Drugs like Ozempic can target and erase our desire for food – and perhaps other cravings too. This pathologises desire as something that exists outside of us, to which we passively submit. But in losing our desires, we risk losing valuable parts of our experience – instead, argues Uku Tooming, we should view desire as an attitude that we shape with our imagination, and use our imagination to harness it to better ends.
Most of us aspire to improve our minds in various ways, from enhancing our intellectual capabilities to becoming more emotionally attuned to the needs of our significant others. For many, this aspiration is especially salient in their efforts to lose weight, as it requires getting their food cravings under control. Imagine, for instance, Eugene who, whenever he is exposed to delicious treats, such as chocolate cakes or ice cream, experiences a strong desire for them. As a result, he has difficulties controlling his weight. For Eugene, weakening his appetitive desire would arguably count as significantly improving his mind.
In recent years, the discovery that the antidiabetic medicine Ozempic—a brand name for semaglutide, a synthetic hormone that mimics glucagon-like peptide type 1 (GLP-1)—is highly effective in reducing food cravings (and considerably reducing weight as a result) has garnered a lot of attention. By having for the majority of people only minimal side effects, semaglutide—now also sold under the brand name Wegovy as a medicine explicitly targeted for weight loss—has been seen by many as a cure against weight problems that people like Eugene face. It looks like it is now possible to manage our desires with a simple injection while this used to be possible only through effortful self-discipline.
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