johaneriksson.se

The EU Observer reports that Europeans are getting fatter. The good thing is that we may hear fewer arrogant comments about fat Americans in the future. The bad thing is that, this being Europe, we’ll probably end up with more regulations. After all, why put the responsibility for what we eat and feed our children on ourselves when we can blame the evil corporations who produce what we apparently desire?

This phenomenon, people’s increasing refusal to take responsibility for their own well being, is increasingly common. And it is worrying. In part because it leads to the expansion of the already too vast nanny state, in part because it holds people back from taking initiatives by creating regulation upon regulation, in part because it strips people of the ability to think for themselves, and in part because it creates a society of adults that still behave like babies. A society like that can never sustain itself in the long run.

If you want to lose weight: exercise and eat healthy. That’s fine, and you’ll probably feel better if you do. If you don’t mind about the extra pounds or kilograms: that’s perfectly fine too. Ultimately it really isn’t anyone elses business. And if the argument is that since obesity costs money because we have tax-funded health care “society” should be allowed to make demands on us, we should think carefully about removing the tax-funded health care. If giving up this kind of personal liberty is the price we have to pay for the welfare state, I’d say it’s not worth it. To my mind, however, the welfare state does not require paying such a price. Indeed, isn’t the point with the tax-funding that we are willing to help people in spite of their mistakes and bad luck? The whole “get slim or else” tendency has many similarities with the “stop smoking or else” outcry we’ve suffered over the last decade or so. Their fundamental ingredient appear to be intolerance.

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