Eating competition : don't try this at home!

[Andrew Fergus]

What is amazing is Takeru Kobayashi only weighs 65kg (10st 4lb) and he won 2 eating competitions on 2 consecutive days!

Story here :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4151334.stm

Andrew

 

[erik.van.geit]

why are people doing such things ?
I don not understand
the price should be to go work in poor countries to feed the starving people

 

[Andrew Fergus]

Hi Erik

I appreciate your comment but I'd like to put forward an alternative opinion.

I personally wouldn't criticise Mr Takeru Kobayashi given I don't know his personal situation, and what donations (or efforts) he gives to programmes that help feed starving people, if any.

We could take your argument a step further and criticise any competitive event that doesn't contribute to feeding starving people. Why should all of the effort and resources go into events such as soccer games, motor sports, rugby union, American football, softball, baseball, the Olympics, the Commonwealth games, the Tour de France or any other competitive event for that matter, when those resources could be better employed for mankind?

I applaud your ideals about feeding starving people, but what about other causes that are just as worthy? How many Chinese miners have to die every year before something is actually done about it? How many more deaths due to domestic aeroplane crashes, railway disasters, tsunamis, pointless wars and so forth do we have to put up with, when resources are wasted elsewhere?

Whilst the waste of resources by Western countries is despicable, what happened to having a little fun? We all need to escape reality every now and then and whether we choose to do it by reading a book, surfing the internet, going to the movies, watching / participating in sport or entering into an eating competition, then that is the prerogative of the individual. Unless that activity directly harms another person, then in my opinion, it shouldn't be open to scrutiny or criticism.

I'm more than happy to have a healthy debate on this and other opinions are welcome. Meanwhile, the original point of the thread was to marvel at the eating feats of Mr Takeru Kobayashi who doesn't seem to weigh very much (yet).

Andrew

 

[erik.van.geit]

I was only refering to starving people since food was used to "play with".
Of course there are a lot of other needs in the world. Let's do our best to contribute to make life better for our "neighbours"

 

[Greg Truby]

...go work in poor countries to feed the starving people

Been there. Done that. My Peace Corps program worked with housing for the poor, not agriculture or potable water distribution; but two and a half years in the developing world taught me a thing or two...

1. I don't begrudge Mr. Kobayashi his hot dogs, hamburgers or steamed dumplings. True, a couple-dozen "pork buns" might've fed a few hungry tummies, but world hunger ain't gonna be fixed by handin' out fish. Gotta hand out fishin' rods (or nets ).
2. But if it were that simple, it would've been fixed a long time ago. Frequently it is not simple at all.<ul>
3. How would you feed them hungry bellies in North Korea? Are you willing to overthrow their government? 'cause otherwise it's a tough one.
4. In the Sudan? Can you organize 1.5 million refugees into a self-sustaining economy?
5. In Mali? Can you solve the drought?

[*]And lastly, I learned that there's always room for another pair of helping hands. If the irony of food-eating contests amid starvation, or the paradox of water parks and underground lawn sprinkler systems in a world that still needs irrigation and sewer systems; or the incongruity of multi-million dollar endorsement deals for sneakers while children still suffer from hookworm from walking barefoot -- if these things truly sadden you; then by all means find a way to roll up your sleeves and lend a hand in solving them. I did it full time for over two years and still do a bit of volunteer activity from time to time. If I want the world to be a better place, I don't tend to cry about; I tend to just get up off my rump and go make the world a better place; if others wish to join me, wonderful, I always enjoy the company. But to Andrew's point, I also still watch my local football team's futile seasons, the Olympics and [some] soccer. So if Andrew will pass me a brewski, I think there might be an NLF preseason game on ESPN...[/list]

 

[Glaswegian]

If the irony of food-eating contests amid starvation, or the paradox of water parks and underground lawn sprinkler systems in a world that still needs irrigation and sewer systems; or the incongruity of multi-million dollar endorsement deals for sneakers while children still suffer from hookworm from walking barefoot -- if these things truly sadden you; then by all means find a way to roll up your sleeves and lend a hand in solving them.

Indeed, the history of the human race has always been full of such crazy opposites, it's amazing we've managed to get this far. Man's inhumanity to man has shown itself in many ways, and will no doubt continue to do so in the future.

Doesn't mean we should ignore these things, rather you're right Greg, in saying roll up your sleeves and lend a hand. Apathy can be more expensive than people realise.

Regards