Who Gets the Kidney?
Filed under: Politics — Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief on May 30, 2007 @ 4:03 pm CEST
That’s the question. In the Netherlands we have a new television show: De Grote Donor Show (The Big Donor Show). What’s the show about you ask? Well, quite simple: this Friday 37 year old Lisa will donate one of her kidneys… on television. Three people who need a new kidney will be there. They have to answer questions. After that, Lisa will decide who gets her kidney. The viewers have an active role as well: they can SMS (to advise Lisa probably).
There is a lot of debate going on about this show in the Netherlands. Some consider it a good thing: we do not have enough people who are willing to donate their organs (after they die). This ’stunt’ or show, might make it easier for people to make the decision to donate their organs. However, there are also people who object, who find it tasteless. Members of Parliament have asked questions about the show, some want the government to ban it (it’s being broadcasted on a government-owned channel).
It is very sad that such a show is deemed necessary by so many people. It is very sad that not enough people have signed the paper, giving doctors permission to use one’s organs at the moment one dies. On the other hand, I do not for one second believe that this show will help solve this problem. It will give a boost to the network’s (BNN) ratings, but that is it. They will, I am afraid, not achieve much more than that. Besides that, I also find it to be incrediby tasteless and brutal. How about the ‘losers’?
Well, this certainly puts the Netherlands on the map once again. I am very pleased to see that whenever the world talks about us, it is usual about something ridiculous, like now. Wouldn’t want the world to take us seriously, now would we? No, lets happily enforce the idea that we are more liberal than liberal, more tolerant and open-minded than tolerant and open-minded: no rules. No moral values. No nothing! Hedonism rules!
This is what has become of us: life and death situations have become ‘entertainment.’
For those who wonder what kind of network BNN is: another show was “Neuken Doe Je Zo” (f*ck*ng is done like this).
Yes.
I am dead-serious.
1 Who Gets the Kidney? | The Moderate Voice
May 30, 2007 @ 4:04 pm CEST[…] More here. […]
2 Interested
May 30, 2007 @ 5:07 pm CESTso much for educating the public I guess.
3 isidora
May 31, 2007 @ 3:47 am CESTWell Michael, I’ll agree that it is highly embarrassing for the Netherlands to be on the map again for something like this; it’s certainly not the sort of publicity you want for your country. But look on the bright side — the last time Denmark got on the map, several of its embassies were burned or otherwise attacked, its products were boycotted, and it was unsafe for Danes to travel in many parts of the world. You-all just look tasteless at the moment.
Anyway, if I correctly understood parts of the Dutch article you linked to, it sounds as if you are far from the only citizen in your country to have issues with program. One sentence said that tasteless was the most [gehoorde] reaction. (I’m guessing from context that tasteless was either the most common reaction or possibly that it was the mildest reaction.)
As far as the reputation for hedonism goes, yeah, it’s there, but there are also those of us who view Dutch drug policy (which I’ll admit that I am not intimately familiar with the details of) not as an endorsement of of encouragement to hedonism but as a more sane, safe, less expensive, and more realistic alternative to the wonderfully counterproductive War on Drugs waged U.S.-style. (If you don’t agree with my assessment, please do say so, because I would love to have the chance to discuss the Dutch attitude toward drugs with someone who understands it firsthand.)
Nice to see that you got yourself a new personal blog. How are the American Studies going?
4 mvdg
May 31, 2007 @ 12:39 pm CESTIsidora: thanks for commenting here. Haven’t heard from you in a long time. How’s everything going?
Studies are going great. Good grades, normally, so nothing to worry about there. Enjoy it very much.
Most people, indeed, found it to be tasteless, BNN however still plans to air it.
5 Give Me Your Kidney | The Moderate Voice
May 31, 2007 @ 12:59 pm CEST[…] I published a post called Who Gets the Kidney, about a new television show (to be aired Friday) in the Netherlands. Several bloggers commented on […]
6 Give Me Your Kidney « Michael P.F. van der Galiën
May 31, 2007 @ 1:00 pm CEST[…] 31st, 2007 by mvdg Yesterday, I published a post called Who Gets the Kidney, about a new television show (to be aired Friday) in the Netherlands. Several bloggers commented on […]