Discussion of a TABOO topic.

[thushan]

So. In society, quite often, taboo topics are very very hard to talk about, because no one wants to talk about them. However, as we see often on AN, a discussion on an issue increases awareness and therefore ways on how to address a taboo topic in real life.

I would like to give everyone an opportunity to talk about any taboo topic they wish. We are (for the most part) anonymous, and discussion of taboo topics generally lead to general awareness and a positive outcome.

NOTE: PEOPLE WHO MAKE INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS WILL BE EXECUTED. OK, not executed, but dealt with harshly.

[paulsterio]

Well, my suggestion of a taboo topic would be choice of university courses.

Who here has felt that they wanted to do a different course (mostly medicine, law or those other high profile courses) not because they TRULY wanted to, but because of other pressures, such as parents and friends?

Who here has forced themselves into liking a particular university course, because their parents have played it up so much?

Lastly, what percentage of people who want to do a course, say medicine, actually want to do it from the bottom of their hearts and not from the influences of their parents?

[thushan]

"Who here has forced themselves into liking a particular university course, because their parents have played it up so much?"

I have. Well, it's not so much forcing, it was more...subtle. But I like the course now, it's interesting. And in a way, I'm kind of glad my parents pushed me into it.

[paulsterio]

Yeah, but do you like the course because you truly do from the bottom of your heart, or is it because your parents have played it up so much that you like it because of that?

Just something to think about - how much an effect parents have on the lives of their children in general and how many kids don't end up living the lives they want to live because of their parents.

[Water]

I'd like to talk about topics including

Incest between Siblings, The Philosophy of God, The Culture within AN, and Gangnam Style


But if you guys want to talk about why I pick Med, Law etc....because of parents...sure, go for it .

[paulsterio]

Incest between siblings, well, that's a tough one, because if you allow incest between siblings, you're allowing them to have kids (in effect) which creates a whole host of genetic issues.

The culture within AN - haha, that's a tough one, I have much to say, but I won't say it on AN

[thushan]

Incest between siblings, well, that's a tough one, because if you allow incest between siblings, you're allowing them to have kids (in effect) which creates a whole host of genetic issues.

The culture within AN - haha, that's a tough one, I have much to say, but I won't say it on AN

I'll make a new thread about the culture of AN.

[Soul_Khan]

Lastly, what percentage of people who want to do a course, say medicine, actually want to do it from the bottom of their hearts and not from the influences of their parents?

A good litmus test to judge whether a person really wants to do Medicine from the 'bottom of their hearts' is to take away the money, prestige, and pressure and see who in the end still wants to do the course.

I'd like to talk about topics including

Incest between Siblings, The Philosophy of God, The Culture within AN, and Gangnam Style


But if you guys want to talk about why I pick Med, Law etc....because of parents...sure, go for it .

Incest - good topic of conversation, it's quite unique, however I doubt there would be much differing opinions and thus would not provoke much discussion
Philosophy of God - meh.. all AN threads about god end up being locked
Culture within AN - don't know how this is a taboo subject
Gangnam Style - we have a winner! you're a legend.

[Water]

Philosophy of God:  Religion and God overlap.

Culture within AN -  This is actually quite a contentious issue to me. I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I do actually feel it is worth discussing. As you have mentioned before, for instance, if the topic of Religion is continuously getting locked, why is it getting locked all the time? Why isn't discussion sustainable?  Ultimately, it runs the question: what is the characteristic of AN? what is our social and moral views? do we have a mob mentality in terms of negative respect?

I think Culture Discussion is a good look at ourselves and who we are as AN

[thushan]

Lastly, what percentage of people who want to do a course, say medicine, actually want to do it from the bottom of their hearts and not from the influences of their parents?

A good litmus test to judge whether a person really wants to do Medicine from the 'bottom of their hearts' is to take away the money, prestige, and pressure and see who in the end still wants to do the course.

I'd like to talk about topics including

Incest between Siblings, The Philosophy of God, The Culture within AN, and Gangnam Style


But if you guys want to talk about why I pick Med, Law etc....because of parents...sure, go for it .

Incest - good topic of conversation, it's quite unique, however I doubt there would be much differing opinions and thus would not provoke much discussion
Philosophy of God - meh.. all AN threads about god end up being locked
Culture within AN - don't know how this is a taboo subject
Gangnam Style - we have a winner! you're a legend.

Hmm, let's think about that (the money, power, prestige). My opinion of Medicine (whether right or wrong) is...money isn't that great until you become a consultant, but you do work ridiculous hours. Power, I never understood. Prestige, I get it. But prestige also comes with its downsides - because you can so easily be perceived as arrogant with every benign move you do, at worst.

Would I still want to do medicine? I wouldn't know. Perhaps. The people. The POWER to make a difference in life and death and to actually SEE it with your own eyes. Immersing yourself in a patient's life story. The research. The discovery of techniques and new ideas to benefit people's lives. The advocacy of health policy. The paying out of homeopathy. Actually...I wouldn't mind doing medicine.

[paulsterio]

Thushan, but what I have to question is that so many other professions have the power to make a difference to people as well.

Engineers - they design houses, roads, sewages, electricity lines, cities, buildings, cars, medical equipment, basically just everything you see around you that helps improve your quality of life. The keyboard you're using now, the computer you're using, the LCD screen, the table it sits on, the chair you're sitting on and the house you're living under were all once feats of engineering and in many ways, even the medical field owes much to the feats of engineering. I could argue that engineers make a VERY big difference to the lives of people. Imagine if an engineer could design a good and efficient water distribution system which can be installed in a country suffering from poverty.

Teachers - they are the ones who, in some way or another, determine the future of our race - they teach the young ones not only academics but values, life skills and experiences. Without teachers, many students will fail to learn effectively and we all know that at some point in our lives, we have met a teacher who has inspired us in some way or another.

Nurses - they help patients just as much as doctors do

Scientists - they are the basis for the majority of our advances...etc.

Lawyers - without lawyers who work for reasonable prices defending those who are victimised, what would happen in society?

OK, I'm getting tired, but you get the point, doctors aren't the only ones who "help people" despite what people seem to think.

[thushan]

Hence the reason why I wrote "POWER to make a difference in life and death." A difference between LIFE and DEATH. In other words, the sense of 'help' feels more acute as a doctor. This does not mean that engineers, teachers and the like don't make a difference, because they do. The difference is that they may not see the results as acutely as those who deal in matters of life and death do.

[Russ]

The paying out of CAM.

Dismissing CAM as a general field is a bad idea and is something that no doctor should do, but unfortunately many of them end up dismissing it arbitrarily. Purely anecdotal but I've noticed a trend of younger doctors and medical students being incredibly harsh on it, with older doctors taking a more reasoned approach

If we're going to derail we might as well do it properly <3

Lawyers - without lawyers who work for reasonable prices defending those who are victimised, what would happen in society?

<cheapshot>
Ah yes, that .1% of the profession.
</cheapshot>

[thushan]

I was being tongue-in-cheek Thomas.

On that note - just one post here - what kind of benefits does CAM give? If we are talking direct biomedical evidence-based intervention, then i'd say nothing (well...depends on the CAM. i'm thinking mainly homeopathy). Only too happy to be corrected though.

[thushan]

Not really a taboo topic, but I recall a topic posted by a certain AN member a year or so ago that was quite funny...

"What a girl wants?" or something?

Interesting discussion on "Guys, girls and relationships: What Mars and Venus looks for in a relationship" is in order.