Critique of article related to starvation in Japan

This is a critique of the article “Death Reveals Harsh Side of a “Model” in Japan” by the New York Times that can be accessed through the link
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/world/asia/12japan.html?pagewanted=2

This article’s initial focus on the death a single victim of poor welfare in China adds an element of personality to an otherwise impersonal and un-contextualized abhorrence that affects millions. The ‘shock value’ of a starvation victim’s ledger grabs the reader’s attention and brings them to the focus of an issue that would otherwise be alien to the average American reader; there’s an element of connection to the piece. While I’m not a fan of the notion that ‘shock breeds good news,’ the account of pain and longing creates a connection that couldn’t be captured through a sterile graph of income projections or low-housing figures. Furthermore, the pictures convey the desperation of the welfare recipients’ situation. The frames of dilapidated housing and an emaciated victim of the welfare system capture a sense of the squalor in these peoples’ environments and a sense of connection to their situation as a whole. In essence, this paper creates a connection between the reader and a topic that would otherwise be alien and sterile.