I recently had a thunderclap moment. Before it, I was writing an undifferentiated health newsletter; afterward, I had a clear sense of what all of this is actually for.
They tell you when you start a newsletter to have your Platonic ideal of a reader in mind when you’re writing. But in a recent conversation with the amazing Blair Hickman, I realized I actually have two: One is a member of the general public who cares about their health but is skeptical of the social media health bullshit firehose. The other is a burned-out doctor or public health worker who wants a public voice.
The Problem, as I conceived of it, was that part of the public distrusts health professionals, especially doctors, scientists, and public health workers. The first part of the thunderclap happened when I read a doctor-authored piece that made it clear some health professionals also distrust the public. The distrust runs in both directions.
Last week, I wrote a response to that piece and sent it to some public health contacts for input. A few commented that it wasn’t a surprise that so many Americans feel scammed by our health system. But if people who work in medicine and public health sound defensive when they respond to criticism, they said, it’s because they also feel scammed by it.
Doctors and public health workers often choose their professions because they want to help people. Instead, they’ve been getting screwed by a system that prioritizes politics and profits over patients. That’s when the second part of the thunderclap hit: I realized that both sides are being screwed by the same system.
What if we could rebuild trust in both directions by helping each side understand the other? That's what I want to do here, and in many ways, it’s what I’ve been trying to do all along. But a clearer mission — which I’ve posted in more detail on my newly revised About page — could help me do it better.
Of course, that’ll only happen if this actually resonates with anyone. What do you think?
Does any of this make sense?
Are you someone who wants to understand health information better? A clinician looking for a platform? Someone who's been harmed by these systems and wants to see something different? Tell me what you want to see here! We’re building this together.
You can make suggestions in the comments, email me at [email protected], fill out this anonymous form, or find me on Signal at kerenlandman.07.