- Email: [email protected]
Re: Why we misunderstand the younger generations (Ausman JI. Surg Neurol 2007;68:578)
Letters to the Editor / Surgical Neurology 69 (2008) 434–435
leadership with the older neurosurgeons. But since I was a child, I have always recognized the importance and paid tribute to older people in general. I could at first sense and later really understand the value of experience and wisdom of the older generations. I admit we young people may have flaws that can annoy you, and I myself face my limitations everyday as far as culture, medical knowledge, practice, and skills. Notwithstanding this, I think the only way we should pursue the future together is through our reciprocal understanding, respect, and comprehension. Without that, there will be only a major failure of neurosurgery itself, and it will be the fault of both the older and younger generations if the pupils do not exceed and outclass the masters [6]. Alessandro Perin, MD Montreal Neurological Institute McGill University Montreal Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9 E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2008.01.054 References [1] Ausman JI. If you don't know where you are going, you will never get there. Surg Neurol 2007;67(6):650-1. [2] Ausman JI. Power: why we lost it. Surg Neurol 2007;68(3):356-7. [3] Ausman JI. The challenge for neurosurgery in the 21st century. Surg Neurol 2008;69(1):102. [4] Ausman JI. What will you do with the rest of your life. Surg Neurol 2007;68(1):112-3. [5] Ausman JI. Why we misunderstand the younger generations. Surg Neurol 2007;68(5):578. [6] Cappabianca P, Magro F. Leadership. Surg Neurol 2007;68(3):354-5. [7] Manzoni A. Osservazioni sulla morale Cattolica. Scritti filosofici. Chapter XVII “Sulla modestia e sulla umilta”. Milano: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli; 1819. [8] Steiner G. Lessons of the masters (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures). Boston: Harvard University Press; 2005.
Re: Why we misunderstand the younger generations (Ausman JI. Surg Neurol 2007;68:578) Dear Editor, “Why We Misunderstand the Younger Generations” is really a thought-provoking editorial that makes us analyze ourselves at all levels. This article has raised many
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questions about young neurosurgeons, that is to say the younger generation, regarding their ambitions and those questions need to be answered. Do they want to work fewer hours? Do they want more time with their families? Do they want more pay for less work than you received? Why? All these questions are very genuine. We believe they hold true for the entire younger generation. Many world events have occurred and many have been mentioned in your editorial that had an impact on the world. In this regard, definitely the younger generations have not seen these events, and we do not expect the next generation to see the events that are happening today. We think this time gap can never be bridged. Those who are now 37 years old did not experience the shooting of a president, the Vietnam War, World War II and its sacrifices; they know computers, the Internet, iPods, and cell phones, and see mass consumption wanting everything now. These events indicate the rapid technological advancement. The issue of wanting everything now is very complex. We need to stay in the same world where a decade-old colleague in a different field is in a much better position than ours. We think that we should analyze how the generations have evolved over time and what were their expectations at that time, and how they responded to their success and setbacks. At the same time we cannot compare the medical profession with any other profession, where we need to understand and possibly accept that either it is too little or too late. We need to develop ways to overcome this blind competition either by philosophical means or by any other measures. Finally, in the editorial, it has been asked, “Once we understand their thinking, the question still is will they fit into your organization? If the answer is ‘no,’ it is better to wait until a person who understands your needs shows up. It is far more difficult to discharge an employee than not to hire them.” Although the title is very appropriate, the message is not clear and we need to elaborate on this issue further. Amit Agrawal, MCh Sankalp Dwivedi, MS Division of Neurourgery Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha, 442004, India E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2007.11.008
leadership with the older neurosurgeons. But since I was a child, I have always recognized the importance and paid tribute to older people in general. I could at first sense and later really understand the value of experience and wisdom of the older generations. I admit we young people may have flaws that can annoy you, and I myself face my limitations everyday as far as culture, medical knowledge, practice, and skills. Notwithstanding this, I think the only way we should pursue the future together is through our reciprocal understanding, respect, and comprehension. Without that, there will be only a major failure of neurosurgery itself, and it will be the fault of both the older and younger generations if the pupils do not exceed and outclass the masters [6]. Alessandro Perin, MD Montreal Neurological Institute McGill University Montreal Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9 E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2008.01.054 References [1] Ausman JI. If you don't know where you are going, you will never get there. Surg Neurol 2007;67(6):650-1. [2] Ausman JI. Power: why we lost it. Surg Neurol 2007;68(3):356-7. [3] Ausman JI. The challenge for neurosurgery in the 21st century. Surg Neurol 2008;69(1):102. [4] Ausman JI. What will you do with the rest of your life. Surg Neurol 2007;68(1):112-3. [5] Ausman JI. Why we misunderstand the younger generations. Surg Neurol 2007;68(5):578. [6] Cappabianca P, Magro F. Leadership. Surg Neurol 2007;68(3):354-5. [7] Manzoni A. Osservazioni sulla morale Cattolica. Scritti filosofici. Chapter XVII “Sulla modestia e sulla umilta”. Milano: Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli; 1819. [8] Steiner G. Lessons of the masters (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures). Boston: Harvard University Press; 2005.
Re: Why we misunderstand the younger generations (Ausman JI. Surg Neurol 2007;68:578) Dear Editor, “Why We Misunderstand the Younger Generations” is really a thought-provoking editorial that makes us analyze ourselves at all levels. This article has raised many
435
questions about young neurosurgeons, that is to say the younger generation, regarding their ambitions and those questions need to be answered. Do they want to work fewer hours? Do they want more time with their families? Do they want more pay for less work than you received? Why? All these questions are very genuine. We believe they hold true for the entire younger generation. Many world events have occurred and many have been mentioned in your editorial that had an impact on the world. In this regard, definitely the younger generations have not seen these events, and we do not expect the next generation to see the events that are happening today. We think this time gap can never be bridged. Those who are now 37 years old did not experience the shooting of a president, the Vietnam War, World War II and its sacrifices; they know computers, the Internet, iPods, and cell phones, and see mass consumption wanting everything now. These events indicate the rapid technological advancement. The issue of wanting everything now is very complex. We need to stay in the same world where a decade-old colleague in a different field is in a much better position than ours. We think that we should analyze how the generations have evolved over time and what were their expectations at that time, and how they responded to their success and setbacks. At the same time we cannot compare the medical profession with any other profession, where we need to understand and possibly accept that either it is too little or too late. We need to develop ways to overcome this blind competition either by philosophical means or by any other measures. Finally, in the editorial, it has been asked, “Once we understand their thinking, the question still is will they fit into your organization? If the answer is ‘no,’ it is better to wait until a person who understands your needs shows up. It is far more difficult to discharge an employee than not to hire them.” Although the title is very appropriate, the message is not clear and we need to elaborate on this issue further. Amit Agrawal, MCh Sankalp Dwivedi, MS Division of Neurourgery Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha, 442004, India E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.surneu.2007.11.008