Great quote from Shaw. Very uncompromising thinker.
But credulity is only a part of it. Shaw was very fond of Samuel Butler, another free thinker. Butler nailed the link between religion and medicine. It's a crime to be sick. You feel as if you've done something wrong. Illness is the modernized version of original sin: by being sick one forfeits the right to expect more from society. You don't really deserve it.
But I've wondered how you approach a doctor's visit. Do they give you "professional courtesy" because they see you're scientifically versed? Or does that not come up? How do feel about going to a doctor? Do you have a game plan?
It's something that absolutely drives me up a wall. I'm on the verge of losing my patience. But one can't "take his business elsewhere". It's not a business. You have to genuflect.
I give all of them benefit of the doubt. You can tell some of them genuinely try to help. But if they try to prescribe something like a whole-body CT scan or a toxic drug then I start throwing bits and pieces about the risks. The cool ones quickly realize what's up and basically say "Look, you clearly know how the game is played. This is what I can do for you, and these are my limits. Honestly, you probably don't need me unless you break a bone". The more authoritarian ones try to argue and those are almost invariably listed in the "Dollars for Docs" database by ProPublica. When I bring up their associations with say GE and question their recommendation of massive radiation imaging, they say they refuse to discuss anything without their legal counsel present and leave the room. I kid you not, I have had a doctor say he will not say anything more unless his lawyer was present.
So, I basically go for my annual physical and that's it. My PCP is a bit older and not as crazy. He firmly believes medicine is on the wrong track currently even though he refuses to consider why. I guess it's better than nothing, right?
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