Integrative Medicine v Alternative Medicine

[Guest guest]

Hi Ken, Simcha, and Amigas/Amigos,

 

Ken, I believe you have the view svp ... if not necessarily the room. Keep your

eye on the near ... the next step. I'll try not to lose faith in what " appears "

either near or far. Please keep me well advised. Sometimes I glimpse and bask

in the " clear vision " . It's better that I don't write during those precious

moments ... but just keep seeing. Thanks for the re- " vision " .

 

With moebius respect and gratitude,

Emmanuel Segmen

-

Ken Rose

Emmanuel Segmen ; Simcha Gottlieb

Cc: Chinese Medicine

Monday, May 17, 2004 10:06 PM

Re: Integrative Medicine v Alternative Medicine

 

 

Emmanuel, Simcha,

 

The power of language to reorganize reality

should never be underestimated. As I recall,

in the beginning was the word.

 

We need a center, a network of distributed

centers, that provide positions in space

that can be held and that can be used

to create that space where people

learn not only not to need hospitals

but not to need what they do not

have, in other words not to give up

the near to seek the far but to continue

their journey through life with the next

step.

 

Not only do I not accept Emmanuel's

forswearing of the making of such

suggestions, I nominate and, on behalf

of the northern portion of the universe,

appoint Emmanuel and Simcha as the

solution-to-hospitals-construction-design-

and-fundraising unit

 

I want an office with a view,

svp.

 

Ken

 

Emmanuel Segmen <susegmen wrote:

Hi Simcha,

 

Yes, I resonate strongly with what you suggest, " A place where people learn

how to not need hospitals. " This is the most glorious future indeed for CM in

America. ... especially considering the current conditions of our hospitals. I

also have always agreed with the notion you present that evidence-based medicine

is both obsessive and highly distracting from the work of CM. For this reason,

I believe that integration between CM and WM would be a rather poor marriage and

maybe even an abusive partnership. Being neighbors is perhaps already difficult

enough. I will cease and desist from such suggestions.

 

Respectfully,

Emmanuel Segmen

 

 

 

 

Emmanuel,

 

I am honored that you include me in your vision of an American CM

hospital; and I agree that such an institution could offer much that is sorely

lacking - not only in services to its clientele, but in accelerating the

achievement of a glorious future for health care world-wide.

 

A hospital, however, is not precisely the project I'd prefer to jump in on

just now. A spa, maybe; or a school, or a summer camp. A place where people

learn how to not need hospitals.

 

The words 'alternative' and 'complementary', when applied to Chinese

Medicine, imply that there is another, primary modality whose market share and

mindshare are more or less uncontested. Even the word 'integrative' begs the

question, as Z'ev points out, as to who is integrating whom - and as such the

word tends to mask its real meaning, 'assimilative'. When we allow the language,

terminology, or frame of reference of those who as yet do not understand us to

define us, we forfeit our right to define ourselves.

 

In essence I love the word 'integrative', because it evokes and demands

integrity. That's a much bigger challenge, and IMO a more fruitful pursuit, than

securing venture capital, 'proving' the ineffable, or seeking the authoritative

approval of narrow minds. Those would be, I think, necessary steps toward

establishing a CM hospital on American soil in the near future. If there are

those among us who possess the patience and the pragmatism to get that done,

then more power to'em. As for me, I'm inclined to forego the current obsession

with so-called 'evidence-based' medicine. I believe the smart money is on that

which is not yet evident.

 

With warm regards,

Simcha Gottlieb

 

On Friday, May 14, 2004, at 03:30 AM, Emmanuel Segmen wrote:

 

 

Z'ev,

 

Your point is well taken. The physical and economic infrastructure

belongs to WM. The question is when is Bob Felt, Ken Rose, you and Simcha going

to build a hospital? Dr. Kang thinks of such things. It's part of why he wants

to bring Chinese professors to America to start a branch of Shanghai University

of TCM ... he'd like to create a TCM hospital. It would be the flip side of

Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, CA with it's alternative clinic. I can very much

envision a TCM hospital that includes an MD and/or an MSN practitioner staff.

The American TCM colleges around the U.S. have clinics, pharmacies and

professors fully trained in acute care in most or many cases. There is simply

not at this time the economic and physical infrastructure to have the patient

census access acute care ... that would take venture capital.

 

 

 

Ken Rose

 

" Opposition is true friendship "

-- Wm. Blake

 

 

 

 

 

Find local movie times and trailers on Movies.