--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he…" description: "\"“Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as if we were children but without the care that a sensible adult takes in choosing what words t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png" --- # Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as… ![“Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as if we were children but without the care that a sensible adult takes in choosing what words to use with a child.” The sheer inflexibility of that approach” quote by Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png) > ““Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as if we were children but without the care that a sensible adult takes in choosing what words to use with a child.” The sheer inflexibility of that approach”” [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques doctors who speak condescendingly to patients, lacking the thoughtful care an adult would use with a child. **In simple terms:** Doctors should speak respectfully, not patronizingly. Key Takeaway Advocate for compassionate communication. Themes medicine communication respect Mood concerned hopeful Type ethical educational When to use this quote - clinical consultations - medical education - patient advocacy Key Concepts paternalism patient autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can doctors improve patient dialogue? - What training fosters respectful language? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched hierarchical norms is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [If you're an adult who takes 'Made in Chelsea' seriously, I suggest you take a look at yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-matthews/if-you-re-an-adult-who-takes-made-in-chelsea-seriously-i-suggest-you/) [Spencer Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-matthews/) > [“We do not like our doctors to be that human. We need to think they are secretly in touch with God. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-r-mason/we-do-not-like-our-doctors-to-be-that-human-we-need-to-think-they-are/) E.R. Mason > [“Great teachers should be paid like doctors or corporate attorneys. I worry about what will happen to our economy and our democracy if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninive-clements-calegari/great-teachers-should-be-paid-like-doctors-or-corporate-attorneys-i/) Ninive Clements Calegari > [I don't even like the show that much, I mean, it's about doctors. It's not like doctors are as important as actors anyway, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-even-like-the-show-that-much-i-mean-it-s-about-doctors-it-s/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [We cannot generalise anything in life. We cannot say media people are like this, film people are like this, or doctors are like this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/we-cannot-generalise-anything-in-life-we-cannot-say-media-people-are/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [I really like my doctors. Some of them I love. I trust them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/i-really-like-my-doctors-some-of-them-i-love-i-trust-them/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) > [“Like most doctors, the fanciest ones, he seemed offensively healthy, as if he kept the real secret of vitality to himself. He would live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/like-most-doctors-the-fanciest-ones-he-seemed-offensively-healthy-as/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [“I don't like people much, and I like doctors even less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-trek-the-next-generation-episode-guide-team/i-don-t-like-people-much-and-i-like-doctors-even-less/) [Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode Guide Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-trek-the-next-generation-episode-guide-team/) > [“But there was no gangrene or amputations like the doctors threatened, and we got a B, so I don’t see what all the noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/but-there-was-no-gangrene-or-amputations-like-the-doctors-threatened/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [I actually like how doctors talk. I like the sound of science. I like how words you don't understand explain things you can't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-actually-like-how-doctors-talk-i-like-the-sound-of-science-i-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Inflexibility is the worst human failing. You can learn to check impetuosity, overcome fear with confidence and laziness with discipline. But for rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-myrer/inflexibility-is-the-worst-human-failing-you-can-learn-to-check/) Anton Myrer > [State solutions are imposed from above; they are often without corrective devices, and cannot easily be reversed on the proof of failure. Their inflexibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/state-solutions-are-imposed-from-above-they-are-often-without/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Russia's main weaknesses are inflexibility and dependence on energy resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-pissarides/russia-s-main-weaknesses-are-inflexibility-and-dependence-on-energy/) Christopher A. Pissarides > [All corporatism – even when practised in societies where hard work, enterprise and cooperation are as highly valued as in Korea – encourages inflexibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/all-corporatism-even-when-practised-in-societies-where-hard-work/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Reduction of inflexibility means reduction of injuries. That just means being able to move a lot easier and, you know, not looking like Abe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-barnett/reduction-of-inflexibility-means-reduction-of-injuries-that-just/) [Josh Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-barnett/) ## More by Siddhartha Mukherjee > [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [When you immerse yourself in medicine you realise that hope is not absolute. It's not that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/when-you-immerse-yourself-in-medicine-you-realise-that-hope-is-not/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“I had a novice's hunger for history, but also a novice's inability to envision it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/i-had-a-novice-s-hunger-for-history-but-also-a-novice-s-inability-to/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Any extrapolation of history into the future presupposes an environment of static discovery—an oxymoron.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/any-extrapolation-of-history-into-the-future-presupposes-an/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Six decades and two years, no more than a passing glance of time, separate Mendel's initial experiments on peas and the court-mandated sterilization of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/six-decades-and-two-years-no-more-than-a-passing-glance-of-time/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“We now know that cells have ancient detectors that recognize viral genes and stamp them with chemical marks, like cancellation signs, to prevent their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/we-now-know-that-cells-have-ancient-detectors-that-recognize-viral/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Familial schizophrenia (like normal human features such as intelligence and temperament) is thus highly heritable but only moderately inheritable. In other words, genes-hereditary determinants-are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/familial-schizophrenia-like-normal-human-features-such-as/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“If you prefer an “academic life” as a retreat from reality, do not go into biology. This field is for a man or woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/if-you-prefer-an-academic-life-as-a-retreat-from-reality-do-not-go/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“But the pigs--seventy pounds of porcine weight that did not take kindly to weekly endoscopies--did not sprout any ulcers. And testing the theory on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/but-the-pigs-seventy-pounds-of-porcine-weight-that-did-not-take/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“One of the four genes used by Yamanaka to reverse cellular fate is called c-myc. Myc, the rejuvenating factor, is no ordinary gene: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/one-of-the-four-genes-used-by-yamanaka-to-reverse-cellular-fate-is/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [A breast cancer might turn out to have a close resemblance to a gastric cancer. And this kind of reorganization of cancer in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-breast-cancer-might-turn-out-to-have-a-close-resemblance-to-a/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“But in 1960, oncology was not yet ready for this proposal. Not until several years later did it strike the board that had fired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/but-in-1960-oncology-was-not-yet-ready-for-this-proposal-not-until/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Mutants are necessary to maintain the essence of our selves. Our genomes has negotiated a fragile balance between counterpoised forces, pairing strand with opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/mutants-are-necessary-to-maintain-the-essence-of-our-selves-our/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Even an ancient monster needs a name. To name an illness is to describe a certain condition of suffering—a literary act before it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/even-an-ancient-monster-needs-a-name-to-name-an-illness-is-to/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) [Explore all 213 Siddhartha Mukherjee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as if we were children but without the care that a sensible adult takes in choosing what words to use with a child.” The sheer inflexibility of that approach”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Siddhartha Mukherjee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-spoke-to-us-as-if-we-were/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-spoke-to-us-as-if-we-were/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_children_like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-sp_2704977.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls, “he spoke to us as if we were children but without the care that a…” — Siddhartha Mukherjee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Siddhartha Mukherjee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Like so many doctors,” Rieff recalls,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-spoke-to-us-as-if-we-were/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/like-so-many-doctors-rieff-recalls-he-spoke-to-us-as-if-we-were/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```