Do you believe that "everyone is the same" or that some people are better than others?

Question

I work a temp job in a medical office (a branch office of a national corporation) where one of the permanent office clerks likes to say "everyone is the same" in response to demanding patients that are more "accomplished" careerwise or in reference to corporate office holders and their sometimes demanding requests. I am very conflicted on this question and wonder what other people think. I believe that everyone is equal on a spiritual level and that everyone should be treated civilly - but not quite sure if worldly accomplishments should be ignored. For instance, I believe a medical doctor has accomplished a lot and provides a noble service to society and should be treated with the commiserate respect. The woman that says all are equal is a nice person who didn't go to college and part of me thinks that she wishes to lower the "status" of others in order to raise hers. Seems that she may have a chip on her shoulders (albeit somewhat repressed). Any thoughts?

Answer 1

Your work associate in my opinion doesn't have a chip on her shoulder or is repressed at all. Your co-worker just has respect for others and clearly isn't a snob!

As you said the clerks in your office like to say that "everyone is the same" in relation to demanding and difficult patients and doctors etc BECAUSE they think and they are right that EVERYBODY should be treated with the same amount of respect regardless of ones occupation, level of education or social standing.

I think the problem here isn't your co-worker but your elitist attitude. Gee she didn't go to collage like myself (aren't I so wonderful?) and so she just MUST be feeling so bad about that that. (hello maybe she had no desire to go to collage or do some high powered job) How dare she reduce our superficial "status" down to her lower level. Doesn't she realise we are better and above her! This is how you come across in your post as one big snob. You're the one looking down your nose at her because she can't appreciate how important "status" and "titles" obviously are to you. Your co-workers are judging people by who they are as people and no amount of "status" can cover that up! So I would try to get over the snobbery if you want to be well liked and respected at work.

As for Dr worship, yes doctors deserve respect from a patient or employee when they give the same amount of respect back. Long gone are the days when doctors were the pillars of society and would make house calls and be really caring. Not saying all doctors are bad, but the good ones are very thin on the ground. A patient gets very little time, respect and listening abilities from doctors these days and because it is now so rampant...the ivory tower is now crumbling.

Answer 2

Of course everyone is different. Would your doctor describe an illness the same way to a fellow doctor as to someone with a seventh grade vocabulary? Does everyone who presents at a doctors office get an appointment at the same time? Of course not. They take into account the nature of the complaint and, in some cases, externalities (i.e., the person s going out of town in two days).

That said, I agree that everyone should be treated with civility and respect. Do I think that corporate office holders (from another company) deserve "better" treatment? No.

BTW, there are some interesting studies on how treating a high profile patient just like everyone else (especially in a trauma situation) results in better outcomes.

Answer 3

You may well be right. But, I am also reminded of what I taught the Boy Scouts in our troop almost 20 years ago. We had a really messed-up Scoutmaster, and some of the boys really hated him.

I told them, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." They loved it.

She is not really thinking very well, is she? Clearly, some are more beautiful than others. Some are more socially talented than others. Some are better physically coordinated, thus earn millions as professional athletes.

The only logical thing she might mean is that every patient in the end is a sick person, and all should receive the same civil treatment, and the best the staff can do. If that is the case, then I would tend to agree somewhat.

However, using your examples, I can guarantee you that a person like an M.D. used to running things is going to (successfully) make a big stink if he/she doesn't receive more respect than the janitor would accept as normal without complaint.

Answer 4

All people have skills in different areas. Some have more than others, some have less. Education means not one jot or tittle; it's the actual skill and knowledge and accomplishments that count.

Everyone should be treated the same. Remember, the person who graduates last in his class from medical school is still called "doctor"; just because someone has a title does not make him a more valuable person, and just because he is a "doctor" does not mean he actually contributes more to his community than, say, someone who does a lot of volunteer work. It doesn't mean that he doesn't, either.

In other words, you are trying to make value judgements based on surface things. It's best just to treat everyone essentially the same, because otherwise you are basing your treatment on something surface that may be meaningless.

Answer 5

No, as a college educated professional, I think all people are the same. While I may have more education, other people may be more accomplished in other areas. My neighbor lady, who was a teenage mother high school dropout is the most fabulous mother (and Granny I know). She always knows the right thing to do with kid problems that I, a mother of 4, could never come up with. She has given me invaluable advice over the years that I KNOW has helped me to raise better young men than I would have on my own. Everyone has different talents & experiences, and their own unique expertise. That is what makes us all the same, when viewed from afar, not near. We all contribute in our way, and in the long run, no one can say whose contribution is more valuable.

I would say that the contribution of Jonas Salk, inventor of the polio vaccine, was equal to that of his parents, who provided the world with Jonas Salk, a good person who wanted to help people. To say someone is a better person due to the advantage of a better education is somewhat elitist, and depending on individual motivations, not always true.

Answer 6

They are both true, in their own way.

I think doctors deserve respect for their accomplishments, BUT that doesn't mean that they should be treated better than those with less money.

Since you are in a medical office, shouldn't you be treating docs and patients professionally? Courteously? The way you would like to be treated?

Again - since you are in a med office, what if someone comes in AS a patient, and you don't know that he/she is a doctor? Do you start treating them better after you learn they are degreed? If i saw that in my doctors office, i would complain, big time.


on the other hand, if one of the patients is a medical doctor, they would understand medical terminology better than the average person. That is one way that it is OK to treat people differently that is not insulting.


dos your co-worker have a chip on her shoulder? Based only on this example, no.

Answer 7

I personally am tire of being disrespected by doctors, lawyers, dentists and politicians who think their time is more important than mine or that they command more respect than I do and they don't really know who I am.

No we are not all the same. You are right, everyone deserves respect and civility. We shouldn't hate people for their accomplishments, but neither should they nor do they have the right to be rude and overly demanding of us.

some people are born without a conscience though, and I don't know if they should even be classified as humans in the spiritual sense.

I think this woman is just trying to keep her cool when people with power and authority over her are pushing her buttons.

Answer 8

I think it is totally based on their personality and work ethic. What do you say to those people who make little or no money but help out others continuously? Does that make them less than a doc just cuz he went to school? Although personal venues are important for that particular person, I don't think what they do as a job is a base you can make is most cases. Now don't get me wrong, I think some people are wrong and should be treated like crap ( child molesters, drug dealers, etc), but if someone is making an effort to make their lives and the lives of others better, does it matter how much school they have or where they work? Just my personal opinion. Thanks!

Answer 9

on the middle, i think of, on a human point, we are all equivalent, and each physique must be taken care of humanely and with courtesy, with recognize. this is appropriate to getting hassle-free centers, justice, and scientific care from others. yet, being "equivalent" isn't corresponding to being the "same." (those words of your question are complicated.) It is going with out asserting that we are born to distinctive contexts, backgrounds, families, economic and cultural inheritances, AND purposes. some human beings would have extra possibilities than others, and we'd all pick paths to stick to in life. yet, the point of "success" or "greatness" that society attributes to a guy or woman does not would desire to intend that he/she ought to get extra effective scientific care than others. (except, of direction, this success potential he/she is in a position to pay extra for extra effective provider...such is the sorrowful element approximately economic inequality and our institutions).

Answer 10

I think you are wrong...It doesn't mean you are a better person if you went to college to become a doctor or lawyer or what ever...Everyone is equal to everyone else...And that is the way it is...

Clowmy