Healthy eating has become an upper class life style.

[Alejandro The Vegan]

This is a very broad and sensitive issue. Let me make this clear; I'm not implying that all Vegans and people on a healthy/organic diet are all upper class nor that I have animosity towards people who are better of financially. Now that I cleared that up let me tell you guys about my observations on a personal level.

 

I never realized how fortunate I was to grow up in a farm community. from age 4 to age 12 We got all of our food from farmers markets or from our neighbors. It was a very natural thing to me to walk down the street and stand 20 mins watching "Mr. Garcia" milk me a half gallon of milk while I waited. Go to my backyard to get eggs from our hens. Walk a few yards and throw stones at the walnut trees and watch them fall down and eat them. On Sundays head down to the main street as locals would set up their different produce. My brother was the one who told me "you grew up eating organic and did you ever see a label or did they ever try to sell you status?"

 

I was shocked. Because that's more than half of the people I see inside a whole foods. Pulling up in their Mercedes Benz patting themselves on the back for buying organic and "saving the planet" at the same time. People bringing their own bag, the bags even have logos and messages about "saving the earth" My grandma and mom have been bringing their own bags before it was "the hip thing to do." Everywhere you look in an upper middle class neighborhood there you have it, a Whole Foods to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy inside and an expensive sometimes even overpriced Vegan/organic restaurant is right down the street flush with high end stores.

 

But I travel a few blocks down the street and I end up in the low income communities. Where there is no whole foods, no healthy restaurants or no one trying to make you "go green" these people have to settle for conventional, GMO packed cheap shit for food. They lack the resources and finances to spend a little extra for the organic/healthier foods.

 

I'm looking at this and It's just unfair. I love my new health consciousness and vegan diet. I really do. But it seems that in America and maybe other 1st world countries organic produce and healthy food alternatives have been high jacked by corporate greed and reserved exclusively for those with the $$$ to get it and with that comes that new status of "conscious and green consumerism" Many claim that people should vote with their money and go for companies that are environmentally friendly and responsible but they fail to realize that the majority of us can't vote because our pockets are empty. Which leads me to this quote that I love:

 

No matter how green we make our life styles, capitalism is not sustainable. Why 'consumer activism' will never work. you need money to vote, and those are the sectors with the least desire for real change.

[Marcina]

That was a very powerful statement. I totally agree with you. It wasn't too long ago that the "poor" people were the ones out in the fields working hard on their own farms. They had wholesome, unprocessed, home-grown foods at their disposal but now it seems only the wealthy can afford food like that now. Many of the poverty-stricken citizens of this country can't afford to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and are stuck buying things that aren't good for them.

[Alejandro The Vegan]

That was a very powerful statement. I totally agree with you. It wasn't too long ago that the "poor" people were the ones out in the fields working hard on their own farms. They had wholesome, unprocessed, home-grown foods at their disposal but now it seems only the wealthy can afford food like that now. Many of the poverty-stricken citizens of this country can't afford to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and are stuck buying things that aren't good for them.

 

Thank you. It's a travesty, shows you how backwards our society is. Lots of people in developing countries eat organic and fresh foods as long as free trade is not flooding their food chain or springing up Super Wal-Mart centers like it happened in my town in Mexico. Also remember that the U.S. subsidizes its 4 main GMO crops (Cotton, Soy Beans, Wheat and Corn) this destabilizes farming and the markets.

[vivalasvegans]

Alejandro, I think you should publish that post somewhere well circulated. It's really good.

 

I agree with you 100 per cent.

 

It's not just healthy eating or the vegan movement, it's the majority of the progressive/liberal establishment.

 

They can be green, or anti-racist, or class conscious, or whatever as long as it doesn't affect their comfort level. As soon as it even approaches threatening their lifestyle, their little play time is over. I see it all the time in my work, and in my neighborhood, which has just had the life gentrified out it to the point that people who grew up here can't even think of affording to live here, let alone shop at the Whole Foods on the corner or pay for a $12 bowl of cornmeal at the yuppie cajun place down the street. I went into a place in what used to be the hood to grab a coffee the other day, and there was a $5 minimum. That kind of bullshit entrepreneurial attitude that just fucks over regular people is another example of this whole dynamic.

