What was the Greek conception of the ideal human body?
It was living art to the Greeks, and that overweight people were a hindrance to society. Obesity was seen as glutinous and a nuisance. They aimed to look godlike and took care of their bodies.
How important was it to have such a body?
It was important to be fit to help benefit the village in case of war, and for physical labor. It was also thought that one’s body reflects their intellect.
What practical effect, if any, are jokes at the expense of those who don’t have perfect bodies trying to achieve?
If you were a nuisance, people would laugh at you. Most people did not like to be laughed at and moderated their behaviour to avoid it. So the Obese unjust individuals would try to become less of a nuisance and work harder.
Did the greeks feel any sense of guilt about mocking the disabled? Do we? And finally, if there is a difference between their attitude and ours, what accounts for it?
The Greeks believed in honor while society has changed moral standards by making people feel shame. They held the needs of society over the needs of the individual and emphasized the obligations of citizens over their rights. They found the disabled a nuisance to society and they were unjust because of their lack of contribution. Normally, misshapen babies would be killed to prevent being a burden to society.
The backbone to society is its customs and traditions. Ancient Greece culture was focused on justice; while modern culture focuses on guilt and shame. It is not polite to mock the disabled in modern times, and we feel more empathetic than our ancient ancestors. We feel this difference as a shift in perspective and living standards where our priorities have changed. With machines and other assisting devices, modern society has the necessities covered while ancient Greece was always a challenge to feed the