Gotcha. