The Pill and the Promise – Part 2: The Ego in the Equation

Intro
When outcomes are measured in charts and graphs, where does humility fit in? In this second exchange, Ben challenges Dr. Adrian Cole to look beyond protocols and data—and to confront a question few in medicine dare to ask: who really owns the definition of success?

Story

Dr. Adrian Cole adjusted his glasses and looked up from a page of data points.
“Our goal,” he said evenly, “is to improve measurable outcomes. Recovery has to be verified—statistics, not stories.”

Ben folded his arms. “So if I recover fully without your medication, does that upset you?”

Cole blinked. “Of course not. I’d be thrilled. But anecdotes don’t guide policy. Science has to prove what works.”

Ben leaned forward, his tone calm but cutting. “Then who’s the science for—the people, or the protocols? I keep hearing about evidence-based treatment, but the only evidence you seem to value is the kind that comes in graphs.”

Cole hesitated, his smile tight. “We can’t run a health system on spiritual awakenings.”

“Maybe not,” Ben said. “But we can’t heal souls with spreadsheets either.”

The silence that followed was heavier than any data set. For the first time, Dr. Cole realized the conversation wasn’t about who was right—it was about who was seen.

Closing
Who owns the definition of success—institutions or individuals?

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