 

I don't even believe there's well meaning in their actions. I do believe most of it is self serving and trend oriented. If they were really interested in change, they would ditch the beamers and tear down the walls, literally and figuratively, between them and the real hood.

[Alejandro The Vegan]

Thanks for the comments and I identify with some of your experiences. I believe that Vegetarianism and Veganism has a better shot at curing the worlds hunger ills. But It's been hi-jacked as this snobby, wealthy diet/life style by most western civilization that it turns people away from it.

 

How many lower class/working class people do you know that are a part of PETA for example? I feel that people who are better off financially have an inclination to feel more compassion for farm animals than for their less fortunate fellow human beings.

[vivalasvegans]

Oh absolutely. And, it's easier for a lot of these people to send $500 to a Darfur food fund half a world away than to give a nickel or a smile to a poor homeless guy sitting on the corner of their own block.

 

It's clear the world will do better on a lot of things if more people go meat free. But there are also really deeply ingrained cultural issues wrapped up in diet as well, and the way this class divide is shaking out on the issue doesn't help ameliorate that.

[scornell]

Alejandro,

 

That was a great post. I've fealt the way you feel for a long time now. As an alternative to Whole Foods, you should look into consumer run co-ops. They are much cheaper, and still provide organic/local food.

[RawVgn]

Man, I buy my food from the cheapest places in town: Walmart and Woodmans. I couldn't even tell you where a health food store is. Bananas 49 cents/lb, watermelon 15 cents/lb, apples 1 dolla/lb, and so on. It don't have to be fancy. Do the best ya can with what ya got. What you eat, the class of food and its preparation, is way more important than the organic thing. It still takes a bunch more resources to raise a pound of organic beef, and its far worse for you, than eating a pound of regular apples.

 

I already spend 10 Gs a year feeding my family of four. And even though I've got the money, I'm not gonna spend another 5 Gs a year getting maybe half of my food organic. When I see organic that's close to the price of regular I buy it, otherwise its a luxury item or I grow my own from seeds.

 

During World War 2 in northern European countries Like Norway, peoples health mysteriously improved. Epidemiologists studying the issue eventually figured out that people got healthier because they could no longer afford to squander grain to feed livestock; they just ate the grain directly and dispensed with the "Luxury" of milk and meat. Although I consider grains and legumes and root veggies to be mediocre quality food, they are far superior to meat and dairy and they're dirt cheap if you prepare them from scratch. A typical vegan can easily use these starches as staples and spend far less on food than most people and usually be much healthier.

 

Oh and BTW, my single parent household had been evicted from 9 rentals by the time I left home. I was probably more like impoverished class than working class...and I'm a member of PETA. Ingrid Newkirk, who founded and runs PETA, pays herself about 40k a year...which is chump change for someone running a multimillion dollar non-profit.

 

I say don't worry about the F_cked Up world out there cause there ain't no end to its f_cked Upedness...that'll drag you down. Only joy can carry a person well through life, so if you believe in vegansim, that its right for you and better for the world, then eat rice and beans everyday or whatever it takes. Your still gonna be doin what matters to you, and your still gonna be a lot healthier than most folks out there.

[Guest]

Alejandro,

 

That was a great post. I've fealt the way you feel for a long time now. As an alternative to Whole Foods, you should look into consumer run co-ops. They are much cheaper, and still provide organic/local food.

That is not true. I belong to a food coop and their is at least one other in my city. The food is not much cheaper than Whole Foods Market, some food items at the coops are more expensive than Whole Foods Market, and organic produce is more expensive compared to conventional at many chain grocery stores or coops.

[RawVgn]

Doin the right thing ain't about changin the world; its about keepin your soul alive. If you manage to keep a chunk of your idealism alive, you'll have made a difference.

 

"Unless a person believes in life after death, they have no hope of justice." Tell yourself good stories young man; rich or poor (and I've been both), we all need something to carry us through. Don't ever let the lack of the ideal all around us ever conceal the equally present good. Develop the habit of gratefulness.

