I take total responsibility for my blogs. I am the sole author. My wife sometimes checks them quickly for grammar and there is a lot of checking to do with my stuff. We will get into minor arguments about a sentence because correct grammar sometimes interferes with the way I want to express myself about a topic. I write the blog so fast that spelling is often neglected, sometimes I know what is correct but my fingers are not connected to my brain.
I did write a blog several months ago that was co-authored with a bright and talented medical student. I never published it because there were a few statements of mine, which could have been interpreted as his and produced some grief. At my age and retired status, I don’t worry about grief from my statements. I’m not running for anything. From some of my statements I should probably consider running from some things, but have a pretty protective barrier here on the porch.
Anyway, this student and I wrote about arrogance. When we were working together, we decided that this is one of the things we dislike the most, especially in physicians. As a matter of fact, we abhor it. It’s a condition that is prevalent in doctors. My student friend, who is a great comedian, told me a humorous one-liner. “What is the difference between God and a doctor? God does not think he is a doctor.”
Arrogance is carefully bred into the physician to be. Starting with their parents they are told how smart they are, and are stroked for every little thing they do. They are made to believe they are smarter and better than anyone else and that MD degree means magic degree that will get them a ticket to anything their heart may desire. Life and death are in their hands, so they become God. If God does think he is a doctor, I’m checking out of heaven to be with better company even though the climate may be a little warm.
Recently, a young physician visited me on the porch. He is very bright, but has encountered many personal problems in recent years. He was seeking advice and some direction. He has an aura of arrogance about him. My recommendation was for him to strip this away. His arrogance is acting as a façade to cover his problems. Hopefully, he will heed the advice, but it’s going to be hard. Arrogance is so deeply ingrained into the personality, it’s difficult to cure. It’s like some diseases which never go away, but hopefully can be managed.
I wish more folks had the opportunity to sit on the porch. There is sure no reason to be arrogant there. It might even help people like the president.