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lemmycaution
"Long mired in film"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 13:04:11

Goodbye cruel world.

MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 16:33:42

And Europe acts all snobby about American culture.

Montgomery
"F**k!"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 17:36:48

Ewwwwwh.

(Made my skin crawl.)

EM :)

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 17:37:44

They claim they're doing it to bring attention to the chronic shortage of donated organs...makes sense to me. I'm sure a silly game show will be MUCH more effective than a documentary on all those people dying as they wait for an organ. Yeah, interviewing a few patients in-depth to put a very human face on the problem, then informing the audience which of the subjects have since passed away because they didn't get an organ in time...I don't think that would work as much as exploiting a dying woman on a game show and making her "choose" who's life may be indirectly saved by her tragic death.

However, sarcasm aside, we should take a moment here to acknowledge that the chronic shortage of organs IS a very serious problem. Don't be selfish, people...you don't need to take them with you, and it's wrong to not respect the final wishes of a loved one and refuse to allow them to be harvested (this happens every single day...just checking off that box on the Motor Vehicles form doesn't guarantee your wishes will be carried out, the next of kin has to allow it).

Even virtually every Rabbinical scholar has come to the conclusion that organ donation is not only allowed, but a mitzvah that EVERYONE should do. I find it tragic that so many people mistakenly believe their religion is "against" it, when many religious institutions have long-since changed their positions on the issue...as if there's any logic to the idea that God really wants you to NOT try and save someone else's life, anyway.

Edited by - Downtown on 05/31/2007 17:38:54

lemmycaution
"Long mired in film"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 18:02:08

quote:
Originally posted by Downtown

They claim they're doing it to bring attention to the chronic shortage of donated organs...makes sense to me. I'm sure a silly game show will be MUCH more effective than a documentary on all those people dying as they wait for an organ. Yeah, interviewing a few patients in-depth to put a very human face on the problem, then informing the audience which of the subjects have since passed away because they didn't get an organ in time...I don't think that would work as much as exploiting a dying woman on a game show and making her "choose" who's life may be indirectly saved by her tragic death.

However, sarcasm aside, we should take a moment here to acknowledge that the chronic shortage of organs IS a very serious problem. Don't be selfish, people...you don't need to take them with you, and it's wrong to not respect the final wishes of a loved one and refuse to allow them to be harvested (this happens every single day...just checking off that box on the Motor Vehicles form doesn't guarantee your wishes will be carried out, the next of kin has to allow it).

Even virtually every Rabbinical scholar has come to the conclusion that organ donation is not only allowed, but a mitzvah that EVERYONE should do. I find it tragic that so many people mistakenly believe their religion is "against" it, when many religious institutions have long-since changed their positions on the issue...as if there's any logic to the idea that God really wants you to NOT try and save someone else's life, anyway.

Hear, hear!

MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 18:45:39

quote:
Originally posted by Downtown

They claim they're doing it to bring attention to the chronic shortage of donated organs...makes sense to me. I'm sure a silly game show will be MUCH more effective than a documentary on all those people dying as they wait for an organ. Yeah, interviewing a few patients in-depth to put a very human face on the problem, then informing the audience which of the subjects have since passed away because they didn't get an organ in time...I don't think that would work as much as exploiting a dying woman on a game show and making her "choose" who's life may be indirectly saved by her tragic death.

Honestly? The game show idea strikes me as far more effective. No one watches documentaries, game shows are much more popular. I don't think the show can be assailed for ineffectively getting out its message.

By the same token, of course, killing my neighbor's dog is a far more effective way of getting it to shut up than asking my neighbor to do something about it. Results aren't everything.

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 19:59:23

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think getting people's attention matters if they don't take it seriously. A game show makes the whole issue into a big joke, as if what it takes to get a life-saving transplant is to dress up like a clown so you get "noticed" in the crowd on Let's Make a Deal, or coming up with clever and amusing answers like on The Dating Game. Well no...that's not how it works, not even close. What it really takes is the foresight of a stranger, the compassion of their family, and whole lot of luck...and most people that need all three don't end up getting them in time.

And I already mentioned how they're exploiting the dying woman and forcing her to choose who will be lucky enough to get her organs. But I haven't mentioned how I feel about what they're doing to the "contestants." These people need to get up there and tell their sob stories and convince someone to try and save their life? They have to "prove" that they deserve it? And what message are we sending to the "loser" and their family? It's bad enough to tell someone their loved one died because they just didn't get to the front of the line fast enough...it's so much worse to tell them they simply didn't "deserve it" as much as the other guy.

This whole concept is just sick. It's not the first time the suffering of strangers has been used as entertainment, but this goes way too far.

Whippersnapper.
"A fourword thinking guy."

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 20:43:23

quote:
Originally posted by MisterBadIdea

Results aren't everything.

Don't tell us, tell the people waiting for donor organs.

MisterBadIdea
"PLZ GET MILK, KTHXBYE"

Posted - 05/31/2007 : 21:27:40

quote:
I don't think getting people's attention matters if they don't take it seriously.

I would seriously like to believe that anyone watching this show would recognize the inherent seriousness of the subject, regardless of the tone set by the producers. But perhaps I have too much faith in the human race's ability to understand the importance of certain issues.

But yeah, what really makes this so repulsive is that they're making all these people compete for their lives. It's essentially like one of those movies where condemned death row prisoners fight to the death for their freedom. I mean, yeah, they were already gonna die, but at least no one expected me to be entertained by it.

That said, if I needed some organs, I would go on that show IMMEDIATELY; even if I lost, there's the hope that I could use the show to gain some attention from another donor.

Edited by - MisterBadIdea on 05/31/2007 21:29:20

Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."

Posted - 06/01/2007 : 01:36:04

The end may justify the means. If publicity surrounding this 'show' results in more lives saved through more donors, then that seems fine by me.

Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"

Posted - 06/01/2007 : 14:34:02

quote:
Originally posted by Se�n

The end may justify the means. If publicity surrounding this 'show' results in more lives saved through more donors, then that seems fine by me.

I can't argue with that. I just hope it actually happens. The cynic in me says it won't.

Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"

Posted - 06/01/2007 : 14:56:14

quote:
Originally posted by Downtown

I already mentioned how they're exploiting the dying woman and forcing her to choose who will be lucky enough to get her organs.

Although I find this programme abhorrent, there is no evidence that the above is the case. She is not being exploited and definitely not being forced to choose anything. The 'contestants' are definitely the ones who deserve the sympathy.

Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."

Posted - 06/01/2007 : 23:19:26

It's a hoax.