I consider myself a fairly liberal person, probably most liberal one here, however...

I sometimes find shocking how little personal responsibly some people take in their lives and future.

I did something I have never done before, and would never typically do except for some kind of recent extreme circumstances. I started talking about with a woman friend about her weight as it relates to her health problems.

I have a friend Tabitha who has always been heavy. I used to work with her before grad school, and she binges on candy, ice cream and soda. I've had concerns for her in the past becoming type 2 diabetic, but of course didn't say anything.

Well, about 4 weeks ago she developed really severe clots in her legs. Her legs swelled up and she has been pretty much immobilized. She was and remained oblivious about the potential dangers this condition has to cause pulmonary embolism and what the causes of the condition were.


We started talking about health and fitness, and I talked about how I was going back to the gym and cut way back on my drinking. I was hoping her condition would be a wake up call for major changes. We talked about making goals and changing diet.

Well, she doesn't want to talk or think about it anymore, and that I made her "kind of feel bad". I kind of felt bad that she felt embarrassed about her weight, but I'm also pissed she continuing with the self destructive behavior. My intention was, of course, not to make her feel bad, but to motivate her to feel better and prevent disaster. Her health and lifestyle are almost like watching an addict spiral out of control.

It was probably unseemly of me to comment on the topic, but I find it unseemly of her to unload her health problems on me that she caused herself and not allowing me to respond.

I work in a supplement store bud and that's 95% of people that come in. And I tell them every time that it's diet. Diet. Diet. That's all it is. That's it. I can sit there and tell them exactly what to do how much to eat and what to eat and they will just say "ok" and walk away. To many come in for the "new weight loss pill" of the month or some extreme appetite suppressant. And it blows my mind. These people are eating 2 or even 1 whole meal a day and what do they want? A suppressant. Then when I sit there and say look I dropped 60 lbs in 10 weeks for a show (and I was natural at the time so gear can't come to question) eating 6 whole eggs 3 12 oz fish meals and a steak they shit themselves and blame genetics. These people can not be reasoned with. They can not be helped. They do not want help they want to complain. The only people that have restored my faith in others are those that come in and talk and ask questions for hours at a time wanting to change their lives for their friends and family. And I've seen it happen. I've seen a lady come in and come back 3 months later 60 lbs later then 3 months later 40 lbs lighter. And thinking about the smile on their faces damn near brings a tear to my eye. But many need to hit rock bottom before they want to change. The problem is sometimes rock bottom never comes.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, exactly...

I read something once, after I finished my undergrad, that is so simple, true, and profound, but is lost on so many people. It's basically "those that can anticipate outcomes the best can take the largest surplus, and where there is a mismatch between expectations and reality there is inefficiency" Or put another way, "those that can understand, or predict, the future the best are the biggest winners" It's really tautological.

And it's practical application means that we all should try to develop a better intelligence and intuition about how our actions (or in-actions) have consequences for the future. If we can understand causality better, we will be better off and reap better rewards

I was starting to get a sense that my actions were not healthy, and in time, that that would eventually catch up with me. So, I adjusted.

My friend in the first post is willfully ignorant. I don't exactly know what her future expectations are, but seems content heading down an unsustainable path.