Interesting article against short people

[Failure]

As a short person (I'm still growing!), I found this article somewhat interesting.

http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/article/2950.1694?DEST=WebMD&contentSRC=aolmens

Poor us. :p

Comments?

[DougGoneMAD]

Anyone who has a low self-esteem because of his height is a dumbass.

[Parallax]

Originally posted by DougGoneMAD
Anyone who has a low self-esteem because of his height is a dumbass.

I agree.

[Rei]

Yeah there's plenty of other crap to have low self-esteem from.

[Failure]

Originally posted by DougGoneMAD
Anyone who has a low self-esteem because of his height is a dumbass.
Originally posted by ssgogetalevel5
Yeah there's plenty of other crap to have low self-esteem from.

Well, couldn't you just say that anyone who has low self-esteem for whatever reason is a "dumbass?"

What if you had low self-esteem because of your weight, your looks, because your family was scum, because you were traumautized as a child, because you were cut from the basketball team, because you were abused, because you were left at the alter, etc? Are any of these more valid reasons for low self-esteem? Tell me what are some good reasons for having low self-esteem? Are their any at all?

The research wasn't exactly causal, so I view it with a healthy bit of skepticism, but the above quotes were just too ignorant for me not to respond.

[RogueMartian]

Why wouldn't you have low self esteem because you're short? People make fun of you, you are considered (and technically, you probably are) weaker and are thus subject to abuse. More than that, all your idols in sports and movies are tall (or at least portrayed as tall). Get carded at the movie theatre when your 21, have people tell you they think that you're the younger sibling when you are older, and more than that, know for a fact that society considers taller people more attractive and treats them much better because somehow height is a sign of maturity.

After living with that and a million other little indignities for your entire life and have condascending tall people say stupid things like "good things come in small packages" see how your self esteem is doing.

Low self esteem isn't optional. People who have low self esteem are NOT dumbasses. They are people who have been treated badly and abused their entire lives over things that they have no control over. Worse than that, they know they can't change it. Its easy to say that you should feel good about being short, overweight, or something else, but no amount of disney movies are going to change the fact that its all B.S.

[Barb Gordon]

I find that to be a very interesting article. And you should really think about your "dumbass" remark, because frankly, it's a dumbass remark. People have low self esteem for any number of reasons. From how they look to how they were raised. People may have low self esteem because of their hair, their face, their body, their height...and how society treats people is a big factor in all of it. Some of us may think that being short is no reason to have low self esteem, but to other people, it makes perfect sense. It's easy to see how society automatically makes shorters guys feel low. Taller guys get the girls more often, they're seen as big, strong men, and their height helps them with that. height can differ the presence that a man gives. You could have a guy that is somewhat short and is average and nice and all, but give him a couple inches, and people see him as someone a bit more important. But, there is something that short guys should always keep in mind...some of the greatest actors are short! I'm only saying this because I've known a lot of people who seemed to think that the coolest actors also happened to be tall. And most actors they thought were tall, were actually average height, or a little on the short side.

~Barb

[Lucky Bob]

I'm 5'7", and I don't feel bad. Size is something that goes beyond physical boundaries.

[DR. BELCH]

Tall people have problems too. I'm six-one or so and have had my problems with low-hanging doorframes and light fixtures...and I once got on an elevator where I was the tallest person in there--and it was a packed car. I had to hunch a bit to look less frightening. To say nothing of diminutive women who are intimidated at the thought of intimacy with a man who's at least six inches taller than she is, worried it might be awkward or uncomfortable....

[Elven Moon]

I am what people might call "petite", as I'm rather short for my age and look to be in my teens when I'm really in my 20s.

Sometimes it's flattering (the age thing, anyway), but I don't really like being short. I mean, the majority of my friends are taller than me and like to tease me because of it. It's hard trying to get something you can't reach and either have to get a chair or ask someone for help. Doesn't do much for my self-esteem, either.

That article didn't help, but at least they were mostly talking about guys. Many girls, I'm told, would love to be small, like me. Anyone wanna switch, then? ;)

[DougGoneMAD]

My "dumbass" remark was more or less a joke. But being made fun of shouldn't be a reason for having a bad self-esteem. EVERYONE gets made fun of for some reason or another. And shortness doesnt necesarily mean weakness.

[ccffan01]

I am a little less than average height(5"3 at 14) and feel no reason to be upset about my height and I have never seen anyone be teased because of there height, btw.