I read this book for you. It was published in 1975. It is a prophecy of how everyday life is increasingly being defined and treated as a medical condition. The title of the book is Limits to Medicine Medical Nemesis: The Expropriation of Health. It is written by Ivan Illich.
The main point of the book is that the medical profession has become so powerful that nearly all aspects of life are defined as diseases requiring treatment, leading individuals to abandon responsibility for their own health. That is a tough idea! But just look at all the children and adults diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Will doctors soon say “That is one hell of an anxious baby, let’s start treatment!”
And what about self-induced disease? Like a person who lives on Coca-Cola and other nasty, nutrient-void foods that cause diabetes. And then they get diabetes, that leads to sores on their feet. And they don’t take care of the sores, and must have their legs chopped off at the knees. Is this a health care issue, or an example of medical nemesis–people not taking care of themselves because the culture of healthcare encourages reliance on experts?
Ivan says, “The so-called health professionals have an even deeper, culturally health-denying effect insofar as they destroy the potential of people to deal with their human weakness, vulnerability, and uniqueness in a personal and autonomous way.” And there you have it. The person with the cut-off legs could have prevented a predictable outcome of bad habits had they been willing to be responsible for their health.
How many examples are there of people wrecking their own health? Lots! It is dangerous to not take care of your health. And widespread diagnosing is also dangerous to health. Just consider the diagnosing of anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorder was entered into the diagnostic manual of mental disorders in 1980. Historically anxiety was seen as a fundamental ingredient of life. Everyone knew life is a fucking rocky road and it is up to you to get through life without losing your mind or taking your misery out on someone else.
What we accept as medical conditions, is to Ivan, sickening the whole culture. Ivan provides a systematic analysis of harm caused by the medical system under the terms clinical, social, and cultural iatrogenesis. This brainy and detailed analysis even includes a chapter titled “The Killing of Pain”.
Ivan states “When cosmopolitan medical civilization colonizes any traditional culture, it transforms the experience of pain.” The complex relationship of how we experience our health and pain is shaped by the culture of medicine. Do you ever think about what shapes your response to health, illness, and pain?
The way you can integrate these ideas in your life is firstly take responsibility for your health–that means you do not fill yourself with garbage food and other health depleting actions. And money is not an excuse. Nutrient-rich foods like brown rice and lentil are way cheaper than eating crap like fast food. Secondly, claim your power to be responsible for enriching or depleting your health. Reclaiming power at a rudimentary level is the best defense we have against disease and demented societal systems.
And the reason it is so important to do something with these ideas is so you can shape your own destiny to the best of your ability. And by doing so you can be a backlash to the ideas and actions that destroy health by making life a disease and individuals reliant on professionals
Now aren’t you glad I read this book for you.
And what is so amazing about this chic 60’s inspired ensemble I am wearing?
It is dignified while invoking my inner sense of freedom and fun. A mere glance at the outfit teases anyone that sees it to grin and immediately beckon their own sense of freedom and fun.
It is a counterculture outfit that you can proudly wear to the doctor for your annual exam because the outfit will speak for you. The stylish resistance will let every health professional know you are in charge of your well-being. So, don’t lay any phony baloney diagnosis or treatment on me.
And of course, there is so much more to say about the book. But if you are only up for a short read. Ivan is still being written about. Check out Medical Nemesis 40 Years On: The Enduring Legacy of Ivan Illich by Dr S O’Mahony.