Something very interesting happened at work today. A colleague who is an extrovert and who is quite easy going and cheerful got upset when another colleague commented something about her weight. I guess he touched a raw nerve. It got me thinking about how many of us get quite emotional about our weight, whether we voice it or not.
When all the other colleagues in my team were trying to diffuse the brewing storm by saying that these comments are usually just for fun and that it does not really conclude anything, the colleague who was upset said something that sounded quite true to me. She said that those of us who have never been teased about our weight would not understand what it feels like. I first thought that she was becoming too emotional (though I refused to comment about the whole topic), but after a few minutes of quiet thinking I realized she was right. Having been there (ie being teased about my weight) I do know how it feels at times when it touches a part of you that you have no control over. It is like this moment when you have just taken enough of all that teasing and advising about your weight when you just explode and don’t want to hear another word about it.
My thoughts, however, didn’t stop with that and I realized that whoever made such a comment also meant no serious harm. It is just that such weight related jokes and the ‘overly-healthy’ (I don’t want to use the word fat!) people who are the butt of such jokes have been taken for granted and that nowadays not being able to tolerate such jokes are dismissed as ‘not sportive’. However, like always, I would like to think that this is just another human characteristic – one not being sensitive to issues that one does not face oneself! And, a debate around such a topic would only result in souring a conversation which would have otherwise been a healthy and relaxing repartee.
Picture courtesy: www.8decor.com/pd_weight.cfm
2 comments:
as far my office experience goes, personal comments may get one into problem..
the problem with the person who would have commented must be that he/she would be in different plane of sensitivity and seriousness..I believe there are different frequencies of sensitivity into which people vibrate, and each has his own right to be rightful :)
Another perspective...
In an office environment, it's better to not get personal beyond a point, especially if you aren't sure how the target will perceive it.
Not considering the office environment, it's better a person who is the target of such jokes takes it easy anyway. If you pay too much attention to what other people say / think, you can't have peace.
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