I believe that the fact that our mayor is fat is actually relevant to the debate about his competency to do his duties. Not only does his risk for heart disease and stroke call into question his ability to actually remain physically healthy enough to act as mayor for an entire term, I think it also speaks to a level of personal irresponsibility and short-sightedness.
While I'm no Ford fan, I can't agree with this argument.
The argument turns on the idea that personal responsibility can be inferred from health/weight. "I think it also speaks to a level of personal irresponsibility and short-sightedness", Johnson says. Ok, so if this true, and we can reliably infer these qualities from someones weight, it is clear that weight should certainly be considered as an important category of qualification for many jobs. After all, Mayor is not the only job that requires responsibility and some degree of long term vision: if weight "speaks to a level of personal irresponsibility", then many job candidates in a variety of fields should be standing on scales at job interviews. BMI tests etc.. Statement of merit criteria: "normal, healthy weight."
My point is to illustrate the Reductio ad absurdum here. If we applied this argument to normal settings, it would be absurd. The only reason that Johnson can get away with it here is because it's Ford, a guy who know one likes (at least who reads the HuffPo), and who they are happy to criticize and insult for any reason.
A blatant personal attack, which if said in today's soft workplace would no doubt result in dismissal or suspension without pay - ok, maybe with pay, if you worked for the city!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, this Reductio Ad Absurdum thing you referenced, is this a Latin exercise machine?
ReplyDeleteLV... nice!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I have no idea how your blog seems to have escaped my notice until now (especially since I am being directly quoted and rebutted here - on more than one occasion) and second of all, I stand by my argument.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'll make some exception for those with demonstrable "thyroid issues," et al, there is certainly an argument to be made that those who are dangerously obese are acting irresponsibly. I'm not only referring to public office, but sure, any job. If you are so dumb as to ignore myriad evidence of the life-shortening effects of unhealthy living, is that not proof of some degree of short-sightedness and irresponsibility? And accordingly, a predictable poor performance at a job that requires planning?
I wouldn't want to be the first employer to dismiss someone because their fatness spoke to their overall shittiness, but a good lawyer could certainly make the case.
Furthermore, I'm not picking on Ford because he is fat or because I don't agree with his politics. The fact is, his short sightedness is reflected both is his shitty planning for the city of Toronto and his guzzling of root beer and lack of exercise.
That is, I would never claim fat people aren't capable of making good decisions, but in the case of Rob Ford, his weight is indicative of a general level of irresponsibility.
Also, I wanted to see if I could get away with calling the mayor fat on Huffington Post Canada.
lol, I don't agree still but i'll have to give you a pass simply because you actually said it pubically, which is hilarious. Most of us have that prejudice I think.
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