Read If They Give You Lined Paper, Write Sideways for Free Online Page B

our livestock. As far as possible, we try to wipe out all the creatures that feed on our crops.
    Elaine . We're at war with the world of life around us.
    Daniel . So maybe medicine is part of the same war.
    Elaine . Yes, that's it.
    Daniel . That's what's troubling this reader.
    Elaine . I think so.
    Daniel . Does it trouble you? Are you going to refuse treatment if you get pneumonia?
    Elaine . No, I'm afraid not.
    Daniel . You think maybe you should, but you won't.
    Elaine . Something like that.
    Daniel . You're still trapped in this woman's circle of thought. You have to pull back farther and see the whole.
    Elaine shakes her head, discouraged.
    Daniel . Let's call it a day. See if you can use the rest of the day to figure out how to pull back far enough to see the answer we're looking for.
    Elaine . Okay.
    Daniel . Try jumping the track this woman's question has you on. She's presented you with some lined paper. Stop trying to write on the next line provided. Turn the paper sideways.
    Elaine . What is the track?
    Daniel . Think about it. I'm sure you can answer that yourself.
[ After some thought ] It occurs to me that this may help.
[ Changing the subject ] You understand that this is a process of discovery for me as well. I'm trying to figure out and articulate what I do when presented with a question like this one — or any question.
    Elaine . Yes... ?
    Daniel . This woman was unable to answer her own question because she's wearing blinders. I'm not sure if horses on the street still wear blinders, but you know what they are.
    Elaine . They're... objects... I suppose squares of leather... put at the side of a horse's head to keep its eyes on the path ahead.
    Daniel . To block out distracting things it might see if it had a wider view of its surroundings.
    Elaine . Exactly.
    Daniel . Most people, in trying to deal with this woman's question, will adopt her blinders, will keep their eyes on the path she sees and agree to block out any wider view of the matter.
    Elaine . Yes, I see that.
    Daniel . So your job tonight is to take off the blinders and see what else there is to think about. This is another — and probably better — way of talking about jumping the track she has us on. We can't see another track to jump to until we take off the blinders she's offered us to wear.
    Elaine . Got it.

Friday: Morning
    Daniel . So. Any progress?
    Elaine . I think so.
    Daniel . Did you figure out what track this reader had us on, wearing her blinders?
    Elaine . The track was medicine.
    Daniel . As possibly in conflict with the notion of living in the hands of the gods. And what happened when you took off the blinders she provided for you?
    Elaine . I saw everything else.
    Daniel . You were able to pull back and achieve a wider vision than she has.
    Elaine . That's right.
    Daniel . Go ahead.
    Elaine . What I saw was that disease — or at least most diseases — represent an attack by other living creatures. What I saw was that every creature has a right to defend itself from attack any way it can, and that includes us.
    Daniel . Attacked by a lion, we're going to use any weapon that's available to defend ourselves.
    Elaine . That's right. And medicine provides us with weapons with which to defend ourselves against viruses and bacteria, among other things.
    Daniel . And living in the hands of the gods?
    Elaine . Living in the hands of the gods has nothing to do with it. Living in the hands of the gods doesn't mean standing there and letting the lion rip your head off.
    Daniel . Well done. What do you think? Was it hard to get to the answer?
    Elaine [ ponders this for a bit ]. I guess I have to say it was... Maybe it's like learning to ride a bicycle. At first it seems completely impossible, then somehow, suddenly, you've got it.
    Daniel . Yes. Of course, being able to move forward without falling down is just the basic skill, the beginning of confidence that leads to more advanced feats.
    Elaine . Of course... I have a question of