 

 

Read The China Study. The main way Dr Campbell figured out the health superiority of veganism was by noticing the better health of Chinese peasants in the country side, living on traditional rice and veggie diets, compared to more affluent people in the cities adopting western eating habits like meat and dairy. Many critics call the health crisis in America "affluenza" because it is caused by gorging on too much sickly food-steak, burgers, milk, cheese, chocolate, alcohol, and so on. Low income people have a huge advantage over wealthy people when it comes to healthy eating-they can't afford all the shit wealthy people often consume like cocaine and "fine" wine and cream brulee and shrimp and steak and all the other prestige crap out there. Eat low in the food chain- rice, beans, potatoes, bread, greens, and fruit (like a Chinese peasant)-and you will be far healthier than 95% of the people out there. You got this whole thing backwards (Ok, there's plenty of people like you describe but you don't have to be one of them.) Healthy eating is a lower class lifestyle!

 

I travel alot for my work, sometimes I'm on the road for months at a time. For food, I put a card board box on the seat next to me full of cantalope, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, and lettuce. When I get hungry, I reach in the box and start eating. (Of course, I eat this way at home too.) When I run out of food, I pull into Walmart and fill the box back up. That's it! No fuss, no muss. Simple, fast, cheap...and off the charts healthy. The simpler you keep your eating, the lower down the food chain you keep it, the healthier you'll be...and you'll do alot for the environment and the worlds people as you do it. Spread the joy man. Rich or poor, we can ALL do this! Part of the incredible power of this philosophy is you can be incredibly healthy and make a huge difference for the world, all by CUTTING your expenses. Now what other lifestyle offers you that kind of bang for your buck?

 

Do you know a skilled orchardist can produce over 50,000 lbs of apples on one acre, without ever planting a single seed? An acre of livestock agriculture on average produces about 1000 lbs of so-called food annually. If everybody in America ate as I do, over half of all land now used for agricultural production could be returned to its natural state. Almost half the fresh water used in the country could remain in its rivers and aquafiers. And millions of tons of irreplaceable top soil wouldn't get washed away each year, all while dramatically reducing heart disease, diabetes, and most cancers. And it can ALL be accomplished spending LESS money. As John Robbins says, this is a project for a "New America" (and world), and it very definitely includes everyone, regardless of class!

 

And the "buy Local" thing is a peripheral issue. Transportation accounts for less than 5% of the energy input to agricultural production. By not eating meat once a week, you reduce your environmental impact more than if you bought EVERY item of food locally! What you eat is FAR more important than where you get it- and the Mexican peasants who grow a lot of the produce imported to the US desperately need our business to feed their families.

 

And last but not least, the overused buzz word "organic." I'm a "organic gardener." We're not allowed to use synthetic fertilizer so what are we allowed to fertilize with? Cow manure, fish emulsion, soy bean meal, blood meal, and so on. Fish emulsion comes from trawl nets which practically wipe out the marine ecosystems and contain relatively large amounts of toxic chemicals like most fish, cow manure comes mostly from dairying which is extremely wasteful and cruel and polluting (70% of agricultural land is used to grow feed for livestock most of it fertilized with synthetic fertilizer), most soybeans are GMO and also use synthetic fertilizer and lots of land causing soil erosion and consuming diesel fuel, and on and on. I personally would use synthetic (nonorganic) fertilizer before I'd use most of the approved "organic" fertilizers. So beware the trendy hip folks who echo every little utterance that sounds cool, but have never read a real book in their lives (or grown their own food); a lot of what passes for wisdom out there is little more than hocus pocus. There are some legit aspects to organic, but a lot of it is superficial BS.

 

The real issue, the part that by far matters the most (for health, environment, and nonviolence), is WHAT you eat and not WHERE it comes from or even HOW its produced! When you see people focusing on WHERE and HOW, your looking at people who are substantially uninformed.

Edited June 11, 2009 by RawVgn

[scornell]

4x4, thats too bad your co-op isn't cheaper. I used to go to a non profit, consumer run co-op and it was a fair bit cheaper than any other places organic foods. However, its definitely still more expensive than conventional food from grocery store chains.

 

I like those words RawVgn, I used to get really upset over how messed up the world is, but I've accepted that some things are out of my control. So, as long as I'm truly doing my best to help promote change and be good to all living creatures on this earth, I'm a happy guy.

[xjohanx]

Great post Alejandro! I totallt agree.

