WHAT an inconsistent, fragile, pandering society we inhabit here in the UK. Some of the stories I read in my daily newspaper shock me to the core.

For instance, I read this week that doctors, on behalf of the NHS, are spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money each week prescribing expensive, quick-fix, fat-fighting pills to treat those among us who are obese.

So, on the one hand, we have seriously ill patients being denied life-saving drugs because they are too expensive, while on the other hand, there are individuals being indulged, even though they have brought about their own problems as a direct result of not only personal gluttony but also a reluctance to do any meaningful exercise. (I would go so far as to say that the vast majority of us eat a good deal more than our bodies require).

We must stop mollycoddling those who are obese, otherwise the problem is going to steadily get worse and the rest of us will be paying out more and more of our hard earned cash to support these people (of course, I appreciate there’ll be a small minority who have genuine medical issues).

We live in a pill culture, a ‘zap’ culture, so it is of little surprise that some people are not prepared to go through what can be an arduous challenge to achieve what they want, but do not feel like addressing because there is this much easier route available.

I teach children, most of whom want lots of things out of life and I always tell them that wanting something is not good enough, we have to feel like taking the necessary steps to achieve what we want. We all have to change our WANTS into FEEL LIKES.

In my opinion, NHS money, provided by us tax payers, should not go to the pharmaceutical companies but to heart and cancer treatments, to hip replacements, to nurses’ salaries etc.

Why should we be forced to bail out those who over-eat and are too lazy to do any exercise? I know many bleat, in response, that they don’t have enough time to do exercise and my answer is ‘nonsense’. An hour a week would suffice, you’ve just got to find the will power. What’s more, physical exercise gives a feeling of well-being and helps self confidence and self value. Exercise reduces body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol, while enhancing self-esteem. After a short bout of physical exercise, there is a feeling of having achieved something, something which taking a pill will certainly not provide.

We have pills for everything nowadays – to help us find happiness, to keep our out-of-control children in check, to help us lose weight, even to assist us in making love. There seems to be an artificial answer for everything.

What has made the human race top of the natural world’s pecking order is our ability to meet and overcome challenges. So, let’s stop pandering to those among us who can’t be bothered to help themselves and let’s start dishing out a few home truths.