Jump to content
Objectivism Online Forum

House M.d.

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

The show House on Fox is one of the best shows i've seen in years. For those unfamiliar with the show, it's about a medical doctor who works in the department of diagnostics...he basically tries to solve medical mystries like CSI solves crimes.

The part i like best about the show is the character of Dr. House. If i may say so (w/o people condemning me for using the phrase) he's the most "objectivist" character i've seen on TV.

He's completely selfish and his life is his work. Like one of his collegues mentioned, "many doctors have the messiah complex. They want to save the world. You have the rubik's complex. You want to solve the puzzles". His claim to fame is that he doesn't really care about his patients and never really visits his patients but still manages to cure them.

What makes it even better is that he doesn't give a crap about any of the rules and regulations and does what he wants to solve his puzzles and in the process makes many sarcastic remarks that are really unsensitive to say the least.

Comments? concerns? Newbie bashing for misinterpretation?

Be my guest. :)

Edited by The Guru Kid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
If i may say so (w/o people condemning me for using the phrase) he's the most "objectivist" character i've seen on TV.

Based on your comments (I don't have a TV), the main character does have some important values and virtues. However, I do not know what you mean by "objectivist" -- does it mean the same as "Objectivist," which refers to someone who has studied the philosophy Ayn Rand created and agrees with every element of it?

Be sure to reread the Forum Rules, especially for capitalization of "Objectivism" and its derivatives.

He's completely selfish and his life is his work.
An ideal man would have his central purpose in life -- basically his beloved work -- as the core of his life. It would not be all of his life. Ayn Rand's portrayals of ideal men -- such as Howard Roark, Dagny Taggart, and John Galt -- also valued romantic love, friendships, and (to a lesser degree) favorite leisure activities (such as swimming was for Roark).

What makes it even better is that he [...]  makes many sarcastic remarks [....]

As Ayn Rand explains in her lectures, The Art of Nonfiction, now published in book form, sarcasm is occasionally appropriate. If someone does use it, he should do so only after laying the intellectual groundwork.

Edited by BurgessLau
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I already posted this somewhere else, but here I go again:

What current hit TV drama features a genius hero that follows his own judgment even in cases where his career, romantic love, and very life are at stake?

On what show's recent episode did that same hero speak the sentence: "It's dangerous to ever assume that my actions are not rationally based"?

What show stresses the importance of reason above all else, and of both the inductive and deductive methods' importance to human life?

And what show dramatizes the fact that a man's single-minded dedication to his work is what makes him great?

The show is House, and the entire first season will re-run every Tuesday, 9:00 PM Eastern, on Fox.

Politically incorrect, rational, charming, and witty - Dr. Gregory House (played by the incredible Hugh Laurie) is a rare occurrence in television history. House's obsession with his job is not the result of altruism: he became a doctor for the enjoyment of solving medical puzzles. He often rejects severe cases that don't hold any interest for him, sending patients to lesser physicians.

The show opens as Dr. House is hiring a new team of young experts for his department, and throughout the series his team is coming to admire him despite of his arrogant, bluntly individualistic behavior.

The show is not perfect, but it comes closer than any TV drama I have ever seen. I'll give you just two House quotes that reveal the essence of his character (His quotes are a goldmine; fans of the show already collect these "Housisms"):

"Like I always say, there's no 'I' in team. There’s a 'me,' though, if you jumble it up."

And another:

"Treating illness is why we became doctors. Treating patients is actually what makes most doctors miserable."

To those of you who are Sherlock Holmes fans, I would add that Dr. Gregory House is most a modern adaptation of that immortal character, as acknowledged by the creator in interviews.

I would love to hear more people's impressions of the show. From my understanding it was a great hit, and is therefore expected to continue with all new episodes in the fall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I saw the two episodes of House a few weeks ago (back to back episodes). The first "Housism" he quipped rendered me a House addict. This show is outstanding. Never have I seen a show where the role of reason is so prominent. The acting and writing is superb and the dialogue is some of the cheeckiest stuff I've ever come across. The combines the best elements of a comedy and a drama and in my opinion is the best show I've seen on television in half a decade.

Highly recommended!

As Ayn Rand explains in her lectures, The Art of Nonfiction, now published in book form, sarcasm is occasionally appropriate. If someone does use it, he should do so only after laying the intellectual groundwork.

Fortunately I don't need Rand's approval to enjoy sarcasm!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think my favorite quote from House has to from the show where House tries to kick his addiction to painkillers. Someone asks tells him "I told you that you were an addict." And his reply was "I never said I wasn't a addict, I just said it wasn't a problem." And then he turns and walks away.

I can't remember the exact quote but that was pretty close. Not to make light of his addiction to pain killers but the writers ability and his ability to deliver the lines is amazing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love this show. House is such a great character. He is so skilled, so dedicated to his work, which I admire. He does not work for the State, he works for himself (by helping others). He does not comprise his rational judgement to anything but fact, not to the opinions of any other. He is an individualist whom does not give respect as alms. He is short, the most rational character I have seen on TV for a long time.

It highlights the fact that society (in this case a hospital the patients) RELY on rational people to survive.

