Live data from Hacker News

Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

bloomberg.com

11–20 of 347 posts

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#11
post #7
post #2

It's the Wall-e Scenario. If we can find a way to continue to consume cheap, shelf-stable, nutrient-dense food; while at the same time repairing our bodies from the side effects, we can be fat blobs living and consuming and growing the economy. And whether that's unilaterally a bad thing may not be a settled question. The top 5 drugs in the US[1] are remedies for problems caused by advanced society - a statin, antaci…

It would evidently be bad for people to be blobs of fat, remember that in WALL-E they couldn't even stand up. That level of physical impairment is awful whether you're mortally ill or not.

There is "The Futurological Congress" scenario for this ;)

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#12
post #2

It's the Wall-e Scenario. If we can find a way to continue to consume cheap, shelf-stable, nutrient-dense food; while at the same time repairing our bodies from the side effects, we can be fat blobs living and consuming and growing the economy. And whether that's unilaterally a bad thing may not be a settled question. The top 5 drugs in the US[1] are remedies for problems caused by advanced society - a statin, antaci…

I'm curious how the final to drugs you've listed are for problems caused by advanced society. I can sort of see where you may be coming from regarding asthma but not antidepressants.

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#13
post #7
post #2

It's the Wall-e Scenario. If we can find a way to continue to consume cheap, shelf-stable, nutrient-dense food; while at the same time repairing our bodies from the side effects, we can be fat blobs living and consuming and growing the economy. And whether that's unilaterally a bad thing may not be a settled question. The top 5 drugs in the US[1] are remedies for problems caused by advanced society - a statin, antaci…

It would evidently be bad for people to be blobs of fat, remember that in WALL-E they couldn't even stand up. That level of physical impairment is awful whether you're mortally ill or not.

Why? If I value eating whatever I like above having a small waist, why would it be bad for me to be a blob of fat? The only reason I should lose weight is for health reasons, but if there's a magic pill that would remove that reason, then why should I care?

I kind of agree with you, but I don't think it's immediately obvious.

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#16
post #6

"On Oct 18 the US company Genzyme announced it had formalised an agreement to acquire Cell Genesys for approximately US$350 million. This move follows an agreement by the pharmaceutical division of Japan Tobacco, the world's third-largest tobacco company, to purchase the rights to therapeutic and preventive lung-cancer vaccines under development by Cell Genesys and another American biotechnology company, Corixa. If t…

Why not both? It's an arms race. Why not supply both sides?

What, let a company supply a substance to intentionally harm people so they can sell them a cure?

I can see that going down well in other industries. The automobile industry can engineer metal fatigue into their axle joints and sell you replacements. Microsoft can build bugs into Windows and sell you critical updates to fix the flaw. Chair makers can sell you chairs with legs attached by screws that are slightly too short so they can sell you more screws of the correct size to allow you to remain safely seated...

I guess it would stimulate the economy.

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#18
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not both? It's an arms race. Why not supply both sides?

What, let a company supply a substance to intentionally harm people so they can sell them a cure? I can see that going down well in other industries. The automobile industry can engineer metal fatigue into their axle joints and sell you replacements. Microsoft can build bugs into Windows and sell you critical updates to fix the flaw. Chair makers can sell you chairs with legs attached by screws that are slightly too…

They already do this is a more ethical way. Planned obsolesce and all of that. They know it's going to fail in 10 years when they sell it to you with a 5 year lease. Windows has bugs and they will fix some of them in the next release for sure, every time. You can sue for certain things and also bring the government down on them so I guess that's most likely what keeps them from doing more outrageously nefarious things.

Re: Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills

#20
post #10

Diabetes is not always a byproduct of over consuming sugar and a company producing sugary snacks and diabetes pills does not force or even encourage over consumption of sugar. I don't see what the actual problem is.

The leading cause of diabetes is poor diet. Nestle is selling you foods that if consumed in large quantities will absolutely result in you becoming a diabetic.

It's called vertical integration and it's not accidental.

Post reply on HN