Sometimes, Less Is More

Sometimes, Less Is More

         A plethora of global issues, such as the spread of Ebola, acceleration of global warming, and consumption of non-renewable resources, plague the globe. However, many Americans consider other issues more important, such as body image. Instead of researching vaccines, Americans research the latest diets. Instead of worrying about the enormous methane cloud over the United States, Americans worry about how "pretty" or "swole" they look. Instead of looking for sustainable energy, Americans look for "quick tricks to looking great". The only way to fix this social pressure for "the perfect body" is to ban weightlifting, dieting, and fashion altogether.

          The number of calories you passively burn during a day, also known as your metabolism rate, can be easily calculated through a variety of equations. Any calories burned during exercise are added to this to find total daily calorie consumption, or TDEE. It tells exactly how much one needs to eat to gain, lose, or maintain weight. In addition, there are many cheap, consistent methods of measuring body fat percentage, such as hydrostatic weighing. By using one's TDEE and body fat percentage, a government could set body fat percentage standards. The number of calories a person needed to eat would be calculated, then mandated.  By setting a standard body fat percentage, the drive to look better through weight loss would be gone, and the population would be able to focus on more important issues, such as Ebola, instead of whose arms look bigger.

         Even with a standardized body fat percentage, one can change his/her looks through the building of muscle. After all, Captain America from The Avengers looks better than Tony Stark. Musculature is a significant factor in attractiveness, and so it must be limited. To do this, items weighing more than twenty pounds must be bolted to the floor, or designed so they cannot be lifted. Any items that are necessary and need "liftable" designs must be moved through the use of pulleys or machines. These simple changes allow us to further reduce the drive to look better, since everyone will be held to the same maximum weights. Physique-wise, everyone will be the same, and the only difference between humans will be whose purse looks better.

         Purses, and clothing in general, are another issue. The wealthier can afford more clothes of higher quality than those who are poor. If this issue was left alone, those with better closets would hold the advantage in looks, regardless of standardized muscle and body fat percentage. Therefore, clothing should be standardized, to eliminate body image issues. This includes accessories, since these also distinguish one person's appearance from another's. Ultimately, this will both end the chase for looks, and save us time in the mornings.  Why waste time choosing what to wear when there is a world to save?

         At this point, every American has the same general physique and clothing, with minor differences in height, race, eye color, and other genetic factors. Of course, a genetic blending program will be implemented by the government to further equalize Americans. Wealth is also a problem, as it allows some people to own better items than the rest. Obviously, wealth will be redistributed by the government in the name of freedom from conflict. In fact, Americans will rotate jobs and everyone will have the same education, with the same quality of teachers. After all, the teachers are identical by this point. Everyone will have the same concerns, and everyone will support the same political ideals, and everyone will work to ensure the survival of humanity. Everyone will finally be able to do whatever we like. Sure, we might lose some freedom in the process, but sometimes, less is more.