I am not a biology or pre-med major, but my fascination with the medical field does not end with the horror I feel when I hear the words “chemistry,” “physics” or “formula.” Beyond that, I am fascinated by the knowledge and ability of human bodies and brains. This attitude, and the fact that my friend agreed to go with me, fueled my desire to visit the neighborhood forum Left Bank Books last Thursday, to hear the thoughts of surgeon and author Atul Gawande.
The speech Dr. Gawande gave struck me on many levels as I feel that his topic is intimately related to so many aspects of life. His new book, Better: Notes on Performance, takes an intimate look at how people deal with failure in their lives.
Failing is a sensitive subject and one that is not always publicized; who wants to remember the hopelessness of being rejected? The fact remains, however: I am not always going to get As, my dad’s company will not always win projects, my friend will not always get the job she wants. But, how we learn to deal with the implications of this painful, common, and unavoidable, thread, is a powerful catalyst.
At the beginning of his speech, Dr. Gawande questioned, “So, we’re fallible. Now what?” He defined success as being the collaboration of three aspects of life: diligence, bedside ingenuity and doing right. I thought to myself, “Could it truly be that simple? Could we make the most of our successes and failures merely by excelling in the above traits?”
As his speech continued, though, I learned that Dr. Gawande’s three keys to success were far more complicated and interwoven in life. In this world of advancements in medical care, technology and globalization, we have the resources to fix so many things, and yet, Dr. Gawande mentioned that the hardest problems to solve are those with moral implications and demands. “What are the conflicts and needs, and how do you navigate that?” he asked.
To illustrate the implication of morals in medical decision making, Dr. Gawande used the example of capital punishment. When I think on such an aspect of American culture, I am always brought back to my high school theology class and a poster on the wall that said, “If there is a separation between church and state, then what is the government doing playing God?” or another that screamed in blocky white letters on a black background: “Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong?”
One of the most frightening and effective ways Dr. Gawande eased his speech into such a controversial topic was to begin by explaining the ways in which people were condemned to die in accordance with the law. “Firing squad, gas chamber, and electrocution were all ruled as cruel and unusual … enter the doctor,” he said.
Indeed, Dr. Gawande’s speech is geared more toward the moral contention of practicing as a doctor, but even so, the concepts and questions he brings up are so applicable to the issue of doing and becoming a force for social justice. How do we define morality? What are the layers of thinking that we go through before deeming something as unjust or amoral?
In today’s world, a smokescreen has grown around the most sensitive issues of humanity. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we ask ourselves questions about how and why things have become the way they are. The moral decisions of this world are daily occurrences. Do I buy this shirt that could have been made in a sweatshop with underfed and underpaid child workers? Do I think about where the coffee I am drinking comes from? Do I bother to discuss what is happening in Darfur instead of politely ignoring the death and destruction in the world?
We have come so far and yet. we appear to move backward sometimes. In the words of Dr. Gawande, “50 years ago, our biggest problem was ignorance. Now, it is, ‘How do we use all of this knowledge correctly?'” In the wake of such tragedies as the Virginia Tech massacre earlier this week, I think there is a profound question being asked of us. In spite of all of our success and knowledge, our wealth and power, there are still people and lives that are slipping through the cracks. How can we, in our infinite wisdom, reach out to all people and make the world a greater, more morally competent, place? Atul Gawande’s speech awakened a reality inside of me that begs for more; it asks that the world become better, and it requires that I lend my hands to this cause.
Aubrey Krekler is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.
