3 ms·

"why aren't you homeless?" Also sounds pretty unprofessional for a doctor to say and really strange in that context to the point that I don't really believe th

"why aren't you homeless?" Also sounds pretty unprofessional for a doctor to say and really strange in that context to the point that I don't really believe the poster's story.

kstrauser 3y ago
Eh, believe it or not. It's no skin off my back either way. But doctors are people, too, and he and I built an easy, informal rapport. I'm certain he wouldn't have said it if he wasn't sure I'd laugh in response.
- operatingthetan 3y ago
  Something is off here. Now you're presenting it as a joke, and previously you offered it as a literal "counter-anecdote" to the OP. If it was actually a joke then it's meaningless in the context of the thread.
  - kstrauser 3y ago
    I think you're reading too much into this. The anecdote is true. It really happened. The doctor's comment, while deliberately phrased humorously, was serious. He identified some quite significant symptoms, and was happy for me that I'd managed to do OK in life in spite of them.
- bawolff 3y ago
  > But doctors are people, too, and he and I built an easy, informal rapport. I'm certain he wouldn't have said it if he wasn't sure I'd laugh in response. Maybe, but even still, this is the type of remark that could easily get a doctor fired. Most people err on the side of caution for remarks that could get them fired, even if they're sure it would come off correctly as a joke.
  - kstrauser 3y ago
    That's exceedingly unlikely. My wife's a doctor and enjoys joking with her patients. I know some of them from outside her office, and there are a couple she jokes pretty roughly with. Those specific patients love it, and tell me things like "I love your wife. She's my only doctor who talks to me like a person." They trust her more for that, meaning she can provide better healthcare to them. Being a professional doesn't mean leaving your humor at the door. It does mean tailoring your communication to each patient/client/customer.
    - bawolff 3y ago
      However it only takes 1 person to take it the wrong way and feed it to the court of public opinion. The comment is dangerous not because someone might take it badly - but because out of context it sounds like a doctor making fun of a patient for a medical condition. It would be extremely easy for a disgruntled patient to weaponize it (even if the patient knew it was a joke at the time and even found it funny, they can still use it if they are disgruntled for some other reason). That's not to say professionals can't joke or talk to people like humans, but some jokes are very risky.

"why aren't you homeless?" Also sounds pretty unprofessional for a doctor to say and really strange in that context to the point that I don't really believe the poster's story.

kstrauser 3y ago

Eh, believe it or not. It's no skin off my back either way. But doctors are people, too, and he and I built an easy, informal rapport. I'm certain he wouldn't have said it if he wasn't sure I'd laugh in response.

operatingthetan 3y ago
Something is off here. Now you're presenting it as a joke, and previously you offered it as a literal "counter-anecdote" to the OP. If it was actually a joke then it's meaningless in the context of the thread.
- kstrauser 3y ago
  I think you're reading too much into this. The anecdote is true. It really happened. The doctor's comment, while deliberately phrased humorously, was serious. He identified some quite significant symptoms, and was happy for me that I'd managed to do OK in life in spite of them.
bawolff 3y ago
> But doctors are people, too, and he and I built an easy, informal rapport. I'm certain he wouldn't have said it if he wasn't sure I'd laugh in response. Maybe, but even still, this is the type of remark that could easily get a doctor fired. Most people err on the side of caution for remarks that could get them fired, even if they're sure it would come off correctly as a joke.
- kstrauser 3y ago
  That's exceedingly unlikely. My wife's a doctor and enjoys joking with her patients. I know some of them from outside her office, and there are a couple she jokes pretty roughly with. Those specific patients love it, and tell me things like "I love your wife. She's my only doctor who talks to me like a person." They trust her more for that, meaning she can provide better healthcare to them. Being a professional doesn't mean leaving your humor at the door. It does mean tailoring your communication to each patient/client/customer.
  - bawolff 3y ago
    However it only takes 1 person to take it the wrong way and feed it to the court of public opinion. The comment is dangerous not because someone might take it badly - but because out of context it sounds like a doctor making fun of a patient for a medical condition. It would be extremely easy for a disgruntled patient to weaponize it (even if the patient knew it was a joke at the time and even found it funny, they can still use it if they are disgruntled for some other reason). That's not to say professionals can't joke or talk to people like humans, but some jokes are very risky.