Leaving a Loved One Who Is Sick
Originally submitted by: jadelay
A2ethics.org and Blackbird Theatre are in the second week of hosting the "Angels in America" event, which features a staged reading of Tony Kushner's plays about the ethical dilemmas and political impact of living through the AIDS epidemic in 1980s America. Last Friday, we held our first face-to-face event with a panel discussion about the ethics of giving and receiving bad news. One of the audience members afterwards asked if we were also offering discussions about the actions of the characters in the plays. To be sure, the characters and actions in the plays are so rich for ethical mining that we could have a whole month of discussions on them. Alot of our upcoming discussion this Friday, February 15th will focus on the collective obligations of community members in the face of an extreme event, such as an epidemic. Yet, one of the most uncomfortable and compelling questions brought forth in "Angels in America" centers on the issue of deciding what the responsibilities of an individual are when a loved one, member of the family or a close friend is diagnosed with a terminal illness. In the plays, this is starkly portrayed. One of the central characters, Prior, tells his boyfriend, Louis, he has AIDS. Louis struggles with the news, and ultimately leaves Prior. In short, he abandons Prior after he learns that he has AIDS. Louis's actions are, to me, among the most ethically problematic in the plays. He claims he is not very good at sickness (my words, not his.) But he has openly expressed his love and commitment to Prior. What about Louis's actions? I would like to hear others' views on the matter of Louis leaving Prior, based on any ideas, experiences and insights you may be willing to share.
All Articles
Re:Leaving a Loved One Who Is Sick
Originally submitted by: barcode 2x
I think that there are lots of people who run away instead of coming to the aid of those in distress. During times of grief, mourning, sickness, depression, etc., sometimes people who run out on their responsibilities. Out of self-preservation, perhaps, or out of fear for their own safety, they choose flight. I don't condone it, and I've never been that kind of person. I judge those people strongly, I'm talking about people who don't show up to the funerals of loved ones. People who don't visit sick friends. They exist, there is one in every crowd. It's a dark subject, this one. What motivates people to act that way, I can't say. Does it help them to run instead of joining the struggle? And in cases when the illness is cured, are there attempts at reconciliation?