Dr. Ellen Langer

vaccines, you know, there is no treatment that's going to be good for everybody. Somebody very close to me, if given dexedrine, puts her to sleep.

And so when we recognize the uncertainty inherent in all of these things, I think we don't mandate things in quite the same way. Now, you can mandate that people wear masks, but it shouldn't be that people wear masks because we're absolutely certain that masks should be worn. There are other arguments to be made why people should wear masks. Or not wear masks. Or not wear masks.

And so when we recognize the uncertainty inherent in all of these things, I think we don't mandate things in quite the same way. Now, you can mandate that people wear masks, but it shouldn't be that people wear masks because we're absolutely certain that masks should be worn. There are other arguments to be made why people should wear masks. Or not wear masks. Or not wear masks.

And so when we recognize the uncertainty inherent in all of these things, I think we don't mandate things in quite the same way. Now, you can mandate that people wear masks, but it shouldn't be that people wear masks because we're absolutely certain that masks should be worn. There are other arguments to be made why people should wear masks. Or not wear masks. Or not wear masks.

You know, whatever the case is going to be. And, you know, I think it's important that in the medical world, you know, that I think. I gave this talk at one point, and I thought I was talking to 5,000 women with breast cancer. And it turned out there were lots and lots of physicians there. If I had known that, I might have spoken a little differently. And I was scared afterwards.

You know, whatever the case is going to be. And, you know, I think it's important that in the medical world, you know, that I think. I gave this talk at one point, and I thought I was talking to 5,000 women with breast cancer. And it turned out there were lots and lots of physicians there. If I had known that, I might have spoken a little differently. And I was scared afterwards.

You know, whatever the case is going to be. And, you know, I think it's important that in the medical world, you know, that I think. I gave this talk at one point, and I thought I was talking to 5,000 women with breast cancer. And it turned out there were lots and lots of physicians there. If I had known that, I might have spoken a little differently. And I was scared afterwards.

I said, you know, oh, my goodness, because I was not flattering. You know, I have great respect for most of these people. But then I found out afterwards that they were thrilled because they know they don't know.

I said, you know, oh, my goodness, because I was not flattering. You know, I have great respect for most of these people. But then I found out afterwards that they were thrilled because they know they don't know.

I said, you know, oh, my goodness, because I was not flattering. You know, I have great respect for most of these people. But then I found out afterwards that they were thrilled because they know they don't know.

And, you know, operating on the world with an awareness that you can't be sure leads to a different humility, a different way of appreciating other people when they disagree with you and so on. And I don't know how you do that at the higher level, you know, government and so on. But, you know, this is maybe a silly example but meaningful to me. So I spend a lot of time in Mexico.

And, you know, operating on the world with an awareness that you can't be sure leads to a different humility, a different way of appreciating other people when they disagree with you and so on. And I don't know how you do that at the higher level, you know, government and so on. But, you know, this is maybe a silly example but meaningful to me. So I spend a lot of time in Mexico.

And, you know, operating on the world with an awareness that you can't be sure leads to a different humility, a different way of appreciating other people when they disagree with you and so on. And I don't know how you do that at the higher level, you know, government and so on. But, you know, this is maybe a silly example but meaningful to me. So I spend a lot of time in Mexico.

And there's this very busy intersection. And there are no stop signs. There are no traffic lights. And there are no accidents. Because everybody knows there's no traffic light. There's no stop sign. You have to pay attention to what's going on. You know, so lots of these rules and laws divert attention to as if there's only one thing that matters.

And there's this very busy intersection. And there are no stop signs. There are no traffic lights. And there are no accidents. Because everybody knows there's no traffic light. There's no stop sign. You have to pay attention to what's going on. You know, so lots of these rules and laws divert attention to as if there's only one thing that matters.

And there's this very busy intersection. And there are no stop signs. There are no traffic lights. And there are no accidents. Because everybody knows there's no traffic light. There's no stop sign. You have to pay attention to what's going on. You know, so lots of these rules and laws divert attention to as if there's only one thing that matters.

You know, so when you're told to drive 60 miles an hour, what does that mean? You know, yeah. And, you know, that if you drive 70, you're going to get a ticket. Okay, so if you're not afraid of getting the ticket. But there are other considerations to how fast you might go. You know, the quality of your car, the quality of the roads. Is it raining at the moment?

You know, so when you're told to drive 60 miles an hour, what does that mean? You know, yeah. And, you know, that if you drive 70, you're going to get a ticket. Okay, so if you're not afraid of getting the ticket. But there are other considerations to how fast you might go. You know, the quality of your car, the quality of the roads. Is it raining at the moment?

You know, so when you're told to drive 60 miles an hour, what does that mean? You know, yeah. And, you know, that if you drive 70, you're going to get a ticket. Okay, so if you're not afraid of getting the ticket. But there are other considerations to how fast you might go. You know, the quality of your car, the quality of the roads. Is it raining at the moment?

How uncomfortable or comfortable the passengers are. And all of this gets – and much more – gets lost by having the rule, 60, as if that somehow is an absolute truth.