> I've stopped thinking of doctors as friends, and instead as salespeople preying on people in their most vulnerable state. That oath is just another ruse in th

> I've stopped thinking of doctors as friends, and instead as salespeople preying on people in their most vulnerable state. That oath is just another ruse in the sales process. Same, I basically consider a doctor an adversary until they give me reason to believe otherwise. Probably some of the ones who pass that filter are adversaries, still, and are making me pay for crap I shouldn't need to or directing me to providers who are more expensive to get kickbacks or whatever, they're just better at hiding it. They are, as a profession, failing hard at upholding their oath. The insurance industry may be a uniquely useless part of providing medical care, but they do not deserve all the blame for the massive harm that's being done. Hospitals and doctors are a huge part of it, too. [EDIT] I guess I think of them like mechanics now, actually, in that I figure any time I follow their advice and it causes me to give them money there's about an even chance I'm their mark, not their customer/patient.