Weird Weight Loss Trends

Lori Lancaster | April 13, 2007
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Kris Weberg | April 13, 2007
Hilarious, when you consider that most people are motivated to lose weight for primarily cosmetic reasons, with the health benefits as a sort of side benefit.

This somehow reminds me of an ad I saw once for a drug that cured social anxiety -- shyness, basically -- but had as side effects nausea, dry mouth, and diarrhea. "Sure, I'm crapping my pants, thirsty as hell, and about to vomit, but I feel so socially confident."

Amy Austin | April 14, 2007
HAHAHA... Kris, your comment reminds me of the tapeworm diet -- didn't we make fun of that somewhere around her before??? (*searches* Guess not.) That one cracks me up, too.

Jackie Mason | April 15, 2007
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Aaron Shurtleff | April 16, 2007
HOLY CRAP!!!!1!!

I need to love weight! I need to sleep better at night! I have depression and/or social anxiety! What was this miracle drug called? I need to get my therapist to get me on it right away!!!

Jackie Mason | April 17, 2007
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Amy Austin | April 17, 2007
I need to love weight!

(Hm. Given the fact that at least half my wardrobe doesn't fit me right now, I'd say that I need this, too... but I'm not sure how I feel about this indication???) ;-p ;-D

Aaron Shurtleff | April 18, 2007
That should say lose, not love. :P Geez! A mere slip of the finger gets me in so much trouble!

Scott Hardie | April 23, 2007
A weird thought hit me today. Our culture does rely too carelessly on the convenience of pharmaceuticals, and there are a lot of synthetic drugs out there with unexplored side effects and other dangers. But, generally speaking, if you accept the premises that a) some drugs are not only comprehensively tested but safe in producing their desired outcome, and b) pharmacology continues to improve over time, then on a long enough hypothetical timeline, any desired affect could be achieved with medication. We joke now about miracle drugs that let the fat melt right off you or that let you stay awake for days on end without consequence, but will these someday be a valid way of life? Could we perfect a drug regimen that truly gave you the athletic prowess of Michael Jordan and the intellect of Albert Einstein without side effects? Eventually this trend must dovetail with other artificial enhancements of human limitations granted by technology (such as nano implants), and after that it would be hard to predict what "humanity" will be like, but for a time, the word "convenient" wouldn't begin to sum up how much better life would be.

Evidence to the contrary, I was not under the influence of any "pharmaceuticals" when the above occurred to me.

Anna Gregoline | April 23, 2007
I really honestly doubt it - almost every medication under the sun has side effects. But the idea is intruiging!

Steve Dunn | April 23, 2007
Scott, I think what you describe is clearly going to occur in the medium-term future, ie, we'll live long enough to see amazing advances, and our children and grandchildren will very likely be unable to imagine a world without biological enhancements.

Anna Gregoline | April 23, 2007
I've been thinking about this all day - if it happened it only opens the door for more prejudice, doesn't it, with the Supers being the dominant and special people? Maybe only celebrities would be able to afford this stuff!