Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2009

Can anyone shed any light on the time this trilogy was first uttered
in print (or perhaps electronically)?

I was moved to inquire about this after reading some material from
Prof. David Deming, who, amongst other things asserted in 2008, that
Americans were "fat, lazy and stupid" in an article in the Edmonton
Sun in October of 2008.

The United States was founded by people who wanted nothing more than
freedom and the opportunity to work toward a better life for their
children. But within a few generations, the progeny of the pioneers
have turned into dolts who can’t take responsibility for
anything. . .So long as Americans look to other people for the
solution of their problems, they will invariably be disappointed. The
American people need to stop whining like spoiled children and take
charge of their lives.

This seems to be something of a conservative hobby horse. While not
all the references are from conservatives -- for example:

Some Kerry supporters were fairly bursting with anger yesterday.
Jessica Johnson, 59, of Cambridge, who said she had volunteered for
Kerry, said she was filled with optimism on Election Day, telling
herself: ''When Kerry gets into the White House, this stone, this
weight on my chest, will be lifted.

He could have made a great president," Johnson said. ''Many Americans
have nothing between their ears. Americans are fat, lazy, and stupid.
I don't like this country anymore.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/11/04/bay_staters_grappling_with_
legacy_of_rejection?pg=2

Most touch bases with the theme of intellectual and moral collapse
from the individualistic and pioneering spirit of America in the
indefinite past. This offering from the right wing "world net daily"
is typical:

What this socialist bottom-feeder produces are, pardon the expression,
crap-umentaries that could only be swallowed – enthusiastically,
judging from the early box-office results – by a gullible American
public conditioned to be immoral, fat, lazy and stupid.

Does America's health care system have problems? Yes it does. Many, if
not most, of those problems are caused by too much meddling by
government, too little accountability to consumers. Dr. Michael
"Sicko" Moore's prescription? Let government make more decisions
regarding America's health care needs.

Take that medicine for what it's worth. But before you swallow it,
have one more long look at that picture – and decide for yourself
whether this man appears to be an expert on health.

WorldNetDaily.com
P.O. Box 1627
Medford, OR 97501

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=35c42c39c6f397
22f5d761dfe0080378

And in similar vein from the same source in 2002 ...

http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg87697.html

In which the writer sees this as some sort of conspiracy to create a
compliant population which even Sam Adams all those years ago saw as
the road to ruin.

And at The Slate (11/08 post Obama's election):

My take on this is that the American public has become so fat, lazy
and stupid they can't see beyond their wish for a "free" government
handout, knowing the only handouts are going to come from democrats,
becasue republicans believe you should work and earn what you get.

http://www.slate.com/discuss/forums/thread/2120630.aspx

And

http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-75119.html

There is this reference in a book from 1994 by Clemmer, J & Sheehy, B
"Firing on All Cylinders ..." a book on service quality which
discusses "our North American 'fat,lazy and stupid' days of plenty"

http://tinyurl.com/d5zkp7

but even here the key phrase is in quotes implying earlier provenance.

Any suggestions?

TOF