April has been a very engaged month, full of learning and productivity, and also lacking in sleep. 🙁 🙂
I say ‘engaged’ because I learned a few years ago to avoid saying ‘busy’, i.e. ‘April has been a busy month’. In fact the term ‘busy’ is just an excuse for why we have not done other things, we all have the God-given freedom to choose our priorities in daily life. (That is a big thought, consider it,, [potential future blog post wahoo]).
Back to topic, I have been learning throughout this month, as a result of on-the-job exposure to something new to me (clinical research & development), and the professional and personal growth that has ensued. In trying to dive deeper into the Clinical field of study, I have been fortunate to meet with some senior business people who have been at it a long time. And so I was introduced to the concept of ‘Superhero Syndrome’, which immediately caught my attention.
The general idea is that some industries and business people, for example those in the practice of helping others (i.e. pharma, healthcare, medicine), have caught this Superhero bug which leads them to believe that no cost is too great. For example, in attempt to develop a treatment or cure for an ultra-rare disease, no expenses will be held back. 100% all-in whatever is required, dollars, FTE hours, or any other material resource that might be required. Inclusive of the scenario of a mild affliction (diarrhea, heartburn, etc), nothing matters but a cure.
AND maybe they are right, from an ethical and conscientious view, resource allocations are trivial when compared to the pursuit of good health for ALL. There is NO cost too great, it must be a relentless and absolute pursuit. When considered on a personal and individual level, I would completely agree, I will give 1000% effort every day.
However in the economic reality we live in, and in the spirit of keeping an open mind, every resource, scarce or plentiful, has a monetary and natural cost attached. And so shall we pursue the gold-plated, platinum, silver, or bronze accessories, equipment, and supporting articles, and how will this be funded? And on top of the dollar cost are further natural environmental and moral implications, as in what resources shall we claim dominance over along the way. Whether it be animal life, manufactured goods, natural resources, or other? And how do we weigh such things in the grander scheme? There are harsh realities of research and development which I don’t think the majority of people aren’t even aware of (specifically the pre-dominance of animal testing and chemical manufacturing), due to the smoke-screen of capitalism.
The ‘syndrome’ as you will is supports that we must spare no expense, no questions asked, no cost is too great.
In fact this might be truth, and I will not deny it, however we must open our mind to the bigger picture. Only one example, does a biotech really need Class A office space to support their research? Also of significance to consider is what is being treated – Is it a rare disease or a common physical detriment? Without just immediately accepting the party line because everyone else has.
And from there embrace a foundational approach in our own self to determine what is right, and what is a denial of reality. Nothing is built for free, it is always taking from one to give to another. The questions I would recommend we ask ourselves is WHY, and is this the BEST solution, and does it benefit ALL.
In a world driven by numbers, it is up to each individual to challenge the status quo.
– zero
#resistance
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