connecting the dOts in life

Monday, 9 July 2007

Are there many evil people in this world?

This afternoon, I met some of my ex-colleagues for lunch and they started bombarding me with news of the current situation at the polyclinic and of course, lots of complaints and sighs of disillusion.

It felt kinda odd sitting there listening to them. As much as I empathise with them as I've gone through some tough training as a Temp there for 4 months, there was nothing I could say to make them feel better other than " I understand how you feel, it sucks".

Unreasonable patients aside, it feels worse when the people you're working with don't bother to show you some respect. Ugly superiors! These are not the rantings of co-workers who are tired of being at the bottom of competition ladder. On the contrary, these people just want to get their job done and earn some money to sustain their family, that's all. Why make things so difficult for them?

Some have contemplated resigning, but have resisted due to financial needs. For example, a filipino colleague who is almost 6 months pregnant still struggles daily as a radiographer, hoping that despite the extreme risks that X rays may pose on her child, she will earn enough to provide him with a good future. Yet, she was forced to stay back for 2 hrs to complete x rays for 55 people on a particular day! No doubt, efficiency may be important, but nothing should compromise one's touch of humanity. Working at the polyclinic made me witness the malicious faces of mankind. It's no wonder my colleague sighed heavily this afternoon suddenly, saying " I think the world has too many ugly people". I think that's so true.

But being the positive me, I was compelled to reply " but there are many beautiful ones too".

I certainly hope that I can stand by that statement 10 years down the road when I get thrown into working world which has been cursed as immensely evil by many. I used to think working in the healthcare sector wouldn't be that bad, that I can just focus on healing and ignore everything else, all the politics. But my experience at the polyclinic introduced some skepticism in me.

Meanwhile, I should just be thankful for the great people who have been with me these 19 years (: