I was sitting at my Oncologist a few weeks ago, and I was asking about possible treatments for the future and my doc turned to me and said
"The worst enemy of good is better."
There are so many aspects of my life which this statement my doctor said to me can be applied.
You see, there are a number of people with the same type of rare Cancer that I do, and I keep in communication with them in an online support group. All of these people are wonderful, and many times the group has helped me personally to deal with things like insurance, depression, etc etc. Some of the group are very aggressive in their approach to this disease, and I think many end up on the short end of my doc's statement. Sometimes when we chase the ideal of feeling better, we destroy what was perhaps good and we are left in worse shape due to the aggressive treatments. To make matters worse, because some of these treatments are not approved by the FDA, a good lot of them jet to Europe and pay $5 to $10k per treatment. For some this works, for others it does not and they do worse. Who's to say if someone might have lived much longer - but In the end they feel worse for trying to feel better.
As I pondered this statement, I became aware of the vast applications this statement might have not just to me - but to others and even society as a whole. I can think of so many examples
- Organizations purchasing massive automation systems, and no one can seem to explain a really good reason except for making the change for change's sake.
-When are we going to learn that simply throwing money at a problem will not solve it?
-When are we going to stop sitting back, allowing the government to restrict us more and more just because of crisis? (drilling stopped in gulf, gas prices now approaching $4 a gallon, what will the outcome of gun control be?)
-I think our folks in government are really trying to help us, but I have seen the intended good of one thing have some real unintended consequences which the folks responsible had no idea would exist. Making more regulation means we get higher prices to recover the increased costs. Passing healthcare and requiring anyone working over 30 hours means many who cannot afford will be cut to 28 hours. By attempting to cover a much deserving group, well, the government created the unintended consequence of workers losing hours.
-I live in Michigan and I wonder what consequences of the good and better statement is going to play out on making this a right to work state.
I don't know, but this little statement of "better" is really making me take stock of my entire life and try to find out what I need to just leave alone and to use the axiom added to this that with every change comes unintended Consequences. What I hope is in the future I don't hurt myself in some way chasing an ideal of feeling better or even doing better.
At least for one thing, this is going to make me much more cautious in everything I do going into the future.
What is wrong with that?
