Heroes Not Zombies

I was tempted to post this photo with no words. I mean who doesn’t like a photo of duckling? It’s just a charming, delightful, heart warming image, don’t you think?

But I do think this image says something about the way not only ducks, but many other creatures including we humans, need the care of others, learn by copying, and gain security by sticking together.

In other words relationships are fundamentally important.

Does that need to be said?

I think it does. For two reasons. First, because we have moved into an increasing separated, transactional society. Health care, for example, should be centred on relationships. Health is about people, individual unique people in relationship with the others. Anything which degrades or impairs the quality of the relationship between patients and doctors, between patients and nurses, between patients and carers or between team members should be addressed and changed. Just the other day I heard the U.K. Health Minister laud as innovation and improvement a centre which was doing twice as many cataract operations in half the time. I’m sorry, Minister, but innovation and improvement would be improving the quality time spent between patients and professionals. We need to build long term kind and caring relationships into the heart and core of our services, just as Victor Montori says in Why we Revolt.

Secondly paying more attention to relationships will help address the imbalance between competition and co-operation in our societies. Some of the most impressive stories of the pandemic have been the kindness and care of neighbours, strangers and families for each other, as well as the impressive scientific and clinical co-operations which have improved our ability to treat those who get sick from Covid.

So, yeah, this is a lovely photo of ducklings, but it reinforces my desire to contribute towards the creation of a different world.