[vivalasvegans]

Doin the right thing ain't about changin the world; its about keepin your soul alive. If you manage to keep a chunk of your idealism alive, you'll have made a difference.

I could not disagree more.

 

It's true, walmart is a relatively cheap place to shop, but it's also a really terrible place to shop.

 

Alejandro's original point about it being more likely that healthy eaters come from the rich classes because they can afford to holds true even for poor people that buy pineapples at walmart if you take into the account the following:

-Most of even the poorest people in the US have more than the poor and peasant farmers around the world, especially those that work on plantations.

-The economy is global... there is no question about that.

-In this global economy, the US is the wealthy class (along with Western Europe, Australia, etc)

 

So participating in the global demand for cheap walmart pineapples isn't blood free:

http://members.tripod.com/foro_emaus/p1ing.htm

http://www.bananalink.org.uk/content/view/77/37/lang,en/

http://www.bananalink.org.uk/content/view/317/122/lang,en/

http://www.eldis.org/go/topics/resource-guides/corporate-responsibility/business-and-human-rights&id=42647&type=Document

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:UBHyaw20enkJ:www.humanrightsaction.net/downloads/guides/2008-10-bg.pdf+%22human+rights%22+pineapple+plantations&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:ysnp98S6OQYJ:www.laborrights.org/files/ILRF_pineapplereport.pdf+%22human+rights%22+pineapple+plantations&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

 

There's really not much good about walmart selling massive amounts of relatively cheap nonorganic pineapple and banana.

 

And that cheapness doesn't take into account the high cost - human, environmental, and economic - that someone, just not walmart shoppers, is paying.

[chrisjs]

Excellent post, Alejandro. I've known for a while that healthy, fresh food is not readily accessible to those with great financial constraints. The situation is not good at all, and there has been some progress towards fixing it, but not much.

 

I do have to take issue with your final implication that capitalism is to blame for this injustice. This isn't why these foods inaccessible to the poor, it's more that these food became inaccessible to the population at large and only recently have consumers shown an interest in "greener" foods. It is true that upmarket places like Whole Foods charge a premium for this right now.

 

We got into this situation with large agribusinesses, huge corporations that used many avenues to squeeze out as much profit as possible. They were able to undercut the family farm with actions that were the opposite of capitalism. Lobbying and government corruption caused this, they failed to protect the free market in these three big ways:

1. Subsidies: Tax subsidies that made larger and larger operations more profitable.

2. Dangerous pesticides and fertilizers: USDA has the dual purpose of promoting profitable agriculture and regulating its safety. Guess which wins with political contributions.

3. Monopolies: Little or nothing has been done to stop the continuous mergers of these companies, reducing choice for the consumer.

 

This barely scratches the surface. Advertising campaigns have long focused on convenient prepackaged foods, reducing the demand for fresh foods. That means tons of land reallocated corn, wheat, and soy.

 

It is very hard for a small, clean farm operation to compete in this environment, but that's not because of capitalism--it's because the government failed to enforce the system.

 

But luckily we still have a choice. Yes, those Mercedes-driving snobs can shop at Whole Foods, but many of us can buy from CSAs or co-ops. There are still some local farm stands that operate here in NJ and I know they're all over CA. For many, though, it's not that accessible and that is a problem.

 

Switching from a capitalist system to something authoritarian won't fix this. Governments have already shown they can't be trusted to protect free markets and instead cater to large businesses that make hefty campaign contributions. Unfortunately a majority of the people out there don't care about these issues, so if we were to suddenly switch to some government-run food system, you can bet it wouldn't be distributing organic broccoli and whole wheat bread.

 

Obviously this about the US, but I imagine many other countries have seen similar things take place.

[RawVgn]

Vivalasvegans

 

I hear what your sayin, but we'll never be able to feed people locally; we're a tropical species living largely in a temperate region. You can't grow food for anthropoid primates in much of the Northern Hemisphere much of the year-unless you wanna eat mediocre food like grains and roots and legumes. And the food we're evolved to eat-fruit and greens-looses its nutritional value when stored. There is no way to eat high quality food if you live outside the tropics without importing it. There are way too many of us on the planet and we are going to continue to have some consequences on the environment.

