paul farmer, health & human rights

went late because of dinner with wulforst, but got into a very packed page auditorium.

wouldnt call him down to earth, but definitely personable. tried a bit too hard to be funny, which kind of distracted me from the purpose of the actual presentation. luckily, i feel that the driving points of the presentation was more of an introduction to global health: only together we can win, that kind of power-up message that is always going to be true, but has slowly lost its bite on me after repetition. i mean, surely, i believe it, but i'm ready for some fresh perspective.

i think what he did in haiti was wonderful, and i think it's even better that he was able to bring those haitians with him to rwanda to give a real example of the change that can be realized. i think it's great that the haitians have built enough of a relationship with him where they want to go along with him. i think these seminars are tricky because they make you antsy to do something and see real change and you can't because you're sitting in an auditorium at some academic place and when you stand you up go home and study.

he said: if there's one thing i learned to do at duke, it's to read critically.

i'm proud that he is an alumnus.