Dis-Ease is an engaging documentary that demonstrates the sociological aspect of viruses and its treatment by authorities. Chronologically describing the ways in which disease was dealt with from the early days of Tuberculosis to Covid-19, Dis-Ease focuses its attention on the propagandic nature of how illnesses have been dealt with throughout history to support capitalistic ideals and the segregation of minorities in North America.

Incorporating the knowledge and hypotheses from professionals in various fields such as historians, legal scholars, epidemiologists and more, their commentary allows one to question the approach that doctors and public health take in promoting good health to the public. While public health sources may appear to be supportive of the well-being of average citizens, Dis-Ease uncovers that their intent has its own illness. 

The film incorporates many clips of old American advertisements and the way that companies went about educating and promoting the protection against viruses, truly showcasing the unethical intent behind such advertising. Writer and musician, Johanna Hedva, says this line of messaging tends to conclude that “If your illness is caused by your own foolish choices, then capitalism doesn’t need to give you healthcare,” a common sentiment seen in medical propaganda throughout modern history. 

Historian Nayan Shah supports this, saying “Now there’s greater scrutiny around diseases that could make it impossible for you to earn a living…It’s such a striking problem to collapse the idea of a biological parasite within one's body and being a social parasite onto society.” The two scholars go on to describe the imposed shame placed on the sick to diminish their value as a citizen under capitalist state.

I found this quote to be a powerful way to describe how chronic illness is treated in sociological terms, how a humanitarian response is replaced with an ableist one as the worth of the person comes down to what they can contribute to the workforce.

The film also does not shy away from displaying the government's attempts to doctor the belief of certain countries and races carrying permanent disease, using illness as a way to segregate and imprint white supremacy into being the dominant ideology. 

Legal scholar, Patricia Williams, describes it as “the aesthetics of white supremacy, that it isn’t just survival of the fittest, it’s also who is most beautiful, who deserves to live, who looks like a leader.” She explains how media portrayal of disease was used as a way to enforce problematic ideology by claiming that a nation prone to mass illness was inferior. 

This is not the first time that education has been used to support such propagandic ideals, but it is an absurd reality that supports the separation of people based on illness rather than the cooperation to prevent it. Dis-Ease talks about using illness as a way to segregate minorities by discussing the AIDs virus and the discrimination against the gay community which it was seen to excuse.

I found Dis-Ease to be a very informative film, unwiring the beliefs that have been attempted to be imprinted in society for generations by starting a discussion, backed by research from various scholars. Not only being interesting to watch with its retro aesthetic and inclusion of old and disturbing propaganda, there are many things to uncover that may change the way you view the public healthcare system. Now, ableism is ever-so-present in the discussion of viruses and illnesses. As a way to counter this notion, it is important to be informed of the history of disease control. This film is a great introduction to the sociology of disease management that will be sure to teach you something new and hopefully encourage you to want to contribute to the change of the current stigma, as it has done for me.