 

Alejandro and others can make a huge difference and never buy 1 piece of organic or local food. Is it ideal, no...but its way better than the status quo. And I have friends who work at Walmart and I like the fact that my business helps keep their families fed. And I like that lots of my money from, as you say, my priveledged American life goes to Mexico. And I doubt anyone outside the upper 20% of the population can afford to spend an extra 5,000 dollars a year (assuming you support a family like many of us) buying organic food. I think we should harvest the hell out of the low hanging fruit first, then try to figure out how to address the tougher problems. Letting the lack of ideal overshadow the good is not wise. Low income people can enjoy outstanding health while dramatically improving the environment and simultaneously reducing their expenses. Healthy eating is anything but "an upper class life style" and anyone who says it is is doing a deep injustice to millions of people who can benefit from eating simply and cheaply from the base of the food chain. Rice, beans, potatoes, fruit, and veggies can change the world.

 

We can change the face of America and the world simply by eating low on the food chain: we can literally shut down half the hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, we can save 1/3 of the fresh water consumed on the planet, we can remove almost half of ALL agricultural land from production-and all the pesticides and herbicides and fertilizers that go on it. And the cost of this global health and environmental and nonviolence project: nothing, zero, in fact we reduce our expenses which means EVERYONE on the planet can participate, not just the privileged. Organics, when well considered, is a worthwhile matter, but it is dwarfed by the opportunity that is hiding in plain site.

Edited June 11, 2009 by RawVgn

[vivalasvegans]

Humans can do just fine without tropical fruit.

 

Humans can survive even better without tropical fruit that has had the life sprayed out of it with synthetic chemical and petroleum based, carcinogenic fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide.

 

I'm sorry that your friends work at Walmart. It's an awful place to work with awful labor practices. When walmart moves into a community, it also drives out smaller mom and pop businesses. In my eyes, walmart is not a business worth supporting.

 

http://walmartwatch.com/

http://walmartwatch.com/issues/labor_relations/

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:H1HpRHxB4LYJ:www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl%3FACCT%3D109%26STORY%3D/www/story/06-02-2009/0005037071%26EDATE%3D+walmart+labor&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

 

Also consider the fact that many pesticides that are outlawed for use here in the US because they are so poisonous and cancer causing are used in countries where tropical fruits are grown, sprayed on them, and imported back here for your consumption on and inside the fruit.

 

There's also nothing intrinsically wrong with organic farms, gardening, or food. It doesn't need to be expensive, and it isn't always. In some markets in my town, organic is cheaper than poison-coated. (Granted, I live in Portland.)

 

Speaking of mom and pop... CSA's are a great way to get produce. If you have kids its fun too. They can learn about food production, commodity chains, and get first hand, hands on experience playing with where their food comes from.

 

Farmers markets are awesome. Home gardens are great.

 

Like it or not, Rawvgn, you and your intense tropical fruit habit puts you squarely in the camp of the global elite, whether you're supporting your underpaid pals tioling away at walmart stores for crap money or you get it from your local chi chi yuppie food boutique.

[RawVgn]

You be powerless and overwhelmed Vivas (after all, only the upper class can make a difference.) I'm gonna change the world while your off ruminating. And after half the hospitals in America go out of business and the underclass have their natural health back, where going to take the TRILLIONS of dollars that were being squandered on medical care and growing toxic BS food and use it to eliminate all the toxic pesticides and herbicides and "organic" (animal/GMO based) fertilizers on the planet.

 

If you can afford any food at all, you can buy rice, bread, beans, potatoes, fruit, and greens and be very healthy and change the planet. Anyone who says otherwise ain't payin attention. And I sure hope Alehandro doesn't give up cause someone convinced him this revolution is only for the privileged; there ain't no revolution if its only for the "upper class."

[RawVgn]

I'll make Alehandro a bet with all of you as witnesses: I got a thousand bucks that says if he eats only whole food rice, beans, potatoes, fresh fruit, and greens for the next twelve months, bought at Walmart, that his health will measurably improve. My real money says he will simultaneously improve his health and reduce his expenses. And Alehandro, you'd be a fool to take the bet because it is literally a no brainer-short an act of God, you are guaranteed to spend less and be healthier, and then you'll owe me a grand! There's a lot of ways to succeed in life, and it don't have to be by way of Whole Paychecks!

