For many years I kept in my desk drawer a memorandum, "There are more of them than there are of us." I suppose if people put me in a pigeon hole it would be labeled "Affluent, male, WASP physician," but there are some fuzzy borders on that definition. A genealogically minded kinsman has raised the question of some Indian, excuse me, Native American, branches on the family tree. Lineage is primarily from the British Isles but there is at least a
quarter German.
Affluence is being eroded recently but there are more in poverty than those living comfortably. There are more women than men. There are more non-whites than whites though those differences are becoming more and more artificial. There are probably more Catholics world-wide than Protestants and certainly more Muslims.
There are more patients than physicians can adequately care for and more with illnesses or ailments than those in good health, whatever that is. However we categorize ourselves we are in a minority and the trick is to try to find ways to live harmoniously.
In addition there is a moral imperative (what are its origins?) to
improve human conditions. One of the most powerful tools along with other arts and sciences is music. There is a large literature on the influemce of music on health and on religion and a growing literature on the use of music, and especially folk music and topical song-writing, on social and political issues. You folks who have the talent for this, keep on.