What do we see in this example? Let us examine Julie’s friends and family arguments. Her father denies the problem; let’s say no more about it. Cerise believes Julie only has the illusion to want something. She does not truly want it. This is another way of denying the problem. In this approach, Julie is held responsible for her failures. Besides, it clarifies neither the illusion nor the suffering. According to Bernard, Julie has no will; she will never get her through. This is a value judgment that solves nothing: it does not explain how one can acquire this mysterious will Julie is lacking.
Ah, Uncle Gérard, how wise, how soothing of you! To feel good, Julie should only try and accept herself. But exactly which Julie should Julie accept to be? Should she accept to be the overweighed-Julie that feels bad, or the Julie that suffers from her weight and tries to loose it? To accept would be to give up, but what does Julie have to give up exactly? Her desires or her wish to lose weight? And how do you do that anyway? No doubt it is as long and difficult to accept oneself as to lose weight, and there are as many methods to give up as to lose weight. Are they easier, more serious, more sustainable?
Carole stands out with a more comforting speech. It helps Julie feel better. She is not alone any more. But should we all wait for the big night to solve our individual problems? Even if we gladly admit that Julie’s perception of her cellulite collude with historic materialism prospects, our time scale is much shorter. Our problems exist here and now, and it is human to try to solve them right away.