That and the situations featured in the show are usually quite interesting, and somethings have interesting twists that might not be expected. yet, in the end House always proves right...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I only recently started watching the reruns and me and my dad love that show. House has become one of my hero's, he is so smart and sure of himself and even the ones who despise him know that if they were sick they wouldn't choose any other doctor to treat them. My favorite scene was the one where this kid was about to get a liver transplant, and House finds out he doesn't need one but no one

beleives him so he goes into the boys room just as they are about to cut him open for sugery and tells them to stop. The doctor says "someone get security" and House just says "you know i'm feeling a little sick" and sneezes all over the operation room. A dismayed nurse looks at the doctor and says "Well, we can't performs the surgery now," the doctor returns with a shout "Ya think." It's so refreshing to see a character that sure of himself and not being made out as the bad guy.

"You assualted that man."

"Fine i won't do it again."

"Yes you will."

"All the more reason this conversation is pointless."

"I'm not hiring you."

"Why?"

"Because of your tattoo."

"Wow i thought you'd be the last one to crack down on me for not conforming."

"O' ya your a 20 something year old with an asian tattoo on his wrist your a real non-conformist."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to say I've watched it, and thought I've loved that guy since his blackadder days I hate the character of House. He just seems to absolutely despise life and only works there and teaches because it's his duty as a genius. And I'm also not a big fan of sarcasm as one's major element of humour, sarcasm is usually a viscious style of humour meaning to degrade the intelligence of another.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys have gotten me interested. Can someone tell me what is going on currently - so I can jump into the show?

You don't really need to have watched any of the previous episodes - each one is about a different disease or illness and how House's team cures it. For the most part every episode is independent of others, save that you learn a little bit more about the characters each episode.

Edited by Free Thinker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You don't really need to have watched any of the previous episodes - each one is about a different disease or illness and how House's team cures it. For the most part every episode is independent of others, save that you learn a little bit more about the characters each episode.

While I am a fan of House, the episodes I've seen do suffer from what seems like a very repetitive plot formula. Someone collapses mysteriously in the teaser. All symptoms point towards X. When treatment for X doesn't work, investigation is done that points towards Y. Treatment for Y pushes the patient to the brink of death. House then figures out that the actual problem is Z, treatment is applied and the patient recovers. Leaven with witty dialogue, an occasional clash with hospital administration, and a B story that vaguely reflects the drama going on in the A story and you have a typical episode of House.

It's a lot of fun to watch, but the plots vary in their essential structure about as much as episodes of the A-Team. Watch it for the characters and the dialogue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My favorite episode so far has been that one where he has flashbacks of his past and they explain how he got the limp. I love it because he is teaching a med school class (a different setting than the usual) and explaining three different cases. I don't have a problem with his sarcasm...i think its quite funny and witty. I love that he's honest and how easy he can tell when people are lying to him.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence" -unknown

P.S. does anyone know where that quote came from? i've tried looking it up but have not found anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I do not think it is accurate to say he despises life. He clearly does not, he goes to great lengths to save it and on many occassions trys to get his patients to want to live. I think that implies that he values life to some extent.

I have noticed that he generally uses sarcasm towards those whom have not fully thought the matter at hand through (sometimes it is true he is abit too harsh here, not everyone is as brillant as he is), and hence they sort of deserve it...

Edited by Prometheus98876
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a definite Objectivist influence on the writing for House. The character played by Chi McBride is a very Gail Wynand type of characterization. He portrays a person who has scarified his self for power. He tries to break House because he recognizes aspects of House's ethics and personality that he feels are impossible for anyone to maintain. He does not believe anyone is capable of being ethical and takes pleasure in proving it.

Unlike the Wynand character though Vogler is not drawn to House as a symbol of how he could be. This is because House unlike Rands characters is not meant to be a symbol what she determines to be the best in man. House is heroic but not 100% sure of himself. This is the appeal. many will watch in rapt expectation that House will somehow be "saved" from his selfish hell. I think those who expect that House is a tortured soul in need of salvation will be disappointed. I for one am glad to see that people are still drawn to rational shows that make you think, unfortunately the track record is that shows of this type while initially popular get yanked once TV executives think the audience is being expected to use their grey matter too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The show House on Fox is one of the best shows i've seen in years...
I only heard of the show a week or so before I saw this thread. The AXN channel was advertising that it will begin to air on 16 August - an Aisan cable network that I get in Beijing. I figured it was another psychoitc killer and "fill in the blank" show - detective, doctor, lawyer, rap star...

I watched last nights episode, and I liked it a lot. Some of his response to questions were great. I remember one he said "You want to force me to treat patients by stopping me to treat patients."

"I find it hard to operate under the opposite assumption [failure]."

I think it is the best show I have seen in years also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only heard of the show a week or so before I saw this thread. The AXN channel was advertising that it will begin to air on 16 August - an Aisan cable network that I get in Beijing

Is the show broadcated in English or in Chinese? I think some of the essence of the show would be lost if House was dubbed over in Aisan voices, as it's not only what he says, but how he delivers it. Also, I'm not sure that some of his sarcastic remarks would translate well into anything other than English.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...