Some questions to get you thinking:
- Klein describes the relationships between health and pleasure, health and morality, and health and philosophy. Are these descriptions accurate? Convincing? Is Klein using the same definition of "health" in each case?
- Klein talks a lot about eating, and many of you said you think about "food" or "nutrition" when you think about "health." Why do "eating" and "health" always show up in the same arguments?
- Based on Roberts-Miller's history of rhetoric, and what you already know about the history of "health," what do "rhetoric" and "health" have in common? Why might it be interesting to study them together?
NOTE: You are required to write at least one comment each week, so you may choose to wait and comment on Wednesday's readings instead. Each weekly comment is worth 0.5 points towards your final grade, and you can only receive credit for one comment per week.
When we eat or drink we are introducing things into our body that will inevitably affect it. When we eat, our body makes use of what we are giving it. It takes up nutrients, minerals, water, fats and these things affect our body both nutritionally and pyschologically. In this way, I think you can define "health" generally as what our body experiences from what we give it. Because eating is an activity that we do daily it plays a large role in our "health". I think this definition can explain why "eating" and "health" always come up in the same arguments.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read this article especially the part where the author explains the relationship between health and pleasure. There was a statement that even though cigarettes are known to be harmful, if some people who are deeply indulged to those habits quit from those so-called bad things, their life would be boring and not pleasurable. Thus, it cannot be health. It was a refreshing idea, but at the same time, still, I thought health could be subdivided into mental health and physical health and pleasure is mainly related to mental health rather than physical health thus finding it a little vague. Still, It was a very interesting article to read.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that Klein speculated in order to encompass the American view of being "healthy", there can be little to no pleasure involved. He states that Americans deprive themselves from what is mostly desired (junk food, desserts, alcohol) and in the end it comes back to bite us. Klein believes to “be healthy” for American standards, means pleasure must be absent. In fact, he goes so far as to say that Americans fear pleasure and how much pleasure has a negative connotation associated with it. Personally, I do not see the connection Klein presents in this article. How does staying active and eating healthier food options parallel to being unwholesome and unhappy? I find pleasure in working out and eating healthy. I'm sure most people would agree that after a nice long walk/jog their mind feels clear, they are more alert and feel better than they did prior to exercising. Exercise is pleasure in itself, yes I exercise hoping that it will improve longevity, but that does not in any way mean I want to live forever. I just want to enjoy the life I am living being as strong and healthy as possible. However I do agree with Klein when he states that health needs to be individualized, and as Americans we need to listen to our own needs to keep our body healthy and not what works for others.
ReplyDeleteI found this article interesting from the start when the author clarifies that if one cannot logically be against health then it is plausible to be against the different uses and misuses of the word “health”. I found this statement to be a refreshing way to look at the idea of health. He then goes on to explain that putting forth a different idea of health would also be a way of “going against health”. To further explain this he uses examples mainly from Epicurean philosophers that center around the idea that health is both positively and negatively associated with pleasure. I agree with JuYoung that pleasure can be related more with mental health, however in a few examples he ties pleasure not only with habits or addictions like cigarette smoking but also with what we eat and what we do, which can be associated with pleasures that bring about good physical health. Ultimately, I can appreciate the notion of health and pleasure being associated and agree that the right pleasures for each individual can better their health in some way.
ReplyDeleteWhen Klein describes the relationship between health and pleasure. I agree pleasure is a "highest value" and that health is a "necessary supplement" so you can't have one thing without the other. Everyone seeks the pursuit of happiness and when you find pleasure it become an addiction so when you don't have it for a long time you crash. I agree that "only you can judge,however, what your body needs and what gives you pleasure." I found this article interesting to read and it made some good point in a very convincing matter. Why do "eating" and "health" always show up in the same arguments? because health has many meanings and "eating" is just one of those meanings so when "eating" shows up I think the person is explaining a logical appeal to the audience the whole ethos,pathos and logos way.
ReplyDeleteI found in Richard Kleins article, that every different group, country and ethnicity has a different views and definitions of what health means to them and what is good and bad about it. Media plays a major role in people health and beliefs today and not in a positive way. The media exemplifies certain beliefs and answers to peoples health problems when really they are just tricking people to believe in what they are selling. It is interesting to me that we, as a country spend the most money on health care yet, "We are one of the fattest nations in the world and growing everyday more obese." It seems that every one is so focused on their body that they have lost sight of what health really means and that it brings you pleasure. This brings about health morality and how it negatively plays into our lives daily by how we treat ourselves and the issues with health around us.
ReplyDeleteI think "health" and "rhetoric" are related because of the way society links them together. Magazines, TV shows, and other media all influence our perception of what health IS by their use of words, explanations, and rhetoric. As used as examples in Klein's article, Men and Women's Health magazines show health as looking perfect and depriving yourself from pleasures until you get the end result... and then finally the end result is considered the pleasure. However, this is all due to the way they write about and speak about health to the public. We are taught to believe that if someone is skinny, they are healthy. If someone is pretty, they are healthy..etc.. this is all due to the rhetoric used by the media to influence our perception of what "health" is.
ReplyDeleteI think eating and health always show up in the same arguments simply due to how often we eat. We are constantly putting food into our bodies throughout the day, and what we consume directly affects our body's health. Not everyone exercises and even those who do usually exercise 3-4 times a week at the most. On the other hand, we eat three to four times a day, and many of us eat strictly for pleasure. Klein argued that eating for pleasure in moderation results in good health, but I think its fair to say that eating carelessly for pleasure quickly results in obesity and very poor health. With the abundance of fast food and the lack of knowledge about healthy eating, much of America has become very unhealthy. I think that the root of America's health problem's extends far beyond Klein's argument for pleasureful eating and starts with careless and poor eating habits.
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