How to improve EMS professionalism

[Michael]

So I was following Dwayne as I so often do on his way home from sociology class, when I noticed on his car a bumper-sticker covered with fine print, so I sped up to examine it - safely, of course; ya gotta drive safely - and made out the following...

“During any conversation, standards are established as to how much the individual is to allow himself to be carried away by the talk, how thoroughly he is to permit himself to be caught up in it. He will be obliged to prevent himself from becoming so swollen with feelings and a readiness to act that he threatens the bounds regarding affect [displayed emotion] that have been established for him in the interaction … When the individual does become over-involved in the topic of conversation, and gives others the impression that he does not have a necessary measure of self-control over his feelings and actions … then the others are likely to be drawn from involvement in the talk to involvement in the talker. What is one man’s over-eagerness will become another man’s alienation … a readiness to become over-involved is a form of tyranny practiced by children, prima donnas, and lords of all kinds, who momentarily put their own feelings above the moral rules that ought to have made society safe for interaction” ~ Erving Goffman, Interaction Ritual 1972, pp. 122-123

...and that's when either he or I must've hit a bump, or maybe I skidded on the half-eaten Smores in the road because, honest, Officer... Yes, of course I have insurance... No, no, I never touch the stuff... How much damage? To how many vehicles? He had on his lights and what?

[DwayneEMTP]

"...then the others are likely to be drawn from involvement in the talk to involvement in the talker. What is one man’s over-eagerness will become another man’s alienation..."

Wow...That's my thought for the day! (Hopefully longer) Thanks for that Michael...

(By the way, do have any idea what I'll have to go through to replace the bumper sticker you crashed into?!? It's not like I can just pick another one up at the next truck stop!)

Dwayne

[emt322632]

or maybe I skidded on the half-eaten Smores in the road because, honest, Officer...

You didn't eat the entire smore?

[Michael]

you crashed

I don't know what you're talking about. I was with Teddy on Martha's Vineyard the whole time. He can vouch for me.

[Michael]

didn't eat the entire smore?

It absorbs too much booze.

[becksdad]

Yes, that's true occifer.... We were actually in Chappadiqui..... Chippaquadi..... *burp..., ahhhh,.... some li'l town.... I remember a bridge.....burp... and Michael was driving. Yeah, that's it... Michael was driving (burp)!

[Michael]

occifer

Make that #119 of these.

[NickD]

Good advice. Unfortunately, too many in EMS are too young to remember that motto. Consequently, nowadays they are too busy trying to be "an Army of one." :roll:

Reaching for the door at my local Marine Corps recruiter's office in 1971 I paused to read a small index card taped above the doorknob.

It said simply, "If you're looking for something easy - keep on walking!"

It was fitting as the Corps recruiting motto at the time was, "We never promised you a rose garden."

I about died, years later, when I first heard the slogan "An Army of One." That's great, I thought, the first time a machine gun position needed to be charged some soldier could just say, "Not me, brother, go get some other One . . ."

NickD

Emt-B Student

[Laura Anne]

I am honest.

I admitted to being wrong.

I am unprofessional. :roll:

I won't post again.

Sorry for speaking my mind.

Even to you, Shira.

[chaser]

You chose to emotionally and intellectually show up in your pajamas...No difference really

Well said.