Coercive Transformation of the Attitudes of Patients Nowadays

Abstract

With advancement of modern medical technologies, attitudes of patients nowadays are forcefully being transformed. While we think that these advanced and reliable technologies bring us some reasonable hope, there are uncertainties that patients are coerced to bear. Taking the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, patients are subject to many uncertainties caused by some overestimation of positive effects, ongoing clinical results, and so forth. Then, not only do the patients suffer non-voluntarily but they also face new challenges caused by the uncertainties. They are forced to transform their attitudes by reflecting on their experiences. By referring to the argument of Havi Carel and Ian James Kidd, namely, suffering experiences are more transformative, I comment on it and specifically describe the patients’ coercive transformation. Finally, I suggest how the concept of clarifying what is up-to-us or not helps the patients to identify their desires and change their attitudes.