Blog #4

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“Indeed, it seems strange that the language of healing remains so interwoven with the language of warfare, especially in the era of chronic disease, when many conditions are controlled and managed, not eradicated or annihilated.”

I agree that it is odd that the metaphors of medicine are often so violent and combat-centric. But I think its what comes naturally when your goal is to get rid of the disease. This should, however, change when we are trying to treat rather than cure. Chronic uncurable diseases should not be seen as battles to be won because they cannot be won and in the end, those involved may feel like failures for not achieving the impossible.

“By describing a treatment as a battle and a patient as a combatant, we set an inherently adversarial tone, and dichotomize outcomes into victory and defeat.”

I agree that it sets this toe but this is not always a bad thing. For some people seeing it as a battle that can be thought out of with the right courage perseverance and support can be won gives them hope that they need while dealing with their disease. This is, of course, circumstantial so we must be careful when and how we use metaphors.

“Ultimately, any metaphor—military or otherwise—is not inherently good or bad. Rather, the utility of each depends on a patient’s culture, values, experiences, and preferences.”

I agree metaphors are a tool and nothing more. They do nothing until put into practice and how we use them is everything. They can be used for everything from manipulation to being a common language between people who otherwise would have a hard time understanding each other.

“Those exposed to the World War II scenario made more interventionist recommendations than the others. Just as we cannot ignore the literal meaning of words, we cannot ignore the analogies that are triggered by metaphor.“

This quote supports that the way in which we use metaphor affects peoples perceptions for better or worse.

“Designing metaphors makes you look around and realise how much of the language we use has been engineered to create its effects, in the same way that the resistance of an Oreo cookie’s cream against the tongue is no accident.”

This quote relates to the argument that metaphors can be intentionally designed to have a certain effect on patients. However, the desired effect is not always achieved.