| Perhaps the most interesting thing about the
phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change {{U}}(1) {{/U}} the
years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes {{U}}(2)
{{/U}} considered taboo can become perfectly {{U}}(3) {{/U}} and
natural {{U}}(4) {{/U}} another point in time. Topics such as death, fro
example, were once considered so {{U}}(5) {{/U}} and unpleasant that it
was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the {{U}}(6) {{/U}} of
important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people
have become more {{U}}(7) {{/U}} of the importance of expressing
feelings about death and, {{U}}(8) {{/U}} a result, are more willing to
talk about this taboo subject. One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. {{U}} (9) {{/U}} many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to fat. The " {{U}}(10) {{/U}} " look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their {{U}}(11) {{/U}} as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought {{U}}(12) {{/U}} as lazy and {{U}}(13) {{/U}} in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, people think, how can people who care about themselves, and therefore the way. they look, permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society like the U. S. , thin is "in", fat is "out". It's not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become {{U}}(14) {{/U}} with staying slim and "in shape". The {{U}}(15) {{/U}} of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, their sole reason for America's obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the {{U}}(16) {{/U}} importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style Of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do {{U}}(17) {{/U}} hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak and {{U}}(18) {{/U}} to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising. The effect of this new appreciation of the importance of exercise is evident: parks are filled with runners and bicyclists, physical education programs are enjoying a newly found {{U}}(19) {{/U}} , and many companies are providing special exercise {{U}}(20) {{/U}} for their employees to use during the work day. |