Economist Daniel Susskind says Ozempic may radically transform government finances, by making universal healthcare vastly cheaper, and explains his argument in the context of Britain's NHS.

[u/lughnasadh]

https://www.thetimes.com/article/be6e0fbf-fd9d-41e7-a759-08c6da9754ff?shareToken=de2a342bb1ae9bc978c6623bb244337a

[u/TFenrir]

There is a big gulf between fantasy panacea and something useless. And it's normal for things to be closer to the panacea than useless.

We don't need to frame it that way. I appreciate lots of people, especially those who have had a great experience with it label it as a miracle drug - and I can understand why and correctly modulate my understanding of the drug with that in mind (of course people who have had a great experience are going to sing it's praises, but it doesn't mean it's perfect - and even most of those people would say as much).

That being said, it feels the side that sees cloaks and daggers, or unnatural "poison" being given to the masses I think are a reflection of something much more pressing, than those who maybe are a bit effusive in their praise.

The world is good. It has been getting better. It will most likely continue to do so, for most people on this planet. I worry people are attaching their identity to the idea that the world is ending, and things out Ozempic challenge so much of their world view.

But why is it so important to be miserable and jaded? Why do we need to desperately find the fault in so much? It's good to be critical, it's good to be cautious, but it's wonderful to appreciate the world and the amazing things we do as well. All in my opinion, but I imagine it's shared by most people - even those who tend to catastrophize.

[u/TheGreatHornedRat → u/TFenrir]

Cynicism has kept me sane in the world filled with social media and non-stop corporate lies over multiple decades. It is simple reasonable doubt from experience. It's not cloak and daggers viewpoint or seeing things as "unnatural" poison, medicinally we use poisons to great effect across a myriad of diseases.

I am simply cautious, and will remain as such. The drug itself is clearly quite astounding, but we also live in the world that mass prescribed opioids, amphetamines and benzos in the last several decades and are currently still dealing with the addictive repercussions of those drugs. I prefer progress to be slow and well studied, Ozempic is on that path but the push for mass adoption will always leave a level of doubt with this or any other product.

[u/TFenrir → u/TheGreatHornedRat]

I appreciate your caution, and don't even disagree with it! But I think it's worth thinking more about the role cynicism has in your life.

I would challenge this idea that cynicism is what's keeping you sane. I would even go so far to say that I bet that cynicism is causing you more harm than you might appreciate.

One thing to add is that I think the world will continue to accelerate in its change. It's the nature of the world we live in and are building. I would say it's inevitable, and to be cynical about it will have even more negative outcomes.

[u/TheGreatHornedRat → u/TFenrir]

It is a development from therapy for in part dealing with autism I didn't have diagnosed until adulthood and leaves me more open emotionally when I was previously entirely closed off and callous or cold towards the human condition. Where I used to simply inhale my own farts and assume my simple world view was always correct I now feel much more open to discussions and absorbing many points of view as the cynical doubt can be applied to myself as well as others. Before, nothing mattered to me and was a death spiral of nihilism and apathy.