These aren’t easy questions, but they are in dire need of exploration. Janusian thinking, with a bent toward inclusivity and an eye toward equity, can help us gain wisdom.
We have already discussed the importance of Janusian thinking in immunologic and rheumatologic research. I feel that many investigators would agree that dynamic tensions and contradictions exist within our field. But how can we promote Janusian thinking in research when most grant applications are structured in ways that unintentionally promote the reduction of complex scientific inquiries into addressing a concrete set of specific aims?14 Although we are more flexible now than we were a decade or two ago, we still have a lot of room to promote Janusian thinking in research.
For me, the most tantalizing potential application of Janusian thinking is in the sphere of well-being and burnout. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have embraced working from home. This is, needless to say, an absolute contradiction in terms. It has been personally difficult to simultaneously hold conceptions of work life and home life in one thought, but whenever and whoever figures that out will do a great service for healthcare team members and the lives they live.
Additionally, I often think about the imposterism that I feel in so many aspects of my life. Imposterism—that is, the feelings of self-doubt that persist despite one’s education, experience and accomplishments—is, to my mind, an example of what occurs when two deep-seated, diametrically opposed perceptions of reality clash.15 Like many of you, I strive to reconcile my inadequacies with my accomplishments. Practicing Janusian thinking has brought me a modicum of relief, although I must say that I am still practicing.
The Ending Is Only a Beginning
So here I lead you back to the beginning when I wished you a happy new year. The more things will change at The Rheumatologist in 2023, the more they will remain the same. As the physician editor, I pledge to use Janusian thinking as much as possible to help oversee the creative growth of this publication—to ensure that you, as a reader, find your voice represented in the written words. I hope to live up to the expectations that you set of me, anticipating that I will, on occasion, not be able to do so.
I intend on using this piece of paper and electronic web space to tie together the disparate factions within our rheumatology world by highlighting those things that make us so unique. Along with the rest of the team, I will showcase the beauty of our specialty by celebrating its imperfections and shortcomings. This is an exciting and incredibly daunting time for myself and the world. If ever I needed to invoke Janusian thinking, it would be this January.
