Wellness Culture Exposed: How the Pursuit of Health Became a Moral Trap

Wellness culture is everywhere — from the gym to the office, from social media feeds to government policies. But what happens when the pursuit of health becomes a moral imperative? Carl Cederström and André Spicer’s 'The Wellness Syndrome' offers a compelling critique of this phenomenon, revealing how wellness has evolved into a form of neoliberal self-governance that shapes identities, social relations, and political discourse.

The wellness contract, once a niche idea, is now widespread. Students pledge to avoid substances and adopt healthy habits; employees participate in corporate wellness programs that monitor their bodies and minds. This institutionalization of wellness turns health into a moral demand, where failure is stigmatized as laziness or moral weakness.

Dieting culture reinforces this moralization. The act of dieting is not just about food but a ritual of self-surveillance and confession. Yet, despite the effort, many experience guilt and failure, caught in a paradox that sustains the wellness economy.

Disgust plays a crucial but often overlooked role. Media portrayals of the working class as irresponsible and unhealthy are intertwined with moral judgments that justify social exclusion. Disgust is a visceral, gut-level reaction that precedes rational debate, making it a powerful tool for maintaining social hierarchies.

The happiness doctrine further complicates this picture. Governments and corporations promote happiness as a policy goal, but the pressure to be happy often leads to increased anxiety and feelings of failure. The cultural demand to enjoy life functions like a superego injunction, generating guilt when happiness is elusive.

Neoliberalism’s emphasis on self-optimization extends wellness into all aspects of life. Wearables, apps, and gamification blur the boundaries between work and personal health, creating a regime of constant monitoring and discipline.

Resistance movements, including fat acceptance and radical communities, challenge the wellness command, revealing its contradictions and limits. Illness, too, can be a form of reprieve from relentless productivity demands.

Ultimately, this critique calls for embracing imperfection, vulnerability, and collective care. It urges political engagement to address structural inequalities rather than reducing wellbeing to individual responsibility.

This blog offers a rich, nuanced understanding of wellness culture’s complexities and invites readers to rethink how we live and care for ourselves and each other. 1 2 3 4