| 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, for 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. Modem 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 ate providing special exercise{{U}} (20) {{/U}}for their employees to use during the work day. |