Nurse Ratched Polarizing Society

Or How the ‘Coo-Coo’ Nurse Taught a Lesson

Over the past few decades, politicians and the MSM banded together to propagate and perpetuate divisions within American society. It got so bad, “Joe Biden” made it a cornerstone of his 2020 campaign; he would be a “Uniter, not a Divider”.  History shows that was among the first of countless lies he’s spewed. Subsequently, pundits and commentators labeled him the “Divider In Chief”.

But as the Government-Media Axis of Evil continues its destructive ways, there are other areas of our lives in which generational and cultural differences make their own uniquely negative contributions.

You’ve likely seen, heard or personally experienced the breathtaking differences between the Boomers, Gen Z, Gen X and Millennials. Social media, TV/radio chat shows, and pod casts abound with conversations, debates and kerfuffles, all about the odious differences one from another, their   non-stop criticisms of each group’s foibles, eccentricities – all objectionable, all intolerable. Some reach damning conclusions: Boomers should be killed for what they’ve done to the financial state of the country; Gen Z’ers are self-absorbed in materialism; Millennials, narcissistic little children in adult costumes; Gen X’ers, societal slugs with no work ethic, and on and on. Six years ago, the genius “Millennial Job Interview” was produced. There’s never been its equal harpooning the impenetrable ego, vanity, narcissism and bad manners of the ‘younger generation’.  

While examining societal division goes from the sublime to near criminal, certain events can be educational, informative, even approaching a revelation so obvious, it’s difficult to believe how they have gone unnoticed. OTOH, maybe they were noticed all along, just not exploited for the benefits they held.

For an illustration, here is my promised Nurse Ratchet Experience, a true story of a conversation a few weeks ago while I was enjoying [sic] my recent hospital retreat.

Setting: Mid-afternoon, several people milling about my room; I was about to liberated (‘discharged’ in gory med speak). Of course, one cannot just Exit Stage Left from hospital captivity. Bureaucracy forbids efficiency. Papers, signatures, co-signatures, forms, more forms doctors, aides, nurses and 4 goats all had to participate. OK – maybe not 4 goats. Could have been 3.

But I digress…

Speaking with my doctor, there to give his AMA Seal of Approval, he asked the standard “Well, how’d it go for you? Were you taken care of alright?” I honestly replied this episode of my “Tour de Hospitals” was better than most, the ‘usual’ complaints aside. “Complaints? Such as?”, he asked. “Well, in the OR, I thought Nurse Ratched was over the top commandeering the team. Her attitude, tone of voice, military barking instructions was way out of line, considering the time, place and Coming Event of fileting my right thigh.”. He brushed it off empathetically; “it’s a serious time…no mistakes allowed…top of the game performance required of all” – yadda yadda yadda.  OK – I got it. No worries. Lemme outta here!

Finally in the family chariot, homeward bound, Beloved Wife and Chauffeur, Cassie, tells me what happened off my radar being wheeled out.

The floor’s Head Nurse, a nice, capable, experienced woman, mid-40’s with whom I had shared a few laughs, pulled Cassie aside and testily asked “Why was your husband so rude, putting down that other nurse”?

Taken aback, Cassie asked for more information “What do you mean?”

Getting up a head of steam, “Why did he call that other nurse Rat Shit? I couldn’t believe he said that!”

Flabbergasted at the accusation, it took Cassie a second to re-wind the scene. “Oh! No - he didn’t caller her “rat shit”! He said Nurse Ratched!” --- as if enunciation would resolve the problem.

Now near boiling, “What’s a ratchet”?

The picture now coming into focus, Cassie explained the “rachet’s” mechanical function -to no avail.

“Well I’ve never heard of one and I don’t know what it is. But who is nurse Rat Shit? I don’t know who was talking about but that was mean! I was offended!”

“You misunderstood. Nurse Ratched is a character in a movie.”

“What movie?”

“’One Flew Over the Coo-Coo’s Nest’. It starred Jack Nicolson as a patient in a sanatorium. Nurse Ratched was a character with a big part as a mean, cold, heartless tyrant. So “Nurse Ratched” became slang, a stereotype for a nurse who’s some horrible battleaxe.”

“Well I never hear of her and I’ve never heard of this coo-coo movie. And I think calling someone Rat Shit is ugly and disrespectful!” And stomped off…

By then, I had been rolled out the door, out of the clutches of Big Hospital, now winging it home, listening my News-Anchor wife report on this crazy late-breaking story!

So how does all this evolve into the Big Reveal that can help heal the gaping wound in our cleaved Society.

A number of ways:

It’s dangerous to ASSume we’re all on the same page all the time. Coo-Coo’s Nest came out in 1975, five years before the Head Nurse was born. At what age might she have seen it?

Since we obviously come from different places, races, education, cultures, it’s reasonable to conclude we haven’t all seen the same movies or had the same reactions even if we had.

How many other people similarly differentiated could have overheard the same conversation, had the same bad reaction but not at least the constructive temerity to confront it?

Isn’t it possible there could be more ‘floor nurses’ among us who inadvertently hear/take ‘things’ out of context, beyond their experience or ability to comprehend, then come to wrong conclusions that serve as an emotional platform and fuel for some later confrontation? Critical thinking isn’t what it used to be.

OK – they aren’t the solution to World Peace. But I admit being amazed on a number of levels how easy it was to inadvertently light someone else’s fuse. Don’t get me wrong, I accept zero responsibility in this little tet-a-tet. I have no blame, no culpability for someone else’s ignorance. Taking offense at an over-heard conversation with subjects one knows nothing about yet insists, even after explanation, on claiming Butt Hurt, is not a game I play. And I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone else.

Nevertheless, witnessing how it all went down was instructive, revealing – and unfortunately, not very encouraging when considering healing society, one hospital room at a time.

BW

Of course, thanks for reading this far. Update on the Personal Medical front: the surgeon told me yesterday that I was coming along just fine and amputation at the neck would probably not be required. (He’s such a kidder!) (I hope). Anyway – more Happy Pills, a few weeks in the PT Torture Chamber and I will be ready to resume my Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk” dance lessons.

The ‘Two and Only’ pod cast with Jim Bovard will resume shortly. Coming Attractions include a conversation with Domenic Scarcella of Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen on Substack, a long overdue chat with Tom Di Lorenzo, old friend, neighbor and new President of the Mises Institute and a return visit with the eloquent Don “The Barn” Williams.

Stay tuned for wacky action!

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