That question has many possible answers, but I suspect the root to all of them boils down to greed and the desire for more profit. Healthy people do not generate as much income as unhealthy, they do not consume as much, especially when it comes to things like pharmaceuticals. Sick people are a money spinner, whether physically or mentally. They tend not to generate the most direct income or earn the most, but they do likely generate the most on average for the corporations.
I will slightly disagree here. I agree that unhealthy people generate a lot of income, but the so called healthy one do as well. Just look at how much stuff there is now for all them joggers: you've got smartwatches that will help you monitor your heart rate etc, you've got super fancy shoes and super duper fancy jogging clothes, and then you have a thousand phone apps that will let you keep track of your workouts and share it with others (don't mind the paid plan and occasional ads). Oh, you're tired after the whole day in your job? Here's a premium meditation/mindfulness app for just $79 a year (but only if you buy now and for the entire year!).
Aaaaaaand of course you can't perform a single freaking workout without telling the entire world that you just did! Share it to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or whathever else is hot at this point in time. Don't mind the algorithms.
I'd say that nowadays it is possible to generate income on virtually everything. Slowly and slowly every possible activity is becoming tightly coupled with some sort of economical reward or income generation—either for us (crypto tokenization), or for the croporations (Web 2.0 social media, new technologies). The essential skill is to be able to separate the action and the economical implications of this.
For example, I know many people who are virtually unable to go for a walk without taking pictures and sharing them (at the instant) to some social media of theirs. They are constantly connected to the Matrix. I do sometimes like to take a walk and not take my phone with me—just enjoy the air, the sun, the trees, maybe do some thinking, knowing that it will not generate an instant income for me nor someone else. That it's just this beautiful moment that cannot be taken away from me in any way.
Disconnecting is fantastic, getting out and leaving all the crap behind without our phones. I have gone for some walks lately without my phone and it's nice!
In regards to the unhealthy versus healthy, it's not that clear cut with many. I go for walks and all that and was relatively physically fit in the past but didn't spend that much money on the goodies.
Take someone with type 1 diabetes though, or a serious heart condition. The companies are guaranteed without a doubt that they need to be medicated. They need insurance too. The companies are both connected financially so they win multiple ways from the same person. Make that increase exponentially by restricting people from getting out, eating healthy and doing things that are good for their body and mind and you increase your profits in the end. A sadistic, psychotic game of manipulation.
This is what I am talking about. THey get drained, but have nothing left to invest to generate. Plus, in order to care for them, everything is subsidized by tax payers, so even though they can't cover their medical consumables, everyone else will be forced through tax anyway. They don't want healthy people, that would kill the sickly cow that brings in so many streams and justifies taking from others to cover even more.
Sell them what will make them sick, then sell them what will supposedly help them, but never really heal them.
Oh absolutely. Carrot on a stick analogy 110%. Keep dangling it and you will make untold amounts of money from foolish people.
That reminded me of a moment when I experienced the absolute freedom of spirit. It was in my college years. I had visited a friendly meeting in another town, a beautiful one with historical significance. Then I walked a few of the other visiting friends to the bus station, I bought a ticket for the train at the nearby train station, I went to a bridge over the local river, I looked into my wallet and I threw the last 5 cents I had on me in the water below. My mind or spirit...or my whole self...flew high the instant I realized I was truly penniless and carefree at least until the train I was about to catch would reach my destination.
Now I have too many goals to feel like that. But still, it's pure happiness when they align with my own will and desires.
It's the same with me, a lot on my plate: a job, side projects, investing, a serious relationship, and some time is needed to rest as well. It's hard to find the sweet point between overworking oneself and just being straight lazy. But let's strive for it anyway! :)
I understand where you are coming from with this, but this is just the consumables that they buy and get something for - yes, a massive amount of money - but when yo start to look at what the pharmaceuticals and associated costs of healthcare are, it is enormous and, the people are getting "nothing" for it other than being treated for illness - I am not sure if I am explaining that well, but I hope you understand. The consumables are actually "something" (often useless), but but the money generated from illness is money that largely doesn't need to be spent.
THis is for all sides. Social media is largely a scourge and drives all kinds of poor behavior.
Yes it is. but when it comes to the poor and sickly, they largely can't generate income , they can only consume.
The world we have created does not incentivize health, it encourages degradation.