What a conspiracy theorist taught me about watch collecting.

I would say my job is 95% down to communication.

I listen to my patient’s story, try to understand what they’re experiencing and then piece it all together into a diagnosis.

In medical school we’re taught about the importance of finding out a patient’s “Ideas, concerns and expectations”. I.C.E.

“What do you think is wrong? Why are you bothered enough to come and see me? And what do you expect me to do about it?” … said in a slightly more nuanced and sophisticated way (unless it’s 6pm on a Friday evening).

Usually the answers are pretty predictable…

“I’m worried I’ve got cancer. I just want you to check this mole for me and make sure it’s ok.”

Sometimes, however, you get a surprise.

I had a lovely lady come to see me a few years ago with a cough. She was in her 60’s, typical retiree living in a village in middle England. All very standard, and after she’d told me her story of a cough for the past week, feeling a bit more short of breath, a temperature at times… in my mind I was thinking it was likely just a mild chest infection.

Me:

“Sounds like you’ve been having a difficult time with this cough over the weekend. Is there anything in particular that you’re concerned about with it?”

Her:

“Yes doctor, I’m concerned that the government is poisoning my water supply to get me to leave my home so they can build a secret laboratory in the basement.”

Me:

(An underrated skill in my line of work is the ability to keep a straight face, regardless of what a patient shows or tells you. In your head you may be like…

But on the outside it’s….

So, I explained to her that I wasn’t privee to any government plans for local development, but from what I could see she probably had a chest infection and I’d recommend some antibiotics.

She declined the prescription and said she’d see how she went for now.

I encouraged her to come back and see me next week to chat more about these underhanded government tactics and perhaps see if the psychiatrists could help her with that.

So, what’s this got to do with watch collecting?

Our view of the world is purely down to our own perceptions, and is open to a great deal of individual interpretation.

If we are all given the same information each of us can come to very different conclusions, based on our past experiences, education and, apparently, feelings towards the government.

How I experience a watch may be completely different to someone else’s experience.

Bearing this in mind can help us remember that we shouldn’t completely rely on the judgements of others to shape our own opinions. The watch may be an entirely different experience for you.

It’s also worth remembering that arguing with people regarding their watch preferences is as pointless as me trying to explain to this lady that her two bed semi-detached council house would be an unusual choice for secret government cloning operations (but maybe that makes it the perfect choice!). You have your views and other people have theirs.

The best thing we can do is to share our thoughts and opinions with others without feeling the need that everybody else shares them, or getting offended when they don’t.