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.
Those convinced against their will are of the same opinion still.
Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly.
I'm not particularly needy, and I'm not particularly anxious. I don't look for a director to tell me I'm doing a good job or that I'm great. I don't need to be stroked. It's more my own yardstick.
Awakening self-compassion is often the greatest challenge people face on the spiritual path.
Luck, bad if not good, will always be with us. But it has a way of favoring the intelligent and showing its back to the stupid.
Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.
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