The article, The Case for Mandatory Organ Donation, is written by Scott Carney, an investigative journalist based in Chennai, India. In his article he discusses the sale of organs on the black-market and the affect it has on poor countries, mainly India. Carney brings to the reader’s attention two solutions to the pain, suffering, and empty promises associated with the black-market organ trade. The first solution he brings up is that it should be mandatory to harvest organs from cadavers. He uses a “controversial article published this year by the American Society of Nephrology,” to further elaborate on this. However, he also mentions the counter argument which say’s that the “concept is an illusion.” The second solution he brings up is that instead of having citizen register to be an organ donor, “the United States could consider an opt-out rather than the opt-in organ-donation policy, known as presumed consent." With this he provides statistics showing how it will increase the number of organs donated each year based on the number of organs donated in countries that have already implemented the “presumed consent” system.
The solutions discussed are interesting, however, they are not argued persuasively. In the article it is unclear what side Carney is taking and he ends the article one more of a question basis than a solution one. He also does not tell the reader what he/she can do to better the problem; he merely brings it to their attention.
The target audience of this essay is the general public. The target audience will be informed of the issue but will not have a clear mode of response.
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I find it odd that you would not be able to place what side of the argument I end up on while making my "case for mandatory organ donation".
As I say in the article for WIRED News, the key to cutting back the trade in human organs is to undercut the economic basis for the business. by increasing the supply of kidneys with presumed consent then the value of kidneys for illegal brokers will diminish.
I think you might have also misunderstood the target audience for this story. First and foremost a reporter is beholden to his/her editor--who is their primary audience. After it clears that stage it is sent out into the world for any reader who comes by it. Responses to this article came from all around the world, from doctors, directors of the WHO transplant advisory board, prospective kidney buyers, professors, and it seems a classroom somewhere in America.
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