Chapter 6. Extinguishing Misperception #1 ---We Are (in fact) Formed in Secure Social Containers
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From... Fixing United States Health Care --- Citizen Letters
T Michael White MD
Chapter 6. Extinguishing Misperception #1 ---We Are (in fact) Formed in Secure Social Containers
“Humans are social beings, and we are happier, and better, when connected to others.”
Paul Bloom
July 4 th
Fine Citizens hello.
When I entered medical school, I perceived that our fine country had an implicit
understanding (a contract if you will) with its fine citizens that we would care for one another. In concert with that understanding, I, as a physician, would have the privilege and responsibility to strive to do important, meaningful work that would, in some small way, make a difference for my fellow citizens.
Following that code for my many professional years, some (among the health care
haves) now counsel me that my perception of an implicit social contract has been in error. In our country they now say, “we have no responsibility to be our brothers’ keeper.”
I vociferously disagree.
Aged, you, they and I have had the good fortune to grow up in what Professor David Brooks describes as “a well-ordered, secure social container” in which we individuals were supported and nurtured by aligned family, extended family, school, church, city, state and country. In this secure container, we perceived we had the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We found confirming heroes in our lives as examples --- the athlete, the aunt and uncle, the coach, the doctor, the journalist, the musician, the nurse, the nun, the parent and grandparent, the pharmacist, the policeman, the politician, the priest, the professor, the nun, the soldier, the teacher and the writer. Growing from kid to adolescent to young adult, each of us intrinsically understood that, in turn, it would become our social duty to strive
to position ourselves to, like them, do meaningful, important work that may make a difference. Philosopher Rabindranath Tagore says it well, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
The more materially fortunate always were among us. In the past, they understood
their good fortune. Born on third base, they never maintained they hit a triple. They did not blame the less fortunate for their less prosperous circumstances. Compassion and fair play prevailing, they offered helpful (educations, jobs, safety, sustenance, etc.) legs up.
The current unacceptable status of our country’s health care represents two national failings: 1) our unplanned health care non-system has predictably evolved rudderless into a certifiable, cataclysmic, catastrophic, chaotic, unaffordable hot mess; and 2) our privileged leaders --- themselves raised in secure social containers and now benefiting from superb health care --- thinking our society’s hot mess is acceptable, have lost their way. The first failing (not comprehending that health care must be planned infrastructure and not a commodity) can be placed in a complex historical perspective, and, if not forgiven, at least understood. The second callous failing is unconscionably beyond the pale.
Looking back and forward, the time has come for the conscience, character and will of our fine virtuous citizenry to create planned, tax-payer funded, single-payer, regional-provider infrastructure that provides universal access to affordable, basic, compassionate - safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable/just, patient-centered care (ABC-STEEEP).
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Mike
Please share your perceptions (your reality) about what I have right, wrong and/or omitted. I will be delighted to hear from you as your insights will significantly enhance my efforts. Importantly, if/when a message rings true, please forward it to those you deem may desire to know. TMWMD
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