by Daniel Akst
The Wilson Quarterly
In a sense, the crux of the self-control problem is the future and how much regard we have for it. Today the future looks scary, in part because we are so lax—about warming the planet with fossil fuels, increasing national debt, and countless other issues. But if we can do better, we should also remember that things could be much worse. That technology helped get us into this mess means that it may well have the power to get us out. Can the time be far off when pills permit us to eat almost anything without gaining weight? What about when we’re finally able to manipulate the genes of our offspring? Will we engineer superhuman self-control? And will the law punish those who don’t possess it?
Meanwhile, let’s look on the bright side. That self-control may be the most significant challenge faced by many of the world’s people in the 21st century is a blessing in not much of a disguise. Self-regulation is a challenge, but one not nearly so daunting as the poverty and tyranny that are its most effective substitutes. (more)Take Two Servings of Paternalism
by David White
American.com
In the fight against fatty foods, the battle has already surpassed the dire warnings of R.J. Reynolds. Rather than impose a Twinkie tax—which was first popularized by Yale University’s Kelly Brownell in a 1994 New York Times op-ed—local governments have outright banned unhealthy foods. California, Connecticut, and several local districts have banned soda sales in their schools. Fearing lawsuits, the country’s top three soft-drink companies will start removing sweetened drinks like Coke and iced teas from school cafeterias and vending machines this fall. (more)
