When Bodies Outlive Persons - Essay Example

Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2013 Brain death and organ transplantation This is perhaps one of the most stimulating topics in the discussion. It stimulates reflection on what actually characterizes life, contemporary medical advancements and the distinctions between being socially dead and physically dead. There are various substantial controversies challenging this particular subject, but according to my negative experience with a patient in a medical setting, I personally argue that it is the consciousness of any living thing or individual and the capability to effectively interact within the world which enables it to live hence be alive. An individual who exists only in a motionless ‘vegetated’ condition and sustained by a particular machine, should be regarded as ‘socially dead’, a condition that, for such given individual, has an insignificant distinction to the actual physical death. In conditions where ‘social death’ is involved, families have the opportunity of electing to terminate the physical life of the individual in order to harvest organs, an activity considered to be able to save lives. However, before such a thing takes place, the patient’s life has to be completely ended. To medical experts however, brain death never signifies a complete death even though it will gradually culminate into a total biological death, a viewpoint that I realized families aren’t willing to share. In reality, the characteristics that are attributed to the life itself are basically quite complex in comparison to just the physiological features. As such therefore, without any capability of strongly engaging in societal activities, or even noticing any positive changes; people must seriously deliberate on the additional benefits such ‘vegetated’ relatives may add to the society. Medical advancements, Brain death and Organ harvesting are highlighted as fundamentals in the current medical advancements and research. However, this creates attitudes and difficulties among family members and doctors (Lock, 2002, 243). Organ immortality According to me, the most significant issue in ‘organ immortality’ is the state in which immortality is being pursued via various means including a blend of both religious and scientific principles. Of the most noteworthy concern is the spiritual connection tied to organ transplants. While I would also agree that during my transplant session I sought divine help from God to come out alive, this is a highly controversial issue between scientists and religious leaders that may never come to an end. Within me, I believe that the continuous argument concerning organ immortality is related to the various possible scenarios that may occur; as such the possibility of taking an appropriate step. A significant distinction exists between transplants conducted under divine guidance and those conducted without divine intervention. According to my experience, whereas transplants under divine interventions seem to produce hopeful lots for the afterlife, transplants without divine interventions are quite often endowed with fear for the uncertainty and death. The process seems quite similar to challenging immortality and the purpose of death according to the religious faith, where death is highlighted as resulting from old age (Arlene, 2006). In according to medical professional, and contrarily to religious faith, organ transplant becomes necessary in the survival of the dying patients. While I also agree that it provides solutions by ‘resurrecting’ the body, I find the use of the term inapplicable to the situation. As such, with the current modern medicine, the sustenance of lives beyond the natural capability of our bodies is a reality. Since the lifespan of people increases, life preservation has been given due importance, a move that I overwhelmingly support. However, this is only when the transplant performance is carried out properly in accordance with the given circumstances. Reproductive disruptions This particular focus is on occurrences during a woman’s pregnancy which may disrupt the expected and appropriate outcome of the human reproduction: a safer, healthy mother and a safely and perfectly delivered child. Of significant attraction to me are not only the social attitudes Vietnamese had towards abortion, but also the opposing actions individuals took when they encountered unexpected or unwanted pregnancy and their practices of coping with such problems. I personally do have a very strong contradicting position on the abortion topic, and still struggling with the concept and issue of rationalizing human life termination as described by Gammeltoft (2003) “the state’s plan”. The concept became introduced to this country of Vietnam primarily as a contemporary scientific solution to the devastating unplanned pregnancy situation. As indicated above, I really feel the subject is conflicting with my position, nonetheless trusting that everyone has independence to decide on the appropriate occasion for abortion. This opinion supports my opinion to some extent as it also holds that life and death to some extent are social structures. Some given groups of people believe in unborn children having not yet experienced life, hence they rationalize abortion. I also realized that the Vietnam youths used very interesting rituals to substantiate for the decisions they make, this is similar to the daily actions of wrong doers who deliberately engage in forbidden activities only to surface with an intelligent excuse to substantiate for their actions. With the introduction of the abortion into their lives, the Vietnam had the highest abortion rate worldwide. Despite this, it still maintained being a social stigma. To me, this highlights that the Vietnamese government may have misinformed the public during the introduction of abortion as a symbol of modernity, while the individuals who carried out abortion became shunned by other community members. Due to this, a majority of the youths in Vietnam became spiritual, a compassionate act, in order for their abortions to be rationalized. The article has highlighted how impacting the religious practices and modern technology is to the ordinary lives of a society. (Gammeltoft, pp135-137) Cemeteries and Funeral services Sanders (2009) highlight some of the most common themes expected in funeral services. Graves are highly respected, expensive, and facilitate business transactions. In United States of America, graves are often better maintained and decorated. However, there is an additional element in the American society that is quite intriguing, ‘the commercialization of death’. I would easily argue that death in itself has created successful funeral service companies. In a particular instance where I attended a friend’s funeral, everything ran on costs and it was no longer the question of bereaving but rather a focus towards meeting the bills of the ‘beloved’ departed. While at this juncture, the funeral homes were prepared enough to maximize on the substantial transactions from the ‘potential customers’. I also noticed that most decorative activities only occur during the burial time, where space is bought and other services arranged for. On the other hand, the people who request for such services are majorly those with immediate need, whereby after burial, such decorations are less prioritized with time. I believe that grave maintenance might only serve to extend the closure that families have during the initial burial, otherwise as the loss turns to be a less dominant aspect in life, revisiting the grave becomes increasingly unnecessary and decorations are forgotten. Most outstanding is the manner in which funerals have become increasingly commercialized to an extent that the languages used are a blend of business jargons, religious phrases and funeral terminology. Specialization here is a distinguished feature that experts are solicited for by the organizations specifically designed to offer funeral services. This commercialization is quite elaborate to an extent that business terms such as capital are blended with funeral-related terms and religious terms to bring in a complete and ‘befitting’ meaning. Nonetheless, I have learnt that death is an expensive incident and that despite grave space being expensive; their maintenance is a rare occurrence after all. The global Politics of Reproduction. This particularly discusses women in general and particularly lesbians who are being compared with non-lesbians, while also educates on the challenges of lesbianism and motherhood. When reflecting on the life of a lesbian, it is clear that societies hold various opinions on them, most of which are negative. Reflecting on this issue of identity, I realize that lesbians are perceived as without identity whereby their identity can only be regained with the consequent transformation to the normal behaviour of women. Due to the perception within various communities lesbians have no choice but to bear with the negative perceptions. I have often witnessed most of lesbians being perceived as women with no afterthought for the societal values. This is often much emphasized in terms of the questions on whether they can leave their lesbian life and be like other women or remain ‘unique’ as they are (Lewin, 1995). On the other hand, while we perceive childbearing among women as a significant characteristic of ‘proper womanhood’, questions dog the various methods to motherhood available in the contemporary world, especially the ones frequented by lesbians. I have often seen many lesbians utilize the modern developments as sperm banks and test-tube baby services as an alternative route to motherhood. While a comparison is made on childbearing in lesbians and non-lesbians, and critics of lesbianism continue questioning the existence of lesbianism, emphasis on various factors translating to lesbianism has never been keenly considered within societies. On the other hand, women in general are depicted as responsible for domestic chores and whose main role is rooted in reproduction. In the current world however, such can not be the exact reality considering the advancements in knowledge, education and human rights. Equality has been given a priority world over where women are highly empowered. Reference Lewin, E., 1995, On The Outside Looking In: The Politics Of Lesbian Motherhood. In F.D Ginsburg & R, Rapp (Eds.) Conceiving The New World Order: The Global Politics Of Reproduction. Berkeley: University Of California Press. Gammeltoft, T., 2003, The Ritualization Of Abortion In Contemporary Vietnam, The Australian Journal Of Anthropology, 14 (2), Pp 129-143. Arlene, M., 2006, IMMORTAL ORGANS: SPIRITUALITY IN THE RESURRECTED LIVES OF ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS. Omega vol 53(1-2) 51-67 Lock, M., 2002, When Bodies Outlive Persons, In Twice Dead: Organ Transplantsand The Reinvention Of Death, Berkeley: University Of California Press, Pp 235-258 Sanders, G., 2009, The dismal trade as culture industry, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Oakland University. Read More