2b. Medscape editorial on TCM: Lea Starck

[Guest guest]

Dear Robb,

Lovely sentiments, thankyou. I read Jung when I was very young, but

havent really read much lately. Might be time to pull out some of those

old books. (Given to me by my father, actually. I note with horror that I

may be following in his footsteps to a certain extent. But lets not segue

into Freud.)

It has to be said that I think that alot of the attitude that I ran into, I

seem to remember accompanies a certain age group. Most of the

students are in their late teens and early twenties and tend to play

devil's advocate to a certain extent. Eventually they will be disabused

of their own importance. (Although since this is med students and

fledgling doctors we are talking about, it may not happen any time

soon.)

I tend not to be daunted by this type of aggression, rather, I fall into the

trap of good-naturedly spending alot of time and energy trying to

answer questions and dispel misconceptions (even in the face of

hostility) in the mistaken belief that they actually honestly wanted to

know. What I found unsettling was eventually working out that they

werent actually hearing any of what I was saying. If I had been of a

similar age and mindset, I would have gone back and posted

exhaustive lists of articles and texts, but I decided to let discretion be

the better part of valour, and when I realized it was going nowhere I

recommended they take up their grievances with some TCM academic

heavyweights I could refer them to, and retired from the thread. It was

stagnating my qi too much, and I have two children who do that well

enough already!

The experience was a good lesson, in that I also realized that there are

still alot of people who want to go into western medicine because of the

status associated with the role of doctor. The role of the god-like healer

archetype is still one that beckons many, and I think this is not aided

much by the current litigious nature of western medicine in many

countries. These people are actively taught to never admit culpability or

errors, and never, EVER say sorry.

If anything, the experience made me more determined than ever to get

into grad med. By crikey, the profession NEEDS me!

If only some of these students could have had a crotchety old Chinese

doctor stand over them and scream " Do not lossen my face! " .

Everyone needs an excercise in humility sometimes.

Regards,

Lea.

 

Chinese Medicine , " robb thurston "

<robb7thurston wrote:

>

> 2b. Re: Medscape editorial on TCM

> Posted by: " Lea Starck " leabun1 leabun1

> Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:02 pm (PDT)

>

> Lea, you are running into exactly what your father described: a

> belief system. Further, the people who are going through Medical

> School are very successful, real winners, and used to making the

world

> mind them. This doesn't make them any easier to bear by any

means, but

> your father is totally right.

> Carl Jung often said that we are very agressive in the West. If

> this agression daunts you, you mighty desire to look into Jung a

> little. In any case, you are in good company. Einstein was also

> opressed by orthodox thinkers.

> Very best wishes as you face agression!

>