Watching House certainly changes my perspective on things. You know, apart from the sudden odd desire to go into the one career field I’ve always rejected despite my love for Biology. I can empathise with House and am convinced I’ll turn into a bad tempered old person who will only do things because I’m sure it’s the right thing for me to do. Or something.
The episode I’ve just watched has managed to fit in the compulsory “controversial” issue all medical dramas must have at least once per season, with a struggle between what is right and what is moral blah-de-blah. Or maybe it just struck a note with me – Season 1 Ep 14, Control (I’m working my way through them chronologically rather than do what I did with Doctor Who and watch the current season before working my way through the “interesting” seasons. Things make more sense this way) .
The main part of the story is that there’s a woman who needs a heart transplant, but House discovers her heart is only on the brink of failing because of some poison she takes to help her throw up, since she’s bulimic, and she also cuts herself. He asks her if she wants to die, she realises that she doesn’t and breaks down, and so it’s up to House to decide whether to lie about her psychological problems to secure the heart or not.
Of course, the issue with this is that it makes the viewer wonder whether anybody deserves to die or not, or whether some people have more “right” to a transplant than others. I’m not actually going to discuss that - I thought it was more interesting the way the whole story was put together. We were made to feel that once the girl started crying and saying she did want to live, that that was the only possible right option. House had to lie for her, because this person deserved to be given a second chance.
But… how do we know that? She said that she didn’t want to die – well, I’d bet that most of the world’s population is scared of dying, and given the choice when they’re in their thirties would choose not. House tells her after not to screw it up – but eating disorders and other forms of self harm are not easy to get out of, they never really go away.
I’m not trying to say that she should have just gone and died, because I agree, as I’m sure that most of you do, that it was good she was given that second chance, and some aren’t as lucky. It’s just interesting to see how quickly we make judgements on life and death. We feel sorry for the person, we are convinced that they will make the best out of their new life, and that is enough to grant them life, even though it means someone else could die. It’s not so easy, even for House, to figure it out without involving emotions. Maybe if, as usual, he had decided without involving emotions, he would have let her die. Which, I guess, is a huge part of the series (so far). To involve yourself personally or not?
I’m sorry about the possible incoherency of this post. I hope you can’t tell I’ve been racking my brains for something other than Twilight to discuss (see title – you can probably guess how shallow I’m being right now, oh, and totally loving it). Signing off to go fangirl over you-know-who somewhere else…
House is amazing. And I always have trouble with these types of questions because I can always see both sides of the argument. It hurts my brain D: But really, what about the other person on the transplant list who did nothing to harm themselves? I’d be inclined to think that they should get the transplant because they’ve never been given a chance in the first place
In the end, though, I don’t think anyone can say who would deserve a transplant more (unless one of the candidates is a mass-murderer or something)…