saw some weird confused propaganda asserting that ancient Greek slaves were prohibited from exercising as to make them too weak to rebel against their masters. It went on to pretend the diet of gladiators was to make them too fat and slow to resist their masters, and medieval European peasants were 'given only bread and oats while nobles feasted on red meat.'
Which all isn't true. Ancient Greek slaves were banned from participating in athletics competitions, not 'exercising.' Roman gladiators ate barley as part of a training diet for an entertainment sport that liked dramatic flesh wounds. Medieval peasants had access to vegetables and meats, and seasonal foods regardless of what nobles ate for prestige's sake.
But more importantly, 'they limited physique to keep men down' is propaganda.
People haven't been struggling under oppression for centuries due to being 'unfit' to resist it. It isn't because of some conspiracy to make sure the poor are underfed or overweight or whatever shape is seen as physically undesirable this decade.
Power will kill fit, healthy people.
Power will kill strong-looking, attractive people.
Power will kill ANYBODY.
While it is true that A Fascist Trained Today (so maybe you could oppose him?) people have not just been 'too fat' or 'too weak' to resist oppression this entire time. You will NEVER be so jacked you can't be punished. Power uses weapons, intelligence, and economic control to keep people down. You can't point to history and say, they didn't have the right workout routine but I'm different.
You're not different.
This is why actual resistance against oppression requires courage. You can't just have a 'body without weakness' or win a wrestling match with fascism. That's how fascists see things. That's how they wish the world worked.
