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Daily Transmission - Cultivating Dependence
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TrueLife: Rites of Passage - Episode: The Cultivation of Dependence
In this eye-opening episode of TrueLife: Rites of Passage, host George Monty exposes the dark underbelly of modern dependency engineering—how corporations systematically turn free individuals into captive consumers through biological, psychological, and economic addictions. From pharmaceuticals that hook you for life to hyper-palatable foods and addictive apps, Monty reveals how “customer lifetime value” is just code for human farming, where independence is eroded for perpetual profit.
Monty dives deep into real-world examples: Purdue Pharma’s deliberate strategies to create dependence with OxyContin, as uncovered in internal documents ; Eli Lilly’s knowledge of Prozac’s permanent neurochemical changes and severe discontinuation syndrome since 1984 ; and the infamous 2018 Goldman Sachs report questioning if “curing patients” is a sustainable business model, favoring chronic treatments instead. He also uncovers the DSM-5’s expansion of mental disorders in 2010, influenced by pharmaceutical ties ; AstraZeneca’s proton pump inhibitors creating “annuity patients” through long-term use ; and Meta’s (Facebook’s) 2021 leaked memo admitting Instagram worsens body image issues for 32% of teen girls to keep users hooked.
Beyond drugs, Monty explores food engineering at Frito-Lay, where flavors are lab-designed to mimic cocaine-like dopamine hits ; Meta’s 2017 internal tactics using variable rewards to ensure users return compulsively ; and the shift to subscription models in software and finance that make opting out impossible.
This episode challenges listeners to audit their dependencies—medications, apps, subscriptions—and reclaim autonomy. End with a call to action: Research your “needs,” break the hooks, and become unfarmable. Tune in for tomorrow’s unmasking of automated compliance.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/11/goldman-asks-is-curing-patients-a-sustainable-business-model.html
https://www.statnews.com/2019/12/03/oxycontin-history-told-through-purdue-pharma-documents/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2622774/
https://www.wisnerbaum.com/advocacy_campaigns/ssri-documents/
https://www.scribd.com/document/413333146/Eli-Lilly-Prozac-Documents-What-Do-They-Reveal
https://www.aaup.org/academe/issues/2010-issues-4/diagnosing-conflict-interest-disorder