One of the most convincing things in the film in question is Wendell Potter’s emotional condition when he speaks about the case of Nataline Sarkisyan. The teenager died in 2007 because of bureaucratic hurdles and the inability to get the required liver transplant (Diego). That year, Potter was the representative of the organization that rejected the patient’s request for coverage (Diego). In Bill Moyers’s interview, he seems to understand the public impact of such cases and tries to explain the roots of similar problems without being disrespectful toward the teenager’s family.
The thing that I do not find convincing is Potter’s answers peculiar to his opinion on inequality in healthcare when he was working for Cigna. He claims that he was constantly distracted from the actual problems of patients who could not access treatment and, therefore, did not notice issues with healthcare provision (Diego). To me, it does not sound persuasive since people in high positions usually have access to any information that they need.
The first virtue relevant to the film is fairness or the willingness to prefer actions that are required and morally right. For instance, Potter had to demonstrate it after confirming his worst suspicions concerning people’s access to care offered by Cigna (Diego). The next virtue relevant to the situations from the film is honesty – the neglect of this value was strongly interconnected with propaganda. According to Potter’s confession, the healthcare industry in the United States used scare tactics and the misrepresentation of information to impact common citizens’ opinions on medical care (Diego).
An example of a moral dilemma is Potter’s difficult decision to tell about the results of his investigations and face risks related to further career development. He had to choose between two options: tell the truth and face his uncertain future or stay neutral and live with a sense of guilt (Diego). He chose the first alternative and managed to benefit from the situation and become a popular author.
Work Cited
Diego, Ken, director. The Bill Moyers Journal. Public Affairs Television, Inc., 2009. Web.