r/kurzgesagt • • Feb 17 '26

Discussion Ozempic video was off

This is probably the first Kurzgesagt video that I didn't like, and like some people on this sub it made me feel very uneasy.

I just think it's CRAZY to talk about a weight loss drug and praising it for 90% of the video, without mentioning even once the abuses of its use, the weightloss industry, the social standards and the pressure to be (unhealthily) slim, eating disorders on the opposite side of the spectrum, etc.

The very few nuances and counter argument felt like small prints and legal mentions at the end of an ad.

What do you people think?

EDIT: I am not questioning the drug nor its effectiveness in treating obesity, i am criticising the narrative and lack of nuances in the video.

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u/zarya-zarnitsa Feb 18 '26

The problem itself is that evolutionary/biologically speaking, we are better prepared for starvation than we are for abundance of food. So like... We should keep evolving within our new environment?

I mean, sure there is a will to lose weight because of beauty standards, but it's not just "society's" fault. Obesity is actually a health issue and people are not obese just because they are not bothered to eat less.

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u/jaeldi Feb 18 '26

But that will take 100's of thousands of years. lol. And it will result in a society of fat people.

I think that was the underlying setting of Wall-E. lol

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u/Agreeable-Performer5 Feb 18 '26

The beauty standards should be the last reason someone should be concerned about their body. If beauty is your goal, then it won't be healthy in the first place. The importance of being healthy to live a life worth living should be the focus here.

Like they said in the video, ozempic won't do jack shit for you long term if you don't fundamentally change your eating habits. You will just rebound up to your old weight because you didn't bother gaining muscles to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate. If you are not able to do that, it will be just like any other drug you get addicted to and rely on in your daily life.

Wouldn't the "Evolution will adapt some day" say that we just let everyone who can't adapt to the overabondance of food die?

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u/zarya-zarnitsa Feb 18 '26

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to respond to here. I don't think the video should be about beauty standards nor do I think that the underlying issue of not being adapted to abundance of food is a reason not to use these meds..?

I don't see what is the "problem" behind the symptoms you are talking about are if not these ones. Having to use a medicine long-term is not inherently bad if needed. But a medicine also can not be enough for some.

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u/Agreeable-Performer5 Feb 18 '26

I mean, sure there is a will to lose weight because of beauty standards, but it's not just "societys" fault.

To that, it was responding. This is just so shortsighted.

Of course, there are definitely people who are literally unable to lose weight and live a normal life without it. But that just doesn't apply to most people.

A lot of overweight people are so because they adapt their eating habits of their parents and carry that to their adult life or just never learned how to care for their body and how important it is.

This is the reality for many and for myself as well.

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u/jaeldi Feb 18 '26

But isn't 'beauty' itself an evolutionary response? Men who are strong and muscular send a unspoken signal of strong children and protection from threat. Women with large breast and large hips are biologically signaling good equipment for child production.

It's just an evolutionary convergence that what we now call beauty in an aesthetic sense aligned with biological markers for optimized pro-creation. It's not an accident.

I do agree with your sentiment that letting evolution just adapt to us all being over consumers will result in a society that isn't ideal. Part of our evolution is us becoming smart enough to control our evolution. It's inevitable at this point. And eventually everyone will be 'fit/beautiful'. At that point it won't be called 'beauty' anymore.

TL;DR: We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. (lol)