This tweet from MDigital Life is interesting.  While the tweet was tongue in cheek, at its core it reflects a subtle level of insecurity when we see two public docs discuss alternate views.

There was no throwdown, of course.  Only contrast.  It looked like a throwdown because we’re not used to seeing contrast.

One of the dangers of the social health bubble is that we all tend to agree with one another.  Every new digital health widget is amazing.  Every e-patient story is touching.  Any physician who remotely appears to be ‘taking on the system’ is a hero.  All the ideas of prominent thought leaders in the social health are always spot-on.  It’s pluralistic ignorance meets mass psychomanipulation.

The differences that John Mandrola and I showed come from two different perspectives and medicine.  One of adult cardiologist who sees the ravages of cigarettes.  The other from a pediatrician who has to cope with the epidemic of obesity.  Both views are important.

The public space needs more comfortable disagreement.  This level of contrast allows readers in the public to understand how to view the issues.  We need people to stand up and call bullshiitake on half of the nonsense of flies around the Twitter.  And that includes the assertion that corn nuts represent society’s silent killer.

The early days of the medical blogosphere brought more passion and contrast.  We need more of that now.

Dr. John Mandrola is one of our most valued public physician voices – he’s not afraid to stand up and take a stand.  It’s been amazing to watch his voice and his footprint evolve.  And he gets it on all levels.  There are a few physicians who have mastered the delicate balance of professional and personal disclosure the way he does.

As a note to myself I’m going to respectfully disagree with John and others more regularly because it does force all of us to think and understand.  And as Greg Matthews of MDigitalLife points out….