Elysium Dream

IngVar Grijs, "Healthcare Inequality and Biopolitical Dynamics: Insights from Žižek"

In his article “Bring me my Philips Mental Jacket,” Slavoj Žižek explores the implications of biogenetic intervention and the ethical, psychological, and philosophical challenges it poses to human identity and autonomy.

Žižek examines how advances in biogenetics might alter our understanding of ourselves and the consequences of reducing human beings to objects of manipulation.

This discussion extends into the realm of healthcare, particularly how healthcare accessibility and financial barriers impact marginalized populations such as the Black community in Chicago.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) attempted to bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility, providing a gateway to healthcare for a larger segment of the American population. However, financial barriers such as high deductibles and insurance costs continue to create a divide between those who can afford quality healthcare and those who cannot. This financial divide has significant implications for the quality of life and health outcomes of individuals. Those with better financial resources can access superior healthcare services, leading to better health outcomes and quality of life.

Conversely, those marginalized by lack of wealth and political power do not receive the promised healthcare benefits.

Žižek’s exploration of biogenetics brings to light several key points related to healthcare. Advances in biogenetics enable the manipulation of human organisms, raising ethical concerns about the alteration of human nature and the potential for creating inequality based on genetic modifications. The knowledge of one’s genetic predispositions can have profound psychological impacts, influencing individuals’ decisions about their health and sense of identity.

This knowledge can also lead to ethical dilemmas regarding the extent to which genetic information should be used or disclosed.

The control over biogenetic technologies and healthcare resources shapes societal power structures. The availability and quality of healthcare, influenced by financial capabilities, determine who can access life-enhancing and life-prolonging treatments. This creates a stratified society where the wealthy can afford better healthcare and potentially genetic enhancements, while the less affluent struggle with basic healthcare needs. See Elysium, 2013

Good healthcare not only extends life expectancy but also enhances the quality of life. Those with access to superior healthcare will likely enjoy better health and productivity, reinforcing existing social and economic inequalities.

The traditional physician-patient relationship has been disrupted by the increasing role of financial actors in healthcare. Hospital administrators and private equity owners prioritize profit, which exacerbates healthcare inequalities. Despite political promises to limit profit margins in healthcare, the focus on profit undermines patient-centered care. Marginalized populations such as the Black community in Chicago continue to face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare, perpetuating cycles of inequality.

Extending Žižek’s analysis of biogenetics to healthcare reveals significant parallels in how economic and biopolitical control perpetuate inequality.

Financial barriers and the prioritization of profit in the healthcare system shift the focus from racial disparities to economic ones, yet marginalized populations continue to be disadvantaged. The disruption of the physician-patient relationship by financial actors further exacerbates these issues, highlighting the need for a more equitable healthcare system that prioritizes patient care over profit.

Žižek’s discussion emphasizes the critical intersection between financial power, healthcare access, and societal control. The financial barriers in healthcare contribute to a biopolitical landscape where access to healthcare and biogenetic advancements can reinforce and exacerbate societal inequalities, shaping the power dynamics of future generations. Understanding these implications is crucial for developing ethical policies and ensuring equitable access to healthcare and biogenetic technologies.

For further insights, refer to Žižek, S. (2003). Bring me my Philips Mental Jacket: Improve Your Performance. *London Review of Books*, 25(10). Available at [https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v25/n10/slavoj-zizek/bring-me-my-philips-mental-jacket](https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v25/n10/slavoj-zizek/bring-me-my-philips-mental-jacket).