Guided by Professionalism and Mutual Respect
Zazari Project is not social media. Members treat each professionally and respectfully, even when ideas are foreign, contrasting, upsetting or irritating. If you are uncomfortable with a topic, engage in a different topic. We are a community who practices decorum and etiquette in our interactions.
In order to maintain an opportunity for high-quality expression for all Zazari Project users, activity is randomly monitored. Activity that does not comply with the following rules cannot be accepted. By registering as a Zazari Project member, you agree to abide by the following Code of Conduct.
NOTE: Participation is a privilege. Zazari Project retains the right to terminate the participation of those who do not abide by this Code of Conduct.
Code of Conduct
- Be respectful and courteous to others at all times.
- Refrain from the use of profanity, offensive or abusive language or harassment of others.
- Do not engage in spamming, advertising or unsolicited commercial email with this site or its members.
- Do not post links to any other site without prior written permission from Zazari Project.
- If permission is granted, do not alter the link’s true destination.
- Do not post or solicit medical advice.
- Do not instigate divisive agendas that detract from the creative process.
Failure to follow this Code of Conduct will result in termination of member privileges.
Code of Conduct guidance is subject to updates based on desires of the evolving community.
Engaging the Creative Medicine Space
Embrace wild ideas where truth is stranger than fiction! For many, this will feel awkward as creativity is wholly undervalued in modern medicine and today’s healthcare systems. Give it time. And practice!
To make the most of the creative space, consider the following:
- Assume you are wrong in your assertions.
- Ask “what if that were true? What would it mean?”
- Adopt the role of learner, not expert.
- Understand that your opinion, no matter how common, is not fact.
- Consider resolving debates by answering “How can we both be right?”
- Be wary of getting too attached to new ideas.
This is a community for sharing ideas. If you identify as someone who is not creative, “doesn’t have a creative bone in their body,” or generally feels inept in the creative space, join anyway. Everyone has a creative streak, somewhere. We’ll help you find yours, even if it’s just a little one.
Teams with common interests will emerge and spin off into projects, though we strive to keep the forum as open and visible to all members as possible. It is not possible to guarantee “ownership rights” to ideas shared in the forum and is another reason we enforce professionalism. Honestly acknowledge contributions, but recognize that sometimes the “who” that originated an idea was the team together. Remember, others are likely to help develop an idea from different angles which strengthens concepts. There are plenty of opportunities for discovery. As Zazari Project grows, there will be more opportunities to officially share, document and publish new concepts. We post articles, videos and events to serve as fodder for creative manipulation.
What to Expect
Expect Creativity
Zazari Project sets the bar very low on what’s possible. In the Space Between, if it doesn’t violate the Laws of Thermodynamics, then it’s possible.
Expect Uncomfortable Moments
It takes time to break out of your own conditioning. When your beliefs are challenged, you may feel offended. In moments of disbelief, pause and reflect rather than reflexively shutting down ideas that sound absurd. Seek commonalities where often none are assumed to exist. Consider that different people use different words to describe similar phenomena and experiences. Treat each idea or belief as containing a pearl of truth buried in a heap of trash, including your own. Consider alternative interpretations.
Expect Offense
Dialogue critiques ideas, not people. Personal criticism has no place here. Try to separate yourself from your beliefs, even temporarily, and examine them with some distance. Reflect on emotional reactions before responding. Remember, the challenge is to find what’s real, and it is unlikely to be obvious. If something is “right,” it will stay “right” when viewed differently.
Expect More Questions Than Answers
New ideas solve old problems and invariably generate new problems that appear fantastic and wholly unsolvable in the context of an existing paradigm. Try to stay big picture. Getting “lost in the weeds” is a common phenomenon, particularly for those who are highly-specialized. Zooming out is helpful strategy to reevaluate a problem with a broader perspective.
Expect Cognitive Dissonance
The point of new ideas is to challenge accepted truths and beliefs, not create a debate team to rehash and defend old ideas. It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about entertaining “what if?” knowing there will be many “wrongs” entertained before arriving at a “right.” Don’t pretend to have all the answers, or even the right ones. Everyone’s understanding will continue to evolve in this process. Escaping the orbits of typical thought patterns takes time. It’s okay.
Expect Imperfection
We are addressing enormous and complex issues. Concepts are highly interrelated which makes them hard to pull apart. The goal is not to be perfect, but find the relevant threads of inquiry to devise new and useful questions to move the dialogue forward. When dealing with theory and futuristic views, impressionism is the norm. Photographic clarity is not possible. From the founder’s perspective, if an idea can be proven or disproven with existing technology or knowledge, it’s probably not an accurate interpretation of disease. This is not to say that existing data is wrong, but our interpretation of what the data means is. Logic is not proof.
Expect Imagination
Consider alternative interpretations rather than rehashing the literature. Lessons of the past help guide us, but stay facing forward on this quest. Source references where applicable, but use your imagination as your primary resource. Connect on new ground. Nonsensical or “crazy” ideas are probably more likely to generate insights than purely logical or currently provable ideas. Most new ideas will be inaccurate, but may serve as a stepping stone in a new direction or offer a perspective not previously considered.
Expect Moments of Insight
We’re sifting through a junkyard of knowledge. This is about pulling out what we think we know, spreading it out in front of us and seeing what is really there, or not there. It’s about finding the context that unifies the knowledge we have into a cohesive understanding. When we use the light of fresh ideas to scrutinize beliefs, then “a-ha!” moments can spring up.
Expect Difficult Dialogue
These are difficult concepts. Dealing with blind spots or synthesizing new concepts can be mentally taxing. Let the ideas unfold. Be patient with yourself and others. Remember to maintain a spirit of dialogue.
Expect Fear
Zazari Project advocates a thought revolution to usher in a new paradigm of medicine and healthcare delivery. This is about sparking a movement that doesn’t demand change, but is the change. Change is hard and fear-provoking. Some may feel personally vulnerable or that their interests are threatened by new ideas. Stay alert and be kind to those responding out of fear.