Demigraff, I agree entirely with your second paragraph. The first paragraph, while logical and fair-minded, flies in the face of demographics...especially in the U.S. and, to a lesser extent, other first-world countries.
This was the point of the arsenic example. Another is the use of digitalis. It is an inexpensive medicine that strengthens heartbeat but also gradually poisons the heart. It is used sparingly in a handful of patients.
The use of arsenic and digitalis are not broadly encouraged, precisely because they help a very few and could potentially hurt a vast majority. Hypnosis files, encouraging weight gains, also fail the test of "the greatest good for the greatest number."
Being underweight can often (but not always) be traced to a medically correctable condition: anorexia, hyperactive thyroid gland. Even if some cases of obesity are traceable to medically correctable conditions (and they are), that congruence does not undercut the wide disparity in numbers.
Beyond that, what you and I may consider fair is possibly not the final determinant. As in the case of undisclosed suggestions on a genuinely subliminal file, a situation in which we both found similar evidence pointing to similar conclusions.
demigraff wrote:Arsenic, in very small doses, can prolong the life of a very small percentage of chronically ill people. Whatever the benefits to that small universe, I doubt that EMG will be making any generally available files encouraging site users to take arsenic.
Losing too much weight and putting weight on can both be a good thing depending on the person. Too much of either is dangerous.
So why have files for one and not the other?
Or, possibly more sensible, why not have a file to help someone adjust their weight in either direction? Say, a file that prompts you to plan a healthy diet and exercise regime, and then stick to it. So you would feel good about sticking to your plan. With something like that, it should be flexible enough to help anyone find the figure they want (as long as a healthy diet will get you there).