I find myself at a cocktail party with Marsden Wagner, the author of the book I just finished reading along with my fellow piers from school. I want to demonstrate that I really read it much better than Kevin.
Me: "Hey - thanks for writing Born in the USA How a Broken Maternity System must be Fixed to put Women and Children First. Your main argument on how the maternity system in the United States is angled to help obstetricians who view the mothers and babies as patients. Previous to reading the book I was completely unaware of this aspect of the American medical industry, and I agree with you that the maternity system must be fixed to put woman and children first.”
Marsden: "Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?"
Me: "Well, in the last third of the book you focused on what needs to be done to change the dreadful situation we’re in currently, which further developed the first 2/3rds of the book. But let me be more specific; on page 204 you briefly touched on how socialized medicine would help combat these atrocities in healthcare because the doctors wouldn’t have to “sell” themselves along with their hazardous procedures. On page 210 you also relate how hospitals being an isolated institution are neglecting a learning experience to the public which might I add was also add, discussed in my social studies class during our illness and dying unit, which is very similar to the birth unit which prompted the reading of this book. Back to education, on page 220 I like how you criticized the way television cartoonishly depicts the process of birth in favor of the obstetricians.”
Marsden: "But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?"
Me: "Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide journalistic analysis from the perspective of an accomplished doctor and activist for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. Given that aim, and your book, the best advice I would give for a 2nd edition of the text would be, keep it short; you have a lot of strong ideas you convey and you convey it well. I was able to get a lot of your points in fewer pages than you intended and as I proceeded to read it seemed a little laborious for me as it began to get repetitive. But I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about government enforcing certain practices that are based off misleading and false data, & how social services that should be provided by the government can turn harmful when swallowed up by the American capitalist structure. In fact, I'm likely to do child birth differently as a result of your book."
Marsden: "Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"
I find myself at a cocktail party with Marsden Wagner, the author of the book I just finished reading along with my fellow piers from school. I want to demonstrate that I really read it much better than Kevin.
ReplyDeleteMe: "Hey - thanks for writing Born in the USA How a Broken Maternity System must be Fixed to put Women and Children First. Your main argument on how the maternity system in the United States is angled to help obstetricians who view the mothers and babies as patients. Previous to reading the book I was completely unaware of this aspect of the American medical industry, and I agree with you that the maternity system must be fixed to put woman and children first.”
Marsden: "Really, which parts were most effective or important for you?"
Me: "Well, in the last third of the book you focused on what needs to be done to change the dreadful situation we’re in currently, which further developed the first 2/3rds of the book. But let me be more specific; on page 204 you briefly touched on how socialized medicine would help combat these atrocities in healthcare because the doctors wouldn’t have to “sell” themselves along with their hazardous procedures. On page 210 you also relate how hospitals being an isolated institution are neglecting a learning experience to the public which might I add was also add, discussed in my social studies class during our illness and dying unit, which is very similar to the birth unit which prompted the reading of this book. Back to education, on page 220 I like how you criticized the way television cartoonishly depicts the process of birth in favor of the obstetricians.”
Marsden: "But what could I have done to make this a better book - that would more effectively fulfill its mission?"
Me: "Well, let's be clear - your text sought to provide journalistic analysis from the perspective of an accomplished doctor and activist for the book-reading-public to better understand pregnancy & birth in our culture. Given that aim, and your book, the best advice I would give for a 2nd edition of the text would be, keep it short; you have a lot of strong ideas you convey and you convey it well. I was able to get a lot of your points in fewer pages than you intended and as I proceeded to read it seemed a little laborious for me as it began to get repetitive. But I don't want you to feel like I'm criticizing. I appreciate the immense amount of labor you dedicated to this important issue and particularly for making me think about government enforcing certain practices that are based off misleading and false data, & how social services that should be provided by the government can turn harmful when swallowed up by the American capitalist structure. In fact, I'm likely to do child birth differently as a result of your book."
Marsden: "Thanks! Talking to you gives me hope about our future as a society!"