Death is staring too long into the burning sun and the relief of entering a cool, dark room.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
We have to ask ourselves whether medicine is to remain a humanitarian and respected profession or a new but depersonalized science in the service of prolonging life rather than diminishing human suffering.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote questions the direction of medicine, emphasizing the importance of empathy over purely scientific approaches.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's quote reflects a critical perspective on the evolution of medicine, urging that the field should prioritize humanity and compassion in patient care rather than solely focusing on the scientific and technical aspects of prolonging life. It raises an essential debate about the role of medical professionals and the essence of their duties, advocating that alleviating suffering should remain central to the practice of medicine.
Themes
MedicineHumanitarianSufferingProfessionScience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared at a medical conference to spark discussion about the future of healthcare.
More from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
All quotes →The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not "get over" the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.
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The simple life on the farm was everything to me. Nothing was more relaxing after a long plane flight than to reach the winding driveway that led up to my house. The quiet of the night was more soothing than a sleeping pill.
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The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.
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There is no joy without hardship. If not for death, would we appreciate life? If not for hate, would we know the ultimate goal is love? At these moments you can either hold on to negativity and look for blame, or you can choose to heal and keep on loving.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
We're put here on Earth to learn our own lessons. No one can tell you what your lessons are; it is part of your personal journey to discover them. On these journeys we may be given a lot, or just a little bit, of the things we must grapple with, but never more than we can handle.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
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