[vivalasvegans]

What revolution are you talking about? The one that promotes Walmart over Whole foods? Same shit, different pile, my friend.

 

No where did I state or imply that "the revolution" is for the privileged. You should go back and re-read.

 

Unless you mean the revolution that promotes eating chemical saturated pineapple and banana grown by workers in abusive slave-like conditions that promotes global poverty and stratification. Then yeah, there's definitely an element of privilege in being able to do that.

[RawVgn]

I don't know anything about any alleged chemicals in the cheap produce I live on (wouldn't surprise me if some tiny amount leaked in.) What I know for certain is my health has skyrocketed since I started eating it which means its a hell of a lot better than eating what most everyone around me is eating. What I also know is its very inexpensive, less than what almost everyone is eating currently, so its better and its doable now. And I KNOW wiping livestock agriculture off the face of the planet will make MASSIVE improvements in human health and the environment, while simultaneously building a less violent world. And we can save trillions of dollars doing it. So I hope Alehandro sees the light and stays on board THE REVOLUTION.

 

My arguments come mostly from the following sources:

 

John Robbins: http://www.foodrevolution.org/

Dr Colin Campbell "The China Study"

Livestock's Long Shadow by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization

[Guest]

Alejandro,

 

That was a great post. I've fealt the way you feel for a long time now. As an alternative to Whole Foods, you should look into consumer run co-ops. They are much cheaper, and still provide organic/local food.

That is not true. I belong to a food coop and their is at least one other in my city. The food is not much cheaper than Whole Foods Market, some food items at the coops are more expensive than Whole Foods Market, and organic produce is more expensive compared to conventional at many chain grocery stores or coops.

I should have said that's not necessarily true.

[RawVgn]

 

When's the last time ya saw a 50 yr old built like this? Yeh, that's me taken today. And I haven't done a minute of aerobic exercise in a year, and lift less than an hour a week, and have a totally sedentary desk job. This is what eatin cheap Wally World food'll do to you! Viva La Revolution!

 

See those "upper class" (er I mean subsidizd housing) apartment windows in my building behind me...hehehe. The jeans came from Goodwill...2 bucks.

 

If cheap Wally food is sooo terrible, how come I'm sooo flippin (as my doctor says) off the charts healthy? BP 94/52, pulse 70, cholesterol 110, weight 163 "perfect" for my height according to the charts, computer calculated life expectancy 103. Not bad for a guy who spent part of his childhood livin in a pup tent.

[xveganjoshx]

LOL @ you posting pics of yourself in all these threads

 

[attachment=0]Good1Use.gif[/attachment]

 

When's the last time ya saw a 50 yr old built like this? Yeh, that's me taken today. And I haven't done a minute of aerobic exercise in a year, and lift less than an hour a week, and have a totally sedentary desk job. This is what eatin cheap Wally World food'll do to you! Viva La Revolution!

 

See those "upper class" (er I mean subsidizd housing) apartment windows in my building behind me...hehehe. The jeans came from Goodwill...2 bucks.

 

If cheap Wally food is sooo terrible, how come I'm sooo flippin (as my doctor says) off the charts healthy? BP 94/52, pulse 70, cholesterol 110, weight 163 "perfect" for my height according to the charts, computer calculated life expectancy 103. Not bad for a guy who spent part of his childhood livin in a pup tent.

[Veganator]

First I'd like to say thanks to Alejandro for taking the time out to address something that is important to a large group of ppl.

 

We are all born on this earth and the earth bears fruit, who on this earth doesn't deserve to have a wholesome meal?

We all do.

 

Getting everyone on board with that idea may take some time. Nevertheless, there was a quote that i don't remeber verbatim but it goes something like this:

Give me the courage to change what can be changed. The strength to endure what cannot be changed and the wisdom to tell the difference between to two!

[RawVgn]

LOL @ you posting pics of yourself in all these threads

 

Guess I'm kind of skeptical of people talking about nutrition and fitness and not bein able to see em. I wanna see what somebody's philosophy is producin, preferably very long term since most serious disease takes decades to develop. To me, postin a pic shows what you've accomplished with your point of view and shows your weaknesses (granted luck or misfortune is in the equation too: I have a movement disorder which is why my posture is tilted a bit.)