Inquiring minds want to know! Well, at least this inquiring mind wanted to find out just how much of a capitalist he really is, so I took this quickie test. I was surprised at the results, but in reality I shouldn't be. I suspect most doctors who love their work are not 100% capitalists. How can physicians dedicate their career to helping the needy and simultaneously renounce this doctrine? The only example I know is a creation of fiction - Dr. Hendricks, a character in Ayn Rand's epic novel Atlas Shrugged. When under fire from proponents of socialized medicine and reaching the point when it is time to draw from the well of fortitude and compassion, ol' Doc Hendricks seems to have misplaced his bucket:
"Let them discover, in their operating rooms and hospital wards, that it is not safe to place their lives in the hands of a man whose life they have throttled. It is not safe, if he is the sort of man who resents it--and still less safe, if he is the sort who doesn't."
Now that's a man with a chip on his shoulder. As for me, I do believe that acts of kindness and mercy are good for the world, even if they are performed with other people's money. Ergo, my score on this test is as follows:
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You Are 68% Capitalist, 32% Socialist |
 In general, you support a free economy and business interests. You tend to think people should fend for themselves, even when times get tough. However, do think the government should help those who are truly in need. |
As with most of us who don't live our lives in the pages of a highly charged melodramatic love-triangle apocalytpic class-warfare novel, we view the world not in black and white, but in various shades of pleasing gray. This makes our lives more meaningful, if less likely to be optioned by Hollywood.
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I'm only 28 percent capitalist.
Not sure about this quiz, though -- I like money as much as the next guy!
Hello,
A friend of mine who visited your site sent me the link to your post above, which deals with capitalism, Atlas Shrugged, and medicine. You ask, "How can physicians dedicate their career to helping the needy and simultaneously renounce this doctrine [socialism]?"
I founded The Lucidicus Project in 2005 in order to help medical students sort out these types of questions. Given your interpretation of Dr. Hendricks's speech and your support of the confiscation of property to social ends, it does not sound as though you would be interested. But in case your readers find this topic interesting, they can find out another perspective here:
http://lucidicus.org
Regards,
Jared Rhoads
I call myself a capitalist. I hope my medical team and the pharmiceutical companies make a lot of money off me. I want them to have a strong encentive to give me the best possible care.
I tell my oncologist that I am his perfect customer. I'm not dead and I'm not cured. That makes me a steady customer - a cash cow. Every time I meet with him for his curory physical exam, he tells me how good I look. My response is always, "Then why am I here?"
I'm beginning to think he says that so I don't give up. I don't think he realizes just how determined I am to win. I have decided, as they said during Apollo 13, Failur is not an option.