August 1, 2008

• Am I a killjoy?

  

  Or do pictures like this give anyone else pause?  It depicts a 5-year old boy at a county fair involved in a hotdog eating contest.  What's more the caption indicates the fair also offered watermelon eating, pie eating, and other contests for kids under age 6.  I know, I know - food eating contests are good old-fashioned fun that have been part of local fairs for generations.  They're cute, they're entertaining and have contributed to our culture with humorous anecdotes (Who could forget Lardass Hogan?)  But something about them makes me wince.  Maybe its the idea of rewarding gluttony during a time of current and impending food shortages in various places around the world.  Maybe its the current epidemic of child obesity in the US.  Maybe its the fact that the boy pictured is age 5 and in the process of a crucial stage for the development of his body and his eating habits.  Maybe its the fact that they are not having pea or broccoli or celery eating contests.  Maybe its the fact that the event is presided over by adults who either haven't considered the problems I've mentioned or don't find them compelling.  Maybe I am a killjoy making much ado about nothing.  Anyway, this has made me hungry for hot dogs - but I'm only having two, and I'm going to take my time.

  • 12:29 am
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