Michel Foucault's The Birth of the Clinic, is an important read as his work brings to question the rationalization of medicine. Is it merely a perception? What qualifies/categorizes illness - - In Foucault's observation of the physician-patient dialog, in which Foucault's English translator selected the word "gaze" as a replacement for "regard." The power relationship here is clearly being drawn at that instant, the doctor stopped 'seeing' or 'regarding' the patient as human, but objectifying them.
As Foucault led me through his well studied history where he cited the elitism of medicine practiced, as highlighted by maintaining medical licensure, meaning they met certain criteria, namely by universities were obligated to testing and oversight. The method of science didn't extraordinarily change... it remained causal; pathological. Enter in the clinic: the gaze of isolation and protection of the healthy from the sick.
So I'm thinking, does the gaze affect us today? In medicine, those without health care. Is health care a privilege? Should Children more readily deserve care? Why are there less pediatric hospitals, pediatric psychiatrists, heart surgeons etc. in Austin? Hmmmm...
I'm feeling the gaze.
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