The Awful Price of Winning at any Cost
Trust is Essential for Success in Treating Chronic Illness
Competition and winning is deeply embedded in American culture. Competition and winning are fine. They stimulate progress and better products when it is our servant. That is not where we are. We have changed. At every level of endeavor including medicine, we now have a culture of winning at any cost that has become our master. I hate it and I want no part of it.
When I was a child, I loved history and read many books about the early leaders of this country. They inspired me. George Washington, our first commander in chief, was notable for his character and integrity. "Poor food—hard lodging—cold weather —fatigue—nasty clothes—nasty cooking—vomit half my time . . ." wrote Dr. Albigence Waldo about the tribulations of Valley Forge. Washington desperately urged Congress to send him food, but instead the Congress advised him to steal food from farmers nearby. Such theft might have solved the short-term problem, but it failed Washington’s character test. America could never endure, Washington believed, if it could not earn the respect of its own citizens. He angered Congress by rejecting its advice and promising instead to hang any soldier caught stealing food.”. Our military academies strive to replicate that character. “ A cadet does not lie, chest, or steal or tolerate anyone who does.” Abraham Lincoln’s nickname was Honest Abe. I understand the dark side of our history, but these are values that were the foundation of our good side.
Our culture has changed dramatically in this regard. When I played high school football, I was a lineman on offense. Our coach taught us that holding was against the rules and there was a fifteen-yard penalty for breaking that rule. I did not hold anyone intentionally. I played some defense, and I don’t remember being held very often. My grandson is a good defensive lineman at a large high school. I go to watch some of his games. He is held on play after play. It is obvious. You can see it, and the penalties are seldom called. The rule has not changed.
Here is the current rule on holding and a comment about it. “Offensive players are not allowed to grab onto ANY part of their opponent's body or equipment (be it their shoulder pads or jersey). A lot of offensive linemen try to get away with grabbing the inner part of a defender's shoulder pads because it can be hard for refs to spot this. However, that is illegal by the rule book as well.”
It’s not just that the players decide to do this, their coaches teach them how to do it and not get caught. The pressure to win is huge but there is an awful price to pay. Team sports can teach valuable life lessons, but winning at any cost is a terrible lesson to teach young people. Character and integrity are more important than winning. Once we leave school, winning is defined by money and power in this country and too many will do anything to get it. Lying and cheating to win are pervasive and trust cannot survive in that environment.
Of all the professional and business endeavors, trust is especially essential in our military and medicine. These are life or death pursuits. They teach a cadet “does not lie cheat or steal” because in combat, you must be able to rely absolutely on the integrity and character of those who are fighting beside you. It is the same in chronic disease management in medicine. The key to achieving optimal medical therapy is developing a long-standing trusting relationship with the people you serve. It takes time and integrity to earn that trust. If patients don’t trust you and believe that you care about them, they will not follow your advice. Our healthcare system current system is not designed to provide the time to develop that trust and too many medical leaders are willing to win at any cost. These are the values we must promote as we build advanced primary care teams to provide optimal medical therapy for chronic diseases. We must be trustworthy. It has to start somewhere.
It's not just about chronic diseases - integrity and honesty, foundations of trust, are needed everywhere. I am just watching https://icic.law/2023/09/10/dr-rima-laibow-monstrous-sexualization-of-children-and-colonization-by-mind-control/ - It's Reiner Fuellmich interviewing Rima Laibow, 2 people whose integrity, honesty and intelligence I have had lots of evidence of - and therefore I trust what I am hearing.
Yup, 💯% true! Patients have lost their trust in the medical system for decades now. The gaslighting and corruption of the medical system to sell unproven drugs and defective devices for maximum profit have been rampant. How long can a system last if it continues functioning with nearly 90% of its “scientific peer-reviewed publications” delivering virtually zero value and shamelessly celebrating such achievements?!? How long can people allow their lives to be ruined because of the systematic failure of the system to prevent chronic diseases? Effective treatments to prevent chronic diseases are none existent. Early detection to prevent chronic diseases is discouraged, and dismissed by design. The late-stage-sickness-seeking-profiteering/plundering of the legacy medicine 2.0 sponsored by the medical industrial complex to promote the proliferation of chronic diseases must stop. Or, millions more people will die from premature deaths, and the American economy will be bankrupt.
In the brave new world of the Bright 21st Century Medicine 3.0, early detection of the root causes of chronic diseases is emphasized and supported to promote primary lifestyle optimization prevention at the lowest possible costs. People will live longer and healthier lives without the exorbitant costs. Scientific integrity will be respected and restored. 💯% honest and trustworthy Empirical evidence based research for the primary goal to ensure the highest possible safety and effectiveness will lead all of us to freedom and truth for all, a brand new worldview to believe in, finally! Trust of the people will return.