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Have you considered that maybe it is an evolutionary trait that it is hard to do certain things? That the people who can expend the effort and discipline, perha

Have you considered that maybe it is an evolutionary trait that it is hard to do certain things? That the people who can expend the effort and discipline, perhaps have a better configuration than those that can’t or don’t?

hombre_fatal 2y ago
Sure. People say the same thing about ADHD. The question is how a trait fares in the modern world. Maybe a trait was useful to an ancestor but not to you today trying to navigate a calorie rich world of convenience. Just like a trait useful to a nomadic hunter might work against you when you're expected to sit at a desk job if you want to make the money necessary to fulfill your ambitions. It may very well be the case that we end up medicating away traits that were useful at some point in our lineage but not today. I just don't see how it matters much beyond the thought exercise.
- SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
  I don’t think that’s a great comparison. Have you wondered why ADHD has exploded? Have you not realized how many people at hacker news are on SSRIs? Watch this comment, you will.
filoleg 2y ago
The exact same argument can be applied to literally any medical issue, and it is a pointless one. Someone has an elevated risk of skin cancer due to their genetics? Probably an evolutionary trait that it is more likely for some people to get skin cancer within their lifetime. That doesn’t mean that using sunscreen and providing those people with related medical care (if the need arises) is some crime against nature and will end up hurting evolutionary prospects of the human race.
- ben_w 2y ago
  > Someone has an elevated risk of skin cancer due to their genetics? Probably an evolutionary trait that it is more likely for some people to get skin cancer within their lifetime. More than probably, it's called "being white". (And we evolved that for more vitamin D?)
vundercind 2y ago
Weird that the ones skinnier foreigners with a “better configuration” get genetically altered (I guess) to a worse configuration when they move to the US, then.
- SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
  IDK what you mean, but if it isn’t clear to anyone that our food is poison, it should be. My complaint is getting addicted to pharma because we’re addicted to toxic food.
  - vundercind 2y ago
    My point is that skinny populations don’t seem to be skinnier than the US population due to greater genetically-backed willpower (better “configuration”). At least, if it’s a factor, it’s overwhelmed by other factors, it seems.
  - fragmede 2y ago
    hilariously, the toxic food companies are worried that ozemic will kill their profits. Maybe the pharma industry can fight the food industry conglomerates. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-07/ozempic-for-weight-loss-is-disrupting-companies-business-model https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-07/ozempic-f... https://www.wsj.com/business/ozempic-impact-snack-food-companies-9eec87e5 https://www.wsj.com/business/ozempic-impact-snack-food-compa... https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-impact/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/ozempic-w... https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/investing/ozempic-food-companies/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/investing/ozempic-food-compan...

hombre_fatal 2y ago

Sure. People say the same thing about ADHD. The question is how a trait fares in the modern world. Maybe a trait was useful to an ancestor but not to you today trying to navigate a calorie rich world of convenience. Just like a trait useful to a nomadic hunter might work against you when you're expected to sit at a desk job if you want to make the money necessary to fulfill your ambitions. It may very well be the case that we end up medicating away traits that were useful at some point in our lineage but not today. I just don't see how it matters much beyond the thought exercise.

SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
I don’t think that’s a great comparison. Have you wondered why ADHD has exploded? Have you not realized how many people at hacker news are on SSRIs? Watch this comment, you will.

filoleg 2y ago

The exact same argument can be applied to literally any medical issue, and it is a pointless one. Someone has an elevated risk of skin cancer due to their genetics? Probably an evolutionary trait that it is more likely for some people to get skin cancer within their lifetime. That doesn’t mean that using sunscreen and providing those people with related medical care (if the need arises) is some crime against nature and will end up hurting evolutionary prospects of the human race.

ben_w 2y ago
> Someone has an elevated risk of skin cancer due to their genetics? Probably an evolutionary trait that it is more likely for some people to get skin cancer within their lifetime. More than probably, it's called "being white". (And we evolved that for more vitamin D?)

vundercind 2y ago

Weird that the ones skinnier foreigners with a “better configuration” get genetically altered (I guess) to a worse configuration when they move to the US, then.

SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
IDK what you mean, but if it isn’t clear to anyone that our food is poison, it should be. My complaint is getting addicted to pharma because we’re addicted to toxic food.
- vundercind 2y ago
  My point is that skinny populations don’t seem to be skinnier than the US population due to greater genetically-backed willpower (better “configuration”). At least, if it’s a factor, it’s overwhelmed by other factors, it seems.
- fragmede 2y ago
  hilariously, the toxic food companies are worried that ozemic will kill their profits. Maybe the pharma industry can fight the food industry conglomerates. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-07/ozempic-for-weight-loss-is-disrupting-companies-business-model https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-07/ozempic-f... https://www.wsj.com/business/ozempic-impact-snack-food-companies-9eec87e5 https://www.wsj.com/business/ozempic-impact-snack-food-compa... https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-impact/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/09/ozempic-w... https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/investing/ozempic-food-companies/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/05/investing/ozempic-food-compan...