Weight-Loss Drugs And Freedom Of Choice
Fat or thin, it is hard being human. As Thomas Sowell says: “There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs.”
Written By: Vivienne Vermaak
The battle with the body is one that no human is spared.
From Narcissus of Greek mythology who pined away while admiring his own reflection, to the portrait of Dorian Gray, which bears the brunt of his ageing while his flesh remained youthful, to us mere mortals, whose battles are less epic, the struggle is real.
It is perhaps not surprising that neither Narcissus nor Gray was fat. Being obese remains one of the most shameful things a person can be, despite attempts from the ‘body positivity’ movement to make the fuller figure more desirable. There are some good reasons for this; body weight is a primary marker for age, virility and vitality, for instance. Human beings instinctively know a lot about your general mating potential even from a distance of 150m, by making an instant assessment of your silhouette shape. Obesity is also a valuable health marker. A BMI (body mass index) of over 30 is a red flag for diseases like diabetes, heart problems, depression, and certain cancers. Being plus-sized is a big deal.
In the Western World we live in a curious age where, for the first time in history, more people are dying from eating too much than too little. Free markets, free choice, and convenience have resulted in a strange conundrum – we are living longer and becoming more ill, at the same time. We can also become very thin, not because we are hungry, but because we choose it that way.
Drugs like Ozempic have become household names over the past few years and are associated with dramatic weight loss. The active ingredient is a semaglutide called GLP-1. A recent lapsing of a patent held by Novo Nordisk for this product has opened the floodgates for cheaper versions to become available to larger sectors of society. This is the invisible hand in action. Once only available at high cost to elite athletes illegally, this class of drugs found its way to Hollywood, amongst bitter denials from the red carpet, then via medical aids to specialists and now available in compounded forms online without prescription. Health enthusiasts exchange numbers of instructors who are vendors, and GPs are selling cheaper versions with fewer side effects directly from their practices. The market decided, and all of this without advertising. People simply saw a product that worked for someone else and wanted it. Supply, and demand, and demand, and supply.
Of course, with great freedom comes great responsibility. GLP-1 use is accompanied by some risk, predictable moral judgments, and arguments of terrible quality. To the classic liberal, the principle should be simple: “My body, my choice.” Most people can conceive of that idea, but it is the idea of extending this freedom to others where some stumble: “Your body, your choice,” becomes a harder principle to truly apply without pointing patronising fingers.
Certainly, these drugs are powerful and have side effects that are concerning, as with any medication, but there is no proof that they are more damaging than statins or vaccines, and the trade-off with lowering disease rate and feeling good about yourself might be a fair one for modern man. When taken to extremes, we see examples like Kelly Osbourne, who cut a shocking figure on the red carpet recently by looking emaciated with grotesquely exaggerated features due to plastic surgery. It is like watching the picture of Dorian Gray come alive in a ghoulish real-time horror show. Narcissus, in turn, is alive and very well in the form of Bryan Johnson, whose motto is: “Don’t die.” He means it. Johnson’s Project Blueprint is an intense $2 million a year anti-ageing protocol aimed at reversing his biological age. He follows a strict, data-driven routine involving a 04h30 wake-up, over 100 daily pills/supplements, a vegan, calorie-restricted diet, 1 hour of exercise, penis enhancement protocols, and 8h34m of sleep, managed by relentless daily biometric monitoring. Myth has become real, morality a live soap opera on Instagram.
Some people feel that these drugs are doing something ungodly and interfering with the natural way of things, while others contend that it is the most significant medical breakthrough since antibiotics. Elon Musk falls in the latter group. He has taken GLP-1s for weight loss, as has SA billionaire Rob Hersov. The arguments against the drug now shift not to the inherent dangers or ungodliness of it, but to the fact that it is unfair that not everyone can afford it. Musk campaigns for the drugs to be cheaper (through a government roll-out plan, one of his companies might benefit from, perhaps?) A restratification of society is happening. It used to be that the poor were emaciated; now it is the rich.
The have-nots will want what the haves, have. Vanity, envy, and desire are the energy behind the invisible hand that turns the wheel of commerce. The weight loss industry is massive and growing. Valued at over $150 billion now, figures are expected to double by 2030. The ‘Big is Beautiful’ industry is collapsing, with many of its frontline influencers suddenly shrinking. If you are not already on the drug, you will soon be curious or have loved ones who are taking it. Should you take it or not? Should you judge people who do? What are your options?
Fat or thin, it is hard being human. As Thomas Sowell says: “There are no solutions, there are only trade-offs.” The trade-off for liberals here should be clear – it is not about optimal choices, but about the freedom to have them. Mostly, not about a freedom you wish for yourself, but extending that courtesy to others. And that freedom should include the liberty to make mistakes. My body, my risk. Your body, your choice.
Vivienne Vermaak is an award-winning journalist and public speaker. Vivienne is a Senior Associate of The Free Market Foundation. She writes in her personal capacity.