Ethical analysis on the movie John Q
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Posted: Sunday, August 07, 2005
by Pedro A. Gueits
This is a very outstanding dramatic movie because it catches the exact problems that are present in our society. Every minute of this movie demonstrate the way we can feel and the things we can do for our love ones. We can clearly see the frustration , desperation and impotence that one can have when needs something that is relatively impossible to achieve, obviously by following the society rules .
We can see that this problem involves a lot of communities. First we can see the family of the boy,the doctors, the police,the health plan, the media, the hostages and the spectators. John Q thought that there had to be many ways of helping his son, so he did every thing that was in his hands. He hoped that he’s boy would survive if he received the right treatment.This means that he and his son depended entirely on the care of the doctors.
The doctors on the other hand thought that there was nothing more to do with John Q’s son, but to literally let him die. They also though on making the boy’s death less painful by giving him medicine until he died. We see that the doctors in some part act in an inhumane and materialistic ways. We can see the look on their faces that look was like they do not even care for the human suffering, feelings of the family and the boy. When the doctors found out that the health plan would not covered the treatment completely they refused to help. This is very ironic because the doctors represent the health of our society.
The police which tried to gun down John Q, were thinking in how to get John Q out of the hospital leaving behind a good impression on the local community. The media was thinking in how to get the latest and most dramatic information regarding John Q’ assault and in doing so hoping to get famous and popular. In resume words we can see that some communities care about the delicate situation that the boy and his family was in. They thought on ways to help them, but on the other hand we can see communities that did not care of the delicate situation only to take advantage of the problem.
It is interesting because if we try to find an answer to this moral problem using the two ways of thinking we see that both are used according with John Q’s actions. First let’s use the ethic of norms. In the beginning John Q followed all the rules and did everything by the book. He sold his car, his TV and other things. He fallow all the procedures established by the hospital.
Because of the stress, the frustration, the desperation, the feeling that his son was slowly suffering and the doctors were not doing anything to help we see that his thinking dramatically changed. John Q did not obey the rules he just did what he thought was the only thing left to save his son. He was now using the ethic of aspiration. We know what made him change his thinking, but who is the primarily suspect that push him to make this action?. The only suspect that we can think of is the famous love. He loved so much his son that he assaulted the hospital and even more he offered his life to save his son . This heroic action can only be made by pure love.
The doctors were just negative and careless. We know that the new heart the boy needed was no yet present but they could have placed his name in the list, that is no scientific job but because of the money they didn’t. We know that the doctors need to be paid, they also need to eat and they have their necessities but at least they can be a little less materialist and care a little bit more for the human health and feelings, not our money. We can see this too in our society, people that cannot have their treatment because they don’t have the economic help. It’s incredible to think that the health of our society has grown to be an economic business.
From all that we have presented here we can say that John Q’s actions were based on love and survival, not for harming any one .We can then say that his actions, base on the circumstances, were correct. We might think that they were incorrect, but if John Q had not done this, would his son have remained alive today?. This lets you thinking but we absolutely know, in our hearts, that the boy would not survive if it weren’t for John Q’s actions.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)this comment is really a big help! it would make the people be awaken by the reality! it would... if not make people change, would somewhat touch their lives and would appreciate the value of life...hey....that was a very impressive analysis...its awaking the people to the reality of our society ryt now.....
however...This anlysis..helps me to finish my paper works....in special ethics...we viewed this movie once...en i got inspired..hahahahahah..
TNX SO MUCH>>>>>
Good Day Mr.,Well, Your analysis was quite interesting yet I would like to share my thoughts on this matter. John's actions when we base it realy to the question on right or wrong is to be considered as wrong. This is becuase what were his actions was from an invalid obligation. We say that he has the obligation to realy protect and save his son's life however in Ethics one should not be depressed because he was not able to do his obligation in terms of these following reason: (1) the means for helping is extra ordinary, (2) very expensive, (3)prolong agony, and (4) less chance of survival. John was not ofcourse obliged to do extra ordinary means to help save his son.What he ought to do in that case is to accept the reality that he is can not do anything and that every thing that happens has it's own purpose in life. He then should allow the natural death of his son which means that getting his son out from the hospital and bring the child at home. Then let the child eat he wants to eat and he does not want so let it be as long as your their and you did your best to do your obligation.From:C.K. Bagongon, Philippines01/19/2010
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