Treadmill Rage

I’m kind of curious where “outrage” originates. Not the general term, but our modern manifestation of it on the internet dot com, where only a sliver of a tweet can send thousands into heroic action, ready to destroy evil.

Case in point: the Peloton ad.

When I saw this commercial for the first time, the main thing I noticed was the woman’s personality: award and anxious, but with a determined spirit. She wants to keep up with her workouts throughout the new year.

I barely noticed the husband’s character, which seemed to exist only as a stepping stone for the narrative: she’s a busy mom, but she wants to stay fit and healthy. Hence the “selfie discipline” videos she takes throughout that journey. A criminal matter? Hardly.

But this is today, and we have surface level activists in tow. The ad is apparently promoting sexism, because the husband wants her to lose weight. As if that’s a bad thing.

Sure, she’s already slim and attractive, but gymcel life is not only about losing flab – it also concerns keeping yourself healthy – and cardio certainly won’t hurt. Most of us could use more exercise, regardless of gender.

While I am hesitant to assume, my natural conclusion is that the shrieking rage-casters probably look something like this:

Or this:

Is that a horrendous strawman? The answer is clearly No. More like a Hostess-fed Cake Beef.

Folks, if you find yourself talking to a man or woman angry about this treadmill ad, look at their waistline. The proof is in the Chaps belt.