The Importance of Being Honest: The Doctor - Movie Review Example

Dr. Jack is applying the utilitarian view of lying, he thinks that by lying to his wife "will cause no harm and thus is he thinks it is not wrong" (lecture). However, later he realizes that if he had told the truth to his wife he could have got her support.The second situation where Dr. Jack takes the support of lying is when he was in the waiting room and met another patient June who is dying of Grade IV brain tumor (Glioblastoma). June was expressing her complaints that they have not found her tumor sooner because of the system.

Though Dr. Jack knew all along that a better test should have been done, he lied when he gave false hope to June. He mentioned that one of his patients had the same condition and is now a grandfather, but later June realizes that Jack lied to her. Here Jack applies the social context of lying (lecture). As Nietzsche stated in the lecture "Not that you lied to me but that I no longer believe you, has shaken me". June no longer trusted Jack since that incident. Jack came to his senses and realized that he was not a doctor at that time and that he is just a regular patient waiting to be called for there appointment.

Never the less June and Jack later develop a unique relationship which helped Jack to transform into a new person. Jack became sensitive and a better person throughout the battle of his cancer. The third situation in the movie where lying is taken as support is in the professional partnership. Jack and his partner had a great professional relationship together. But when Jack found out that his partner was trying to cover up a case of malpractice, their relationship fell apart. As the lecture about the social context of lying states that "It is not the breaking of a principle nor is the corruption of an individual character, rather, relationship compromised and corrupted".

This is true with Jack and his partner. Jack's trust for his partner is lost and their relationship was compromised. The movie is a lesson for everyone. It emphasizes that whatever be the case, it is always important, to be honest, and truthful. This is a lesson that is true to my experience and is especially true when it comes to a relationship with my patients. Lying has several negative consequences in our lives. As in the movie especially in the above three situations lying is portrayed as a wrong practice because it constitutes a breach of trust linked to a particular situation and personal relationship between people (lecture).

How much of the lecture and the movie have you seen in your practiceBeing in the medical field for 12 years, I have seen how patients, doctors, families, nurses and other medical personnel look at illness. I could easily relate to my experience in the movie because I have seen many Doctors like Dr. Jack who treats their patients and nursing staff in a rude or inhuman manner. There are also many doctors and surgeons who are arrogant with success and affluence. This movie is a lesson for all of them.

There are doctors and surgeons who have a poor bedside manner, does not respect nurses and yet they are well respected with their work.