Profiles in Paternalism

Peter Ubel sounds like a nice guy.

But sadly, as the saying goes "Nice Guys Finish Last In Economics Class And Yearn To Boss Every One Around". (that's not the saying you remember? Hm. Oh well. When in Rome...)

Evidenced here.

What’s wrong with free market theory? It doesn’t take into account our human nature.

First of all, I'd love to hear an acceptable definition of "human nature". Ubel brings up the examples of sleeping in instead of exercising and people's long commutes to work. It'd be the height of asininity, however, to suggest that these personal foibles are applicable to every person.

Secondly, free-marketeers are often accused of being reductionist towards individuals, that we reduce the human spirit down to a list of consumptions and habits. As spurious as the charge might be, no one in the free-market camp comes close to this kind of rhetoric:

In this book, I argue that the combination of human nature and free markets can be downright dangerous for our health and well-being. That government must step in and further regulate the markets that reward those who exploit our weaknesses. And, in the end, that good policy must take human nature into account-our rational and irrational sides, our strengths and our weaknesses.

Gee, my fragile little mind is no match for the power of corporations. I can't control myself in the face of all the sexy ads peddled by the fat cats of Madison Avenue. Whatever can I do?



/sarcasm

I give you all that background info on Dr. Ubel just so you can understand why a clearly intelligent man (from the greatest school evar) would write something for HuffPo that is as blinkeringly stupid as this:

In making this statement, Journal editorialists are flaunting their ignorance of human nature. As a physician, I have spent my clinical time caring for patients -- smokers, overeaters, under-exercisers -- who have been harmed by many of the products that these kind of libertarians would want us to free from regulation. As a behavioral scientist, I have studied how easy it can be to unconsciously influence people's behavior. As the father of 8 and 10 year-old boys, I have yearned for a government that is willing to step in, when necessary, to protect my kids from the harmfulness of our excessive consumerism.

See, guys? Dr. Ubel knows what's best for people, but he can't get what he wants because those bastard libertarians are preventing him from keeping his kids safe! Thank Science that President Obama will listen to Dr. Ubel! With his brains and Obama's might, all suffering will end!

Why, you ask? Because Dr. Ubel has studied people. Not just in surveys, man, but really studied them. He's looked into the abyss of a man's soul and divined the reasons for his actions. He's taken those reasons and weighed them against each other, and Solomon-esquely deigned which reasons are best and what behavior is preferred. All Dr. Ubel lacked was the Sword of the State, but his day has come!

/lastbitofsarcasm.

/really.