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Medication Nation (April 20, 2006) I happened upon a 1967 Time Magazine in a used bookstore recently, and was struck not by the bland coverage of the Vietnam War but by the ads. Yes, the ads. Why the ads? Because there were several for automobiles, a couple for airlines (back when that business was highly regulated and therefore highly profitable), and some for consumer goods such as air conditioners. 
Like Sherlock Holmes' "the dog which didn't bark," the surprise is what wasn't being advertised:
drugs. Open any magazine in America today and you'll find most of the ads are for medications.
Exactly what does this profound shift say about our country? Just this:
We are now Medication Nation. Half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug. Too fat and out of shape to have sex? We gotcha covered! All those fries and chips got your arteries clogged? We got your stents right here! High blood pressure from sitting on your duff watching TV for hours on end? Hey, take your pick! We've got a variety of pills for ya. Oh, they cost a wee thousand or two each--but your insurance company will cover it. No insurance? Well, that's a different story. We suddenly lost interest in your "health." (Actually, your health makes us no money. We hate your health! A pox upon your health! We love your illnesses! That's what makes us rich, rich, rich!) So now we as a nation glance at ads like this and don't even give them a second thought. Maybe we should. For more on this subject and a wide array of other topics, please visit my weblog. 
copyright © 2006 Charles Hugh Smith. All rights reserved in all media. I would be honored if you linked this wEssay to your site, or printed a copy for your own use.
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