“Nation of Victims” Book Review
My review of Vivek Ramaswamy's Nation of Victims was rejected by Amazon. I'm posting the original and my second sanitized version which was also rejected. Aside from the fact that Freedom of the Press is apparently not important I’ve now located the one issue where AOC and JD Vance are in total agreement: never mention the size of the American Body.
Original Post
Vivek Ramaswamy—tech bro turned author turned politician—is on the campaign trail with his book Nation of Victims, and telling us that we’re soft, scared, and hopelessly Woke. But he's got the solution to our national crisis of weakness and low self-esteem: elect him Governor of Ohio. Yes, Ohio—the state where 15 years ago movie theater owners were seriously considering removing the armrests in the back rows. Not for cuddling. For butts. And not just big butts—multi-seat-spanning butts. As the person who made Pilates a household name, Vivek's culture war monologues about race and gender is just another distraction to shield us from our dire health issues. Because the real issue isn’t Wokeness, it’s Waistlines. Ohio isn’t just a red state—it’s a well-marbled one. It’s one of the fattest states in the nation. But isn’t that like saying Lake Erie is one of the wettest lakes! At this point, every state looks like an “all you can eat” restaurant scene. Let’s be real: when 65% of the U.S. population is obese, another 15% just "overweight" (aka obese-lite), and nearly a third of the kids are waddling around, happiness and longevity are laughable. Vivek is preaching fiscal discipline and cultural pride in front of a population that cannot be saved by raising estate taxes. These folks need Ozempic, Mounjaro, and higher—not lower-- food prices. But even if the fat melts, their minds have been sautéed in decades of government food pyramids, morning TV diet segments, and wellness scams pushed by influencers who think “detox” means drinking lemon water out of a mason jar. Ohio is just stop #1 for Vivek’s inevitable 2032 Presidential remix tour—but if he really wants to lead, maybe he should try saying what’s obvious: Americans weren’t victimized by identity politics. They were victimized by the CDC, the USDA, the media, and a trillion-dollar “health” industry that sold them sugar, fear, and treadmill subscriptions that doubled as coat racks. The “American Dream” is Branding. Same as "Wellness." Same as “gluten-free cupcake.” Sounds noble. Feels inspirational. Is mostly made of corn syrup and crap. If Vivek wants to fix America, maybe he should start with what’s broken—and it’s not pronouns. It’s pancreas function.
Sanitized Version
Vivek Ramaswamy—tech entrepreneur turned author turned politician—is on the campaign trail with his book Nation of Victims, telling us that we’re soft, scared, and hopelessly Woke. But he's got the solution to our national crisis of weakness and low self-esteem: elect him Governor of Ohio. Yes, Ohio—the state where 15 years ago movie theater owners were reportedly considering removing the armrests in the back rows. Not for cuddling. For space. And not just for big frames—multiple-seat-spanning ones.
As the person who helped make Pilates a household name, Vivek’s cultural commentary about race and gender can feel like a distraction from the broader health crisis. Because the real issue isn’t Wokeness—it’s Waistlines. Ohio isn’t just a red state—it’s a richly marbled one. It ranks among the highest in the nation for obesity. But isn’t that like saying Lake Erie is one of the wettest lakes? At this point, nearly every state could be mistaken for an “all you can eat” buffet scene.
Let’s be honest: when 65% of the U.S. population is obese, another 15% are considered "overweight" (a gentler category), and nearly a third of children are already struggling with weight, long-term happiness and health outcomes are genuinely at risk. Vivek is preaching fiscal discipline and cultural pride to a population that won't be helped much by tweaking estate taxes. These communities may benefit more from medical innovations like Ozempic and Mounjaro—and perhaps a rethink of our food pricing structures. But even if the weight comes off, the collective mindset has been deeply influenced by decades of dietary guidelines, media messaging, and wellness trends shaped more by marketing than evidence.
Ohio may be just stop #1 for Vivek’s inevitable 2032 presidential campaign reboot—but if he truly wants to lead, perhaps he should address what’s plainly evident: Americans weren’t merely misled by identity politics. They’ve also been misdirected by inconsistent public health messaging, skewed food recommendations, and a billion-dollar wellness industry that sold them sugary drinks, unrealistic fears, and home treadmills that quietly turned into storage racks.
The “American Dream” is Branding. Same with “Wellness.” Same with “gluten-free cupcake.” Sounds noble. Feels inspirational. Often turns out to be more about marketing than meaning.
If Vivek wants to fix America, maybe he should start with what’s actually broken—and it’s not pronouns. It’s metabolic health.
