In the case of the disclosure of a person’s HIV status, the choice between the public good and the person’s private life is one of life and death. Once a person has contracted the virus, because the virus is primarily transmitted sexually, his previously private sex life plays an important role in the well-being of the public. “In relation to an individual, the public sphere … [is] a place completely out side of everything in the individual’s private sphere. A person’s private sphere is where they keep and maintain their possessions.” (1) Where the two spheres interact is in a society. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which has been the cause of death of 565,927 United States citizens through 2006. (2) While doctors and scientists continue to search for a cure or vaccine for the virus, the only thing that anyone can do to keep his fellow citizens alive is prevent the virus from spreading. For some HIV-positive people, disclosure of their status can have severe consequences within their family and friends, because there is a negative stigma that goes with having the virus. Plato, Rousseau, and Locke all believed in the importance of the public good, and each saw the different levels on which the public good required support. If a person is HIV-positive, his responsibility to the public must be greater than his desire to preserve his private life, and at the same time, the public, to avoid the extinction of society, needs to be accepting of him so that he will not feel afraid to disclose his status.
(1): Valentine, Georgia. “Foundation for the Synthesis of 21st Century Public and Private.” p. 1
(2): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm#ddaids. November 14, 2008.
1 comment:
Georgia,
This is a good opening. You set out the issue clearly and frame it in terms of the relationship between the public and the private. The thesis is complex and indicates the general direction of the paper. You make good use of key facts in order to reinforce the seriousness of the issue.
I would have liked to see you give some indication in the second part of the thesis about what can be do ensure that society is more tolerant of those who disclose. Where are you going with this part of the argument? The reader's fear is it will just be a vague desire.
Two smaller things:
1) Introduce a quote, especially if it is yourself.
2)The opening clause makes for an awkward first sentence. You want to make sure that you have a strong start.
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