"Wall-E tells us that if we don't change the way we live, we'll all get really fat and destroy the world."

You'll find no bigger supporter of the first amendment than me. However, I think the statement above, quoted from the article is a little biased.

To me, it sounds like someone who is just looking for a reason to look down on Pixar's latest masterpiece when so many other people are praising it.

You'll note though, that if you've actually seen the movie, the people in "space" have been there for 700 years. They ride around all day on what one could only guess as being a motorized chase lounge compliments the Jetson's era. They are encouraged not to walk, to enjoy all the modern amenities that future technology has to offer. In fact, the people of the 'future' have no need to do anything on their own anymore, as everything they desire is within arms reach and requires only the push of a button.

The time we are living in is not so different. New advancements in technology require people to do less, think less and rely on their own intelligence less. We are in an age of convenience and disposal, much as we like to deny it with our new "go green" mentality. Obesity has never been a bigger problem than it is now.

39.3% of men in the US and 28% of women in the US are overweight with another 27.7% of US men and 34% of US women being considered obese. (<link>)

That's nothing Pixar dreamed up to make a story sound good. Personally, I am an overweight woman. I am overweight because I eat poorly. I eat poorly for a lot of different reasons, mostly out of convenience. It is far easier to go to Burger King on my short lunch hour, order a large number 10 for five bucks (double cheesebuger with fries and a coke) and be out of the drive through line in less than 4 minutes than it is to go to somewhere like Subway, stand in line for fifteen minutes, and pay sometimes, in excess of $7.00 for my meal. If I did that every day, I would be broke and waste half of my lunch hour.

I think what Pixar pointed out with Wall-E was great. I think their message was appropriate and universal.

Here is what I took away from it:

1. Trash doesn't just magically disappear once you throw it away. If we, all of the citizens of earth, are not careful and do not actively change our ways, we will ruin the earth. (Personally, I think we have a better chance of doing that than we do NASA building a spaceship for all of earth's inhabitants to live on.)

2. The pollution problems of the world are very real and are not going to take care of themselves. We can't wait around and depend on someone else to clean this place up. If we all wait around for someone else, who exactly will do it?

3. Think and act on your own accord. Embrace and enjoy technological advancements but do not let them do your thinking for you.

As for the obesity...

4. If you lay around (literally) every day of your life, never being active, just partaking in an otherwise gluttony filled lifestyle, then you will become obese. That's unhealthy for anyone.

I do not believe Pixar was waving a flag on top of some moral high ground saying "Hey, fat people! Get a load of this!"

And really, anyone who is going to take Pixar's movie, Wall-E as a personal dig regarding their weight is suffering from some severe mental disadvantages to begin with and should probably seek psychiatric help.

I, the fat girl, give Wall-E two thumbs up. It's refreshing to see someone as big as Pixar tackle such delicate problems such as global warming and pollution during this time in our lives.