Lying in Wait...

Definition of "lying in wait": 

1. ambush, ambuscade, lying in wait, trap ...

The world was once flat, or dome shaped. To suggest humans were residing on a giant ball of dirt was ludicrous. The idea that our world was round was beyond comprehension, thus it was "wrong". Denial of the truth behind the science of the planet was futile, as it was eventually proven to the masses to such an extent that any fifth grader can tell you what the Earth looks like. Just ask Jeff Foxworthy.

Someone at some point told everyone the Earth was indeed flat though. It was "common knowledge".

It's funny to me that we have so much "common knowledge" about us in our daily lives. I blame our parents.

I've decided that the act of parenting is the art of mistruth. It is a wholly practiced process of providing information in such fashion that you are guided along in life to the beat of their drum. Until you take their drumsticks away and beat your own damn drum.

See, they tell us lies our whole lives:

"You can be anything you want when you grow up."

No. You can't. I couldn't carry a tune for the life of me; I get booed off Rock Band when it's just me playing. Yet, in accordance with the advice of my parents, I could have been a rock star. No. I couldn't.

"Everyone's a winner."

No. Everyone isn't a winner. Not everyone can be in first place. Not everyone should get a trophy. When everyone wins, there is no accountability for performance. It reduces motivation. Truly, you can only be as great as you are; if you're already a winner, then why try. You already won.

So, if you can be anything you want and don't really need to try, Life is a piece of cake, isn't it? Or in my previous world, Life is several pieces of cake.

Perhaps they should have said,"Sorry, kid, but if you don't try to be SOMETHING when you grow up, and do your best to WIN that race, you can't be anything you want cause you didn't try hard enough."

You can't be a healthy, fit, athletic, contributing member of society if you don't train for it.

Furthermore, why don't they tell you that cutting calories is the answer to staying thin or losing weight. For the same reason, why don't they advise you that nutritionally dense foods are contributors to your mental and emotional health and that biologically you are pre-programmed to operate differently if you are loaded up on high fructose corn syrup and other refined sugars. Sugar is the cocaine of the culinary world.

They told me that I needed to eat my vegetables to be healthy. Why didn't they tell me that if I don't eat my vegetables, I'll grow up to be obese, suffering from gout and facing a future of heart problems and other organ failures.

Also, why didn't they tell me that most diet products aren't really healthy?

Why do they let you believe that children's cereal is a smart thing to eat? 

Why do they allow McDonald's to show nothing but smiley happy people? Why aren't these children being exploited in McDonald's ads:

These devout caloric followers deserve the kudos for driving stock shares north, no? I bet they'd work for french fries.

We're inundated with facts from the moment we enter this world, that are false and even Snopes.com can't keep up with it all.

They lie to us. And wait. While they wait, we spend. We consume. We repeat.

We do this, potentially, for our whole lives. Or, until we learn the truth. At least, until some of us do.

The sad part is that when I try to explain this to friends, family, and loved ones I experience what I am sure Galileo felt when he tried to claim the sun, not the Earth, was the center of the known universe. "Common knowledge" reassures them that "Fat Free" yogurt and diet soda are the best way to cure the common fatty.

So, if that's the case, then how have humans survived on this planet for (far) longer than 2,000+ years (We're not going to debate Creationism versus Evolution here) without Danone Activia, the Delicious Probiotic Yogurt with BL Regularis Culture? We must have barely made it through the Crusades because of the shortages.  After all, according to the ads Activia yogurt is the only yogurt with BL Regularis in it. So, that must mean it's fantastic!

Which brings me to the acceptance of the fact that we're led to believe whatever rich fat cat business owners want us to believe. In reality, anything we need to thrive and flourish is naturally occurring. Yet, mainstream society can't embrace that thought. It goes against everything we've been told.

I guess it's just a matter of time, and science, before it's proven. Hurry up and wait.

Round and round we go,
Fat Guy