Indicative, Not Exceptional

An article in Reason, on a subject completely unrelated to Moore or healthcare, contains the following line.

This would seem to be Shalit’s modus operandi: Choose an unusually sexually progressive pocket of American culture, declare it indicative rather than exceptional, and launch a heroically irrelevant crusade for change.

I can’t think of a better description of Michael Moore’s tactics.  I mean, you guys should read some of the hate mail we get from foreigners whose impressions of the US healthcare system are coming solely from Moore’s film.  Here’s one example.

i recently saw michael moore’s SICKO. and was really shocked as to the state of your dictatorship insurance health care system. as i live in the UK. which has its problems health care wise. my father passed away 3 years ago due to MEDICAL PROBLEMS. but i have to say americas health care is now hot topic worldwide. THANKS TO MOORE. i was aware of your site way back when. you have some valid points some of the time. yes michael does skirt some issues. but if you’ve ever noticed, its usually for the greater good. and the fact is that his three features were right. GUNS WRONG, BUSH A LIAR, AND CRIMINAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

Here you go.  Someone who has probably never set foot in this country has declared our healthcare system to be a criminal dictatorship, all because of the way it is portrayed in Moore’s film.  And why?  Because Moore chose the worst examples he could find of the flaws in our system, portrayed them as indicative rather than exceptional, and then launched his crusade.  Interestingly he did the inverse with Europe:  he portrayed all the positives, did not mention a single negative, and then portrayed Cuba as a healthcare paradise where all drugs cost five cents.

Remember this, gentle reader:  Nobody floats on an inner tube through shark infested waters to get away from 5¢ medication.