Marketplace of ideas

by Matthew McCoy, DC

Reprinted from The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research

"In politics, as in every other field, the men who do not care to think are merely ballast: they accept, by default, whatever the intellectual leaders of the moment have to offer." -- Ayn Rand

Allow me to preface this with a brief explanation. I often discuss political issues in my writing and presentations and I’m doing it more frequently lately. I’ve been asked why and even been told that politics does not have any place in research and science and that "it’s just negative."

Let’s be real. Politics is driven by the worldview of individuals and groups and these views shape cultures as well as professions. Politics drive policy. And politicians need the research and evidence to create and/or alter policy. Ignoring politics is suicide.

It’s not unusual for me to see a number of bizarre occurrences within the chiropractic profession on a regular basis, but this was an especially busy, interesting and frustrating week. Advising on several new malpractice cases, a couple of board actions, reviewing several denials on chiropractic care for children, and reading several articles in the chiropractic press have left me shaking my head about the direction in which we’re allowing ourselves to be led.

The most striking item this week for me however, was a piece in Dynamic Chiropractic by Dr. Daryl Wills titled, "Unity of What?” In the article, Dr. Wills lays out a plan for "unity of effort” within the profession. First on his list of action steps to achieve is this: "It must start from day one at the colleges. We must influence the college boards and allow only one student organization on campus. Call it what you will, just do not allow the students to be divided.”

With all due respect to Dr. Wills for his 30 years of service to this profession, I have read and re-read that statement several times because it was difficult for me to believe that he would make such a statement in a public forum. Has he not heard of academic freedom or censorship? How insulting to every chiropractic student to basically be told that he or she lacks the intellectual ammunition to make an informed decision about what’s true and what isn’t -- so you should only be exposed to one chiropractic worldview. Let’s remember that no dictatorship has ever lasted without establishing censorship. Ironically, Dr. Will states, "Call it what you will…” Okay, I will call it censorship.

And what one organization would Dr. Wills suggest be allowed on chiropractic college campuses? As immediate past president of the American Chiropractic Association, I doubt that he would suggest it be the WCA, or the ICA or the FSCO. The former Soviet Union established the only youth group allowed by the state and called it the Pioneers. Through the Pioneers, loyalty to the state and the perpetuation of communist ideals were carried out. Perhaps in fairness to all organizations, chiropractic colleges could use this name for the one organization on all of our campuses?

Consider the fact that this censorship is actually already occurring on many of the chiropractic college campuses where certain organizations are already barred. So fearful is the chiropractic leadership of the marketplace of ideas and its influence on students and the future profession they represent that they resort to censorship and the destruction of academic freedom. Every member of the profession should be appalled.

Dr. Wills goes on in his article to state additional action steps he believes are necessary for "unity of effort.” He writes: "We must demand that the colleges provide a standard encounter for new patients, along with a common identity and an image for doctors of chiropractic as they graduate.”

And why don’t we call it McChiropractic?

Never mind the issue of who will decide what this "standard encounter” should consist of, or what this "common identity” and "image” will be or who will decide what it is. Reading this article I suddenly felt like Winston Smith trapped in Oceania yearning to join the brotherhood!

It is, in fact, just this type of activity that the "rank and file” of the profession must rebel against. The profession must rebel against state boards that allow only one state association within its borders and require you to belong to that association in order to get a license. The profession must rebel against state boards that share executives with the state associations and with the only managed care organization in the state. The profession must rebel against any organization in the profession that seeks to use a monopoly to control the identity and image of the profession. The profession must rebel…you get the point. And if you don’t know that these activities and others are occurring, then you have your head in the sand -- or maybe someplace a lot worse.

I agree with Dr. Wills that it’s the rank and file field doctor who will bring unity of action for common goals. Perhaps the leadership should listen to those in the rank and file of the profession who have responded… with deafening silence. Perhaps these DCs don’t like who they see at the helm or what they are doing and that’s why they don’t join, support or fight. Maybe it’s the fear of being turned into chiropractic clones and thrown into a sterile marketplace controlled by monopolies run by a coercive elite that keeps them from joining.

I look forward to the day when the sleeping giant manifested in the rank and file of the profession awakens. If it doesn’t, we are destined for extinction.

"So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it and stick your head out and yell, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” -- Howard Beale, Network, 1976.

(Dr. Matthew McCoy, editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research -- http://www.jvsr.com/ -- welcomes feedback, comments and suggestions. He may be contacted by e-mail at: editor@jvsr.com).