Brainwash

During a case presentation at the grand round, a student kept saying Drug N was the treatment of choice for peptic ulcer. After he had mentioned the drug the fourth time, I could not help but interrupt, “N is a brand name. There are also similar drugs in the same class. You have been brainwashed by the drug company!”

People say that art and humor are the best defense against brainwashing.

At the time of Soviet rule, a government official invited a famous artist to draw a painting to celebrate Soviet-Polish friendship. Seeing his reluctance, the official promised that he would have the freedom of expression, so far if he used the title ‘Lenin in Poland’.

When the painting was unveiled a few months later, the official almost fainted. It showed an ugly peasant woman in the arms of a man in front of Kremlin.

“Who is this ugly woman?” he asked.

“She is Nadezhda Krupskaya (Lenin’s wife).”

“And the man?”

“He is Leon Trotsky.”

Catching his breath, the official asked the final question, “Then where on earth is Lenin?”

“Lenin is in Poland.”