400 lb.14 Year Old Hacker...I know that guy!

I have been talking a lot about real people. They are the people that are the victims of smack talk on Facebook or made fun of on Twitter or during a press conferences. For example, we all heard about the 14 year old hacker that weighed 400 lbs. being ridiculed on Twitter, not entirely because he was a hacker but also because he weighed 400 lbs.

Do you know anyone that might fit that description? Well, I do sorta.

Last summer I discovered that I was pre-diabetic and signed up to take a class on nutrition and behavior to help deal with the issue. It as a class of people that were in the room together simply because of a health problem. We had nothing at all in common other than that. Yet, as we sat together for three, 3 hour sessions, we began to bond and get to know each other.

There was a stunning older woman that discovered that she needed the class even though she had never be out of control in her whole life.

There was a very Type A personality gentleman that actually inventoried Costco to discover what they were stocking on the outside aisles as opposed to the inside aisles.

There was a widow that lived on McDonald's and Starbuck's menus.

I was there getting myself ready to do what was necessary to make a few life changes.

And there was Aaron. Aaron was very overweight. He was developmentally about 14 year old even though he had lived 24 years. Aaron lived as a recluse because of his weight and spent the biggest part of everyday on his computer. I suppose he was an expert of sorts. He was dealing with the results of a brain tumor that was discovered when he was a small child.

Aaron didn't go outside because the neighborhood kids made fun of him. He could not bring himself to go to the mailbox or the garbage cans. It seems that kids think that is okay to do that for some reason. He could not work because of his weight issues. His mother was his best friend and she watched over his life. He did live alone.

Now, this is a case of realizing that Aaron was a dear man. He was kind and concerned and related to those around him when we talked about food problems. His main weakness was related to immaturity.

The questions are very obvious I think. Are we at liberty to make fun of a 400 lb. man because he doesn't look like you and I? Should we assume that he is a "hacker" or a pervert or even lacking in self control because he is overweight?

It is worth thinking about. What is your opinion?

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