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I am a eyewitness on schizophrenia also (i prefer the term metanoia) Mason, and I think it certainly makes sense to look also for political causes (the sense in the nonsense) when dealing with people suffering from it. There is truth concealed in their error when they rush to conclusions. Agree, it is not easy to find an external cause just out of the schizophrenic delusions but one should try to maintain a "dialog" with them instead of locking them up and harm them with dangerous anti-psychotic medication. Schizophrenics break down the symbolic order, and thats why they have a revolutionary potential. Remember the SPK of Huber? Every self respecting Marxist should defend schizophrenics against bourgeois psychiatric institutions IMHO. And one should support alternatives such as Soteria housing for acute cases. AO On 20-1-2011 6:51, Mason Akhnaten wrote: > ====================================================================== > Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. > ====================================================================== > > > I have not read anyone saying a person looking for political causes does not > care about the mentally ill! Talk about a strawman... > I did not want to comment again, but I regret seeing my comment on it being > "fucking ridiculous" to look for the origins of a delusion. It was wrongly > put. Let me be a little clearer: > > This was well-said: > "Obviously the fact that he was Sudanese contributed to the precise nature > of Ballantine's delusions - but the delusions would have existed in any > case." > > This is why it is illogical to use a schizophrenic's delusions to find a > cause. There are environmental elements--obviously before television was > invented, schizophrenics did not think television waves were being beamed > into their skull. Instead, they may invent something like "cosmic rays" > acting on them (see the diary of Judge Schreber). The precise nature of the > delusions is related to the environment. But a paranoid schizophrenic will > invent delusions out of the environment in such a way it is pointless to try > and find cause or assign blame. Here's another example--keeping a notebook > of graffiti because the schizophrenic believes it is all about him. Do you > really want to blame the graffiti for this man's notebook? It makes about > as much sense as blaming political rhetoric. > Until one has witnessed enough of this madness, one may naively look for > causes and explanations. At some point, enough is enough--it is obvious the > delusions are invented from things in the environment. But I've found > little evidence that current political rhetoric has more of an effect than > neighborhood graffiti, radio waves in the air, or the talking dog next door. > I am tired of hearing "but THIS TIME, it was about a maligned Democrat, NOT > about _______". In my mind, this is a very weak argument when dealing with > a schizophrenic. > > To get back to environment and delusions--I'll take the very real delusion > about "the black Chinese." I was commenting with a family member that it is > surprising the schizophrenic we know is not worried about Arab-Americans. > Despite a pro-America stance, a distrust for foreigners and those with > accents--he trusts the Iranians who own the place he services his truck, and > he finds nothing wrong with Arab-Americans or Arabs. Despite the rhetoric > that has swept the nation, his delusions concern "the black Chinese." This > particular fixation is a rather recent development (5 or so years), and it > makes no sense in terms of environmental causes. > > I think people blaming the political discourse or capitalism simply do not > have an adequate knowledge about schizophrenic's behavior. Part of my belief > is based upon the reactions of my close family. Most of them are the type > to blame pop culture (incl death metal and violent video games) and 10 years > of war for violent youth, school shootings, etc. But, in this case, we all > agree that Loughner had a mental illness. There has been no discussion > about contributing factors. It seems likely that, without first hand > experience of schizophrenic behavior, we would be having the same > discussions regarding violence in popular culture. > > The only way of convincing someone of my view would be to encourage their > familiarity with a wide number of schizophrenic delusions. I used to try > and look for a cause or origin of delusions--finding patterns and creating > explanations of phenomenon are what sane people do. After a certain amount > of madness, I think the futility of this becomes apparent. For those that > are interested in educating themselves: > "A Beautiful Mind" has already been suggested and its flaws pointed out. > There's a rather classic study, "The Three Christs of Ypislanti" that may be > better. A medical practioner, Milton Rokeach, believes he is ready to > handle the delusions of paranoid schizophrenics thanks to his > experimentation with LSD. He is in for a shock--low and behold, a > schizophrenic's delusions are not comparable to some drug experience. > Anyhow, it is the fairly engaging story of a rather unethical doctor. He > gets together three people that believe they are Jesus, wanting to see how > they would cope when other men claimed to be Christ as well. It was a > different time, and medical ethics must have been different--Rokeach goes as > far as sending letters to one of the patients from the man's wife "Madame > Yeti Woman" (a product of the man's illness). It goes into known individual > histories and documents delusions as they arose in "treatment." > If you liked The 3 Christs, squelch chamber and all, go on to Judge > Schreber's diary. Might as well read Freud's case study if you make it > through the diary. If you become really fascinated in the subject, then try > and find William Kendrick Hale's "Rod of Iron." It is probably the best > artifact I have found of a schizophrenic mind. > > I, too, believe this is a politically irrelevant subject. I was tired of > seeing others make it into a political discussion and I was drawn to > comment. Hopefully I won't feel the need to repeat myself on the subject. > ________________________________________________ > Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu > Set your options at: > http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/aorta%40home.nl > ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
