>Bernard....
>
>I'm appreciative of your intellect, and therefore your observations and
>conclusions of the opinions passed back and forth on this list are valued
>all the more.
>
>In your comment, however, regarding the American views of physicians and
>lawyers, well, m'friend, you've seen there's obviously SOME kind of emotional
>"knee-jerk response" on our part ("our" being that 80% of the Americans on the
>list) <tho I really believe you should make that a North American viewpoint
>and include our northern neighbors in Canada, 'cause on THESE two subjects we
>seem to be strongly in accord!)..<Oooops! I digress>, however, I believe
>you've not got the entire picture and have
>missed the mark on this one.... kinda-sorta.
>
>You see, we've all been raised to believe that doctors are practically the
>right hand of God. We continue to believe that until we're rudely awakened by
>finding them to be mere mortals like the rest of us. BIG shock! Then, after
>years of trying VERY hard to respect those doctors, with near-constant erosion
>of our trust in their ability, we give up, and thereafter see them as
>humans.... fallible, mortal, flawed - just like the rest of us.
>
>This is NOT to say there aren't fine, top-quality MDs in this nation, but we
>no longer see them as demi-gods, nor respect them across the board. THEY, on
>the other hand often still DO se themselves as the aforementioned "demi-gods,"
>and we collectively feel the need to remind them that WE see them for what
>they really are. Uhhhhh... they sure don't seem to like that, either! <wee
>smirk>
>
>Sooooo, Bernard, its' a "stand-off" situation. WE need THEM, and THEY need
>US.... but ONE of the two groups hasn't realized that yet. Because we're a
>tenacious sort of people, I suspect they WILL get the idea eventually!
><smiling>
>
>Now LAWYERS??? (With all due respect to my Canadian
>brother-in-law-Stanley-the-attorney) We automatically inherit a strong
>disrespect for THEM while still at our mother's breast. COLLECTIVELY, they
>validate our original reaction time and again. I suspect that in no other
>nation do "lawyer jokes" fill volumes of books which are sold in their
>multi-thousands each year.
>
>As the years go by, since this is a HIGHLY litigious nation, a great many of
>our citizenry come to need the services of an attorney at one time or another.
> At such time, since most of us are not in a position to afford a "dream team,
>"comprised of the creme de la creme of the legal field as did accused murderer
>O.J. Simpson, we settle for our cousin Janie's husband's sister's oldest son,
>Marvin-the-lawyer, to handle our case. <grinning>
>
>And SURPRISE! We find Marvin to be a pretty decent person, and not a half-bad
>attorney, either. While economical comfortable, he's not rolling in wealth
>either - worries about paying for his kids orthadonture and college, sees
>himself losing hair while gaining weight, wonders if his wife has outstripped
>him mentally now that she's gone back to university and earned her Ph.D.. (and
>secretly also worries that she'll meet some young stud - which
>HE hasn't been in his entire life - while she's at university where she's now
>a successful, respected professor). You get the picture, yes?
>
>The "Marvins" of the world, aren't all that different than the rest of us, and
>many of them HAVE earned our personal respect over the years. But taken as a
>group, we picture the $450 an hour legal super-stars, and just KNOW that
>they're up to SOME kind of nefarious transgression.... And if they aren't
>today... well, they WILL be tomorrow! <grin>
>
>We let the INDIVIDUAL earn our respect, but will not automatically bestow that
>respect upon an entire profession simply because someone received the
>education that entitled them to be called "doctor" or "lawyer." Respect comes
>with proven ability AND decency.
>
>I hope this clarifies the situation for you, Bernard. You were on the right
>trail, just didn't have all the necessary facts to base a sound opinion on
>yet.
>
>Barb Mallut
>"Lil_Honey" on the PD Chat
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>----------
>From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf
>of Bernard JOLY
>Sent: Friday, January 03, 1997 2:53 AM
>To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
>Subject: Cultural U-turn
>
>On December 30, Brenda CHALLINGSWORTH posted a message asking for help about
>SINEMET CR. My answer was :
>
>"I also had a bumpy first experience with SINEMET, but I am quite reluctant to
>give you any kind of advice, because I think the responsibility and the risk
>have to be taken by a doctor.
>
> Doctors may be wrong, or away for vacations, but medical diagnosis and
>prescription are part of their job. PD patients or caregivers, cannot take
>into account such things as side effects, interaction between drugs, etc..."
>
>Other answers came up in the following days, talking freely and openly about
>doctors, medical treatment, giving advice based on personal experience. I was
>quite surprised, if not shocked, until I found out an explanation : there must
>be a cultural difference between two groups of countries, one including the US
>and another one including France, about the way we look at the doctor-patient
>relationship. You seem to have a priori limited confidence in your doctors,
>while we have a lot of a priori respect for ours.
>
>I am not trying to guess which is right or wrong : the truth is probably
>somewhere betwen the two extremes. Doctors are neither sorcerers nor
>charlatans. They know PD in general, and they cannot know my PD as well as I
>do. I know a lot about my PD, but I cannot know PD in general as well as
>doctors.
>
>Since 85% of the subscribers to this list are American, I will apply the
>proverb "in Rome, do as Romans do" and do my best to help other subscribers.
>
>By the way, there is another cultural difference between USA and France. You
>seem to look up at your lawyers as we look up at our doctors, and vice-versa.
>Should we consider posting some sort of individual or collective disclaimer ?
>
>I do hope I am not frustrating nor irritating anyone, and if I do, I apologize
>in advance
>
>Bernard JOLY
>[log in to unmask]
To Barb Mallut,my American neighbour :(Please note the CANADIAN spelling!)
Your reference to North Americans as having the same views on doctors
and lawyers is an excellent example of the American tendancy to assume
that Canadians share the American view of the world. I'm only speaking
for myself, but I know from experience that this is a common reaction,
and it camoflages the fact that there are some very profound differences
between Canadians and Americans on many issues.
In this particular case , I believe there is a significant difference in
attitudes. Generally, Americans tend to be more "laid back", casual,
relaxed, and confident, and are consequently often more willing to
criticize others, and assume that they theselves have the answers .
Canadians, on the other hand, have generally demostrated an acceptance of
authority and respect for tradition and the status quo that would make
their American neighbours cringe.. Sometimes it gets us in trouble, as it
might have in 1970, when 90 % of Canadians supported Prime Minister
Trudeau's War Measures Act taking away at the drop of a hat many of our
rights. Sorry if I digress too much.
Thus, we are inclined to respect both our doctors and lawyers more than
Americans do (and interestingly enough, our teachers and police as well),
while Americans have always been quick to find fault with all institutions
and people. These differences are rooted deeply in our respective
historical traditions, and each has advantages and disadvantges.
Americans gained their democacy by reolution, whereas , here in the Great
White Conservative North, we were quite content with British institutions,
and found it hard to understand why our southern neighbous were so intent
on throwing them down the drain in the "American Revolution" , as it is
inaccurately called.
On the whole, there is great respect for both these professions (lawyers
and doctors) in Canada, but doctors are generally number one or close to
it when it comes to respect.
By the way, i have checked these opinions with my family and they agree.
Please forgive this retired history teacher for digressing into our
historical past; I hope this does not sound like a sermon or a lecture.
I am not saying either of these attitudes is right or best; I leave that to
you, gentle reader. My point is simply that we, in Canada do not share the
American or the French view on this. Instead, we are ditinctively
Canadian, and proud of it. We have great respect for all the professions ,
though less in recent years.
I have rambled on long enough. I welcome your reactions.
Brian Black
