Losing Tastes Like Obeisity

INT. MIDDLE-CLASS HOME - DAY

Two sweaty, 12 year old boys in soccer uniforms sit on the carpeted stairs of a good-sized, suburban home. The boy on the left turns and says

BOY #1

Winning is my favorite thing.

The second kid looks quizzically at his friend. Obviously, the soccer game did not go their way.

BOY #2
But we lost today.

Insert small pepperoni pizza piping hot.

BOY #1
(smiling broadly)
No we didn't.

The two boys hungrily dig into the offered pizza slices and laugh as the song “We’re the Kids in America” starts playing in the background...

In the wake of the recent shooting in Arizona and a new spotlight cast on the responsibility of our words and how they influence others, commercials like this one paint an irresponsible picture for our next generation. What exactly is the message in this commercial? It doesn’t matter who wins or loses as long as you get a high caloric and nutritionally devoid snack after it? With that logic, we’ll just end up a nation of overweight losers...wait, ruh roh.

While children shouldn’t be bread into heartless sharks bent on winning at all costs, saying it's not just ok to lose but also to reward oneself with hurtful vices is teaching children a dangerous lesson: placate your failure with feel-good distractions even if they’re detrimental to your health, wealth and prosperity. Next thing you know we’ll get dropped from the list of most productive economies, suffer increasing unemployment and have wrestlers, actors and tea-bagging, sports anchors occupying our political offices...wait, doh!