Hyman Causes an Intellectual Flabbalanche

In a recent editorial, Mark Hyman bemoans the efforts of “activists” to hold food companies responsible for the ill effects of their products on the national waistline.

Hyman sets up the issue in terms of a conflict between those who blame companies for America’s obesity and those who champion “personal responsibility.”

But that’s a classic example of a false dilemma. One can be all for personal accountability when it comes to food choices and still be for sensible regulations on the food industry, particularly those corporations (such as the fast food industry) that, like Big Tobacco, create products that harm their customers when that product is used as directed. (Morgan Spurlock, in his film Supersize Me, dramatically shows that if one ate at McDonald’s at each meal—exactly what the company would love for its customers to do—you can end up seriously ill in less than a month.)

In fact, it’s sometimes necessary to have regulations in order for customers to practice personal responsibility.

Hyman mocks the push for “requirements that all restaurant menus include nutritional information.” But how else are customers to make an informed decision unless they have the facts about the food in front of them? When we buy food at the store, the packaging has nutritional information on it. Why not at restaurants?

Again, Spurlock’s movie is a good example of the problem. Even at McDonald’s, which claims to have nutritional information available, it’s often difficult or impossible for customers to actually find it. Often, the employees themselves don’t even know where it is.

Demanding personal accountability but opposing giving individuals the tools they need to make informed decisions is hypocritical. Accountability is a two-way street.

Advocates of “personal responsibility” often bridle at the suggestion that we should hold corporations responsible as well. In Hyman’s case, I guess that’s not surprising. Sinclair has been serving up the journalistic version of fast food for several years now, increasing the intellectual flab of its audience.

And that’s The Counterpoint.

Hyman Index: 4.27