You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of treating individuals with care and compassion rather than just focusing on their medical conditions.
Robin Williams highlights the distinction between treating a disease—which often results in uncertain outcomes—and treating a person, which involves empathy and human connection. By focusing on the individual rather than merely their ailment, healthcare professionals can foster a healing environment that transcends clinical results, ultimately leading to a more positive experience for both patient and caregiver.
In practice
Using this quote in a medical conference to underline the importance of patient-centered care.
It's that idea that you can have one drink - and no you can't. Within a week I was drinking heavily. It was so quick that even I was like, 'Wow.' Because you have that initial warm feeling going, 'Oh, I remember this'. And your body does, too. And your body goes, 'Yeah, so do I'. Then the demon voice comes, 'Yeah, so do I. You know what would be great? You know we bought a little bottle before? A full bottle would be wonderful'.
I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.
Sometimes over things that I did, movies that didn't turn out very well - you go, 'Why did you do that?' But in the end, I can't regret them because I met amazing people. There was always something that was worth it.
I've never been asked to appear on 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,' so I guess I mustn't be on the professional skids just yet.
The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and yelling, 'You want a piece of me?'
I write on big yellow legal pads - ideas in outline form when I'm doing stand-up and stuff. It's vivid that way. I can't type it into an iPad - I think that would put a filter into the process.
Believe nothing because it is written in books. Believe nothing because wise men say it is so. Believe nothing because it is religious doctrine. Believe it only because you yourself know it to be true.
The future must enter you long before it happens.
I never decide if an idea is good or bad until I try it. So much of what gets in the way of things being good is thinking that we know. And the more that we can remove any baggage we're carrying with us, and just be in the moment, use our ears, and pay attention to what's happening, and just listen to the inner voice that directs us, the better.
If an actor knows how to milk a cow, I always know it will not be difficult to be in business with him.
All my life I have dealt with objective matters; hence I lack both the natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people and to carry out official functions.
First learn to become invincible, then wait for your enemy's moment of vulnerability.
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