Toxic Traditions: The Hidden Cost of Cultural Conformity

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."   Mark Twain

From the early 1900s to the 1980s, lighting up a cigarette in public places was considered cool. It was normal to see cigarette smoke layers drifting like gray clouds in restaurants, bars, offices, and even airplanes.

Ashtrays were seen everywhere - every table in most restaurants had at least one. Office desks held personal ashtrays, and standing ashtrays were in lobbies, elevators, and hallways. Airplane seats had built-in ashtrays in the armrests. They were even available in doctors' offices and hospital waiting rooms.

Before bans were implemented, smoking in public places was a cultural norm that had woven itself into the fabric of Western society, exposing countless individuals to smoking-related ailments such as diseases of the heart, stroke, lung cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma, and mounting annual healthcare costs in the billions. It was one of several examples of the severe consequences of societal norms that conflict with individual well-being.

Another example is the conventional expectation to meet impossible academic excellence, career advancement, and material gain. It’s a standard that causes anxiety and depression, which, if left untreated, can result in mental and physical health problems.

In the community where I grew up, seeking professional help to address emotional and mental health issues was frowned upon and viewed as a sign of weakness. The expectation was to go to church and pray your problems away.  If the problem wasn't resolved, it was because you weren't praying hard enough. Sadly, far too many individuals struggling with anxiety and depression turned to alcohol and drugs for temporary relief.

Since the mid-20th century, slimness has been deeply embedded in Western culture. The pressure to be “Barbie Doll” thin and beautiful is reinforced through media, fashion industry practices, and social networks. Thinness is linked to personal worth and social status, and normalizing it influences what we spend on diet products and exercise programs.

However, the diet culture peaked in the early 2000s with more fad diets than I care to count. Had they worked, Americans would be the skinniest people on the planet. Instead, we’re the sickest and most overweight of most developed nations, which leads to yet another cultural practice: The overconsumption of fast food.

Sparked by the fast-paced, instant-gratification nature of American life, fast foods offer a quick and affordable meal option for families and professionals on the go. It’s the quick fix for those without time to prepare home-cooked meals. Food delivery apps and online ordering services have made consuming fast food as common in everyday life as using a cell phone.

Nationwide, our over-indulgence of fast foods is causing significant health issues, including obesity and diet-related diseases. These problems are not only prominent in lower-income communities; interestingly, higher-income Americans actually consume fast food at higher rates.

The obesity crisis is so pervasive that it has also led to unprecedented usage of weight-loss medications. In 2023, Americans spent an estimated $71.7 billion on GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide) drugs, a class of medications that include Ozempic and Wegovy, which are prescribed to manage Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The link between fast food as an everyday choice and awareness of its health implications is clear; yet, the consequences and available solutions differ significantly based on economic resources. Higher-income Americans have better access to medical interventions such as GLP-1 drugs to address the health issues they encounter. The long-term side effects of these quick-fix drugs are yet to be seen.

Obesity, sedentary lifestyles, couch potatoes, and fast food were not a part of the cultural landscape when I grew up. Occasionally, if we earned extra money, we ate at the local dairy bar on a Saturday night; otherwise, we enjoyed home-cooked meals. And yes, my mother worked outside the home. The only gyms in the community were the ones in the schools we attended. And here's what I find interesting: I don’t recall ever seeing an obese person, only a couple of chubby classmates - the ones who always found an excuse to skip PE class.

It was a different world back then, and in some ways, I’m grateful for the way things turned out. What I see today troubles me, especially when it comes to children who have no say in the way their lives unfold. It's as easy as learning your ABCs - here are three tips to get you started:

 1. Acknowledge that cultural norms exist and know which ones influence your decisions and behaviors and impact your health.

2.  Be aware of the difference between cultural norms and your personal preference. For example, if you struggle with maintaining a healthy weight, social norms would likely encourage you to head to the gym to lose weight. Now, I have nothing against gyms, but they won’t guarantee weight loss. You’re the only one who can make that happen, and it takes more than working out in a gym. It requires making the small change to set realistic weight loss goals based on your capacity, not society's norms.

3.  Commit to seeking professional help, particularly when cultural pressures negatively impact your emotional, mental, or physical well-being.

Be unique, Be Well!

Need help breaking away from cultural norms or identifying personal goals? I'm here to help. Contact me at smallchange@myrtlerussell.com.

For more small change tips to “Be Well,” subscribe at: https://www.myrtlerussell.com/contact-us.