inwardly and outwardly directed contempt passes itself off as self-respect: the idea of raising yourself by stepping on someone's shoulders instead of doing it yourself. When I see guys working out for cosmetic reasons, I see vanity exposing them in the worst way, as cartoon characters, billboards for imbalance and insecurity. Strength reveals itself through character. It is the difference between bouncers who get off strong-arming people and Mr.Pepperman.

Muscle mass does not always equal strength. Strength is kindness and sensitivity. Strength is understanding that your power is both physical and emotional. That it comes from the body and the mind. And the heart.

Originally Posted by hahnb

This is probably the most inspirational article I've read concerning exercise and fitness. It's pretty short, give it a read. Trust me. Not everyone here body-builds, but it applies to all.

Enjoy.

"What Separates Us From Them"​

We lift weights and manipulate our diets so that we'll look good naked. Sure, it's healthy too, and we'll probably live a longer and more productive life than the average guy, but mostly it's about the naked thing. Truthfully, it goes beyond even that.

"Let's be honest here. We do it because of people like you, Bob. We look at you sitting there with your gut hanging over your belt and we watch you grunt and groan just getting out of a chair. Guys like you are our inspiration, Bob. You're better than Anthony Robbins, Bill Phillips, Deepak Chopra, and Zig ****ing Ziglar all wrapped up into one. We love it when guys like you talk about not having time to exercise. Every time we see you munching on a bag of potato chips, you inspire us. You're my shot in the arm, Bob, my living and breathing wake-up call, my own personal success coach.

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by hahnb

I realize working out isn't for everyone-what I hate is people that are out of shape that constantly whine about it, as if they're helpless little babies. I posted the article to inspire a few people that might be having trouble staying motivated. If you you're happy being out of shape, don't come in here and whine.


lets go back a second and take a look at this article, shall we?

"Oh," Bob finally says, "I heard you were, like, one of those bodybuilder guys or something. So, what's that like, you know, working out every day and stuff? I just don't have time to lift weights all day, but I have been meaning to get rid of this beer belly." He takes another sip of beer. "What do you suggest?" Sip.

At first I was a little offended. I wanted to grab him up and say, "You can't tell I'm a bodybuilder?! Look at ******! Now, if that's not a nice round squat-built piece of sirloin, I don't know what is! You think that comes naturally? I can crack walnuts with this puppy! Wanna see? Huh, punk? Do ya? Do ya?"

I don't even see Bob whining - bob is drinking a beer at a family holiday get together, and says "I don't have time to lift weights all day, but I have been meaning to get rid of this beer belly, what do you suggest?"

the author gets all offended - what, it isn't obvious that I am a body builder? you don't value the things that I value in the same way I do? I should use violence to show you how much better my value system is than yours!!


essentially, what the author is saying, and what you are saying is"my values are better than yours. I look better naked. If I wanted to, I would be justified in using violence against you, because my I am right and you are wrong.

does that make sense to you?


look, drinking beer doesn't make bob a looser. even smoking, while not a choice I would take, doens't make him a looser. the auther, on the other hand, seems cought up with his own values.


take it down another path - is it better to look better naked, or be stronger? what's better, power lifting, or body building? is it better to look better naked, or be tougher? see the infinate range of questions here. you, and the auther, seem to be totally convinced that the overall goal in life is looking better naked.

doesn't strike me as the smartest path to be on.

 

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by hahnb

This is probably the most inspirational article I've read concerning exercise and fitness.

How exactly is this article inspirational? Maybe it is for a select few, but those select few are probably already believers. People don't generally respond well to a browbeating. They might at work, from their boss, because they HAVE to, but after listening to some big muscled guy yell at you to get off your fat ass in print, you're probably most likely to put the magazine down, defensively say "What an asshole," and go get another beer.

At least Rollins' article talks about the sense of self-fulfillment that can come from physical fitness. It couches the rewards of fitness in terms of personal power, rather than in terms of degrading others.

Originally Posted by hahnb

That's a great article as well. You know what's funny? As soon as someone posts either of those articles, here come all the whiners and moaners, aka, the people that fit Bob's description.

I suppose I am, by definition, a Bob for posting in this thread.

 

[Philosoph]

I can't wait until beasty finds this thread...

 

[hahnb]

The article would be boring if it was worded as nicely as you'd like it to be.

The fact of the matter is that I was extremely skinny in high school, then I did something about it. Every since my "transformation" I was bombarded by the same people who would ask for advice once every 4 or 5 months, and chew my ear off for an hour about how they're "really gonna do it this time"-and it gets old fast. I can relate to what the article is trying to get across. If you can't that's fine-but the author does make a good point. This country is filled with people who buy into this marsupialed diets, drink diet soda and "low-carb" salad dressing-it's beyond ridiculous. It actually makes me wonder. People are driven enough to focus on their career, yet don't take the time to take care of the most important asset they have-their health. Not being fat doesn't make you healthy. There's a big difference between being in great shape and just being "not fat".

I've seen this article posted a million times and it always gets great responses. Of course it's usually posted on fitness forums. It's embraced because all the people there are usually in great shape. If you were to post this on another forum, such as this one, the response is apparently very different. I wonder why...

 

[Saucemaster]

Originally Posted by Philosoph

I can't wait until beasty finds this thread...