Health-Care System by Lewis Thomas the Title

¶ … Health-Care System by Lewis Thomas

The title and introduction to this essay are both very clear and to the point. Thomas makes sure that those who read the essay immediately understand his concerns about health-care and the amount of time and money that people in this country spend on it. He also quickly makes clear that he believes the reason for this is the amount of propaganda heaped upon these people, as it makes them feel like they are weak and fragile, and that they need doctors, hospitals, and medication if they are going to live long at all. From there, he moves smoothly into the idea that people are actually very strong. They are living longer than they used to, and while some of this has to do with the medicines that are now available, much of it has to do with the fact that diseases and problems that used to kill people easily have been done away with. This is an important medical feat, but it should not be confused with the human body's ability to care for itself. The tone that Thomas uses is important, because it helps to convince the reader that there is no reason to worry about his health. Instead, he should be grateful for the life that he has and not worry so much about all of the things that could happen to him. While it is true that those things could happen, it is more likely that they will not happen. Most people are living long and dying peacefully, instead of dying young and suffering from horrible diseases. The medical propaganda, however, makes these same strong people fear for their lives and their health when they are very young, and it is almost impossible to get away from this propaganda and not be afraid of it. Thomas concludes with the idea that people are paying so much attention to what is going on with their health that they have ceased to worry about the greater problems that are affecting society. Because of this, these strong people who should be out there fixing society's problems are hiding in their beds for fear of catching something and dying from it, a fear which is largely unfounded in the modern world.