Patch Adams loves everyone . almost

Corrupt pharmaceutical companies, world suffering, human compassion and lemons were the focus of Dr. Patch Adams’ speech Tuesday night at the Larrick Student Center.

Adams, the subject of a 1998 film starring Robin Williams, is known for his use of humor in practicing medicine and his radical recommendations for health care reform.

“Health care delivery is collapsing all over the world,” Adams said. “I want to tax rich people 95 percent . I want everyone to have health care.”

Adams described pharmaceutical companies as “lying, thieving crooks,” and he said his West Virginia hospital, the Gesundheit Institute, adopts unorthodox methods of treatment, like acupuncture, to avoid adding to pharmaceutical profits.

To illustrate the importance of imagination, Adams held up a lemon during the lecture.

“Love this lemon,” Adams said. “I want you to think beautiful thoughts about this lemon.”

Adams then recited a poem about the color, scent and taste of the lemon. The exercise was meant to address the relevance of love in a caring environment, especially a hospital.

“In whose interest is it not to be creative?” Adams said. “God forbid they (doctors) have to be skilled at friendship . There’s no medical school that has a course on compassion.”

Adams, an MCV alumnus, criticized today’s youth- and beauty-obsessed culture, as well as the U.S. government, which he called fascist.

Criticizing capitalism and privatization, Adams said modern health care aims to garner profits instead of fulfill its essential purpose – helping people.

Adams’ hospital staff employs humor as well as up-to-date medical treatments to quell patient suffering. Most medical providers, Adams said, are indifferent to patients’ real needs.

“Our tradition is to be caregivers, not curers,” Adams said. “We made living funny. We made dying funny. You only have a week to live? I’m your man.”

Humanity needs to love and be loved, Adams said, and if people understood and prioritized their capacity for love, they would live more meaningful lives.

“You get meaning through loving others,” Adams said. “The thing is, there’s just no vision in our society for loving.”

Freshman Casey Czajka, a French and international relations major at Mary Baldwin College, openly objected to some of Adams’ philosophies during a Q-and-A session.

“I felt it would be hypocritical to just nod and clap,” Czajka said. “When it comes down to helping some family in India or your family, you pick your family.”

Czajka said though she respects Adams’ accomplishments, she does not think his view of absolute love is realistic.

“I think society has built up love to be an ideal,” Czajka said.

Ben Meza, 23, a biochemistry graduate student, said he enjoyed the presentation even though Adams’ political statements oversimplified complicated issues.

“I definitely feel some of his ideas are pretty drastic,” Meza said. “(But) there’s definitely merit.”

One such idea is Adams’ suggestion that students follow his example and ignore student loans to work in less developed countries following graduation.

Though Adams eventually paid his debt, he said, he feels no guilt. Banks, he said, rarely are at risk of running out of money.

“In my mind, you can trade debt for service,” Adams said. “Remember, I’m here to be provocative.”