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Quote by Richard Selzer

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Letters to a Young Doctor

This book is a compilation of letters written by an experienced doctor to a younger colleague, providing insights into the medical profession, ethical considerations, and personal growth. more

Author

Richard Selzer
Richard Selzer

Richard Selzer, born on June 24, 1928, was an accomplished American author known for his diverse writing, which encompassed medicine, law, history, and literary criticism. Selzer was renowned for his unique narrative style and profound insights into human experience. more

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“Mr. Young," Lara said, concealing her inner turmoil, "you were acquainted with my husband for many years. I would appreciate it if you would go to London and meet this man. Even if he is not the late earl, it sounds as if he could be troubled and in need of help. Something must be done for him." "How very like you, Lady Hawksworth," Young remarked. "I dare say most people wouldn't conceive of helping a stranger who is attempting to deceive them. You are a kind woman indeed.”

“Compassion, in its essence, is neutral. It’s holistic that way, and powerful because it yields a much wider perspective free of judgment or stress of any kind. We use it all the time in our work the way we’re always studying humanity intensely — always walking in someone else’s shoes, feeling the seams in their socks, wounds and elations in their souls.”

“Moral outrage is the opposite of God; it only divides and separates what God wants for us, which is to be united in kinship. Moral outrage doesn't lead us to solutions - it keeps us from them. It keeps us from moving forward toward a fuller, more compassionate response to members of our community who belong to us, no matter what they've done.”

“The fact that Jesus weeps and that he is moved in spirit and troubled contrasts remarkably with the dominant culture. That is not the way of power, and it is scarcely the way among those who intend to maintain firm social control. But in [John 11:33-35] Jesus is engaged not in social control but in dismantling the power of death, and he does so by submitting himself to the pain and grief present in the situation, the very pain and grief that the dominant society must deny.”