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It seems the Hippocratic Oath has become an
endangered species. No "save the oath" groups rising to its defense, though. How
in the world did it last this long, I wonder. Is it any wonder that the ideals of a doctor
from the 4th century BC might not resonate in the 90s?
What's with this tenacity to things moldy, anyway? It seems to be everywhere.
Just because Newton discovered certain laws of physics,
doesn't mean that somebody else wouldn't have discovered them a little later. It doesn't mean that Eastern
thinkers didn't understand Newton's laws intuitively, choosing instead to contemplate the
subtlety of yin and yang.
Why did so many scientists find it so difficult to accommodate Einstein's new physics?
The danger with clinging to our teddy bears of ancient thought, we fail to develop our own
intuitive powers. We diminish worthwhile words like the Hippocratic Oath when we turn them
into ritual.
Because once a thing becomes a ritual, you can pretty well write it off as nonsense.
Unless of course, the ritual actually does you some good.
When I face the painful prospect of having to be creative when I really don't want to, I
avoid. Walk around the block, straighten things up, make a few
calls, or a list. This works for me, but apparently the Hippocratic Oath doesn't work for
most medical school graduates. So most don't take it anymore.
Well, now you know what to do with any meaningless ritual that wastes your time. Don't
take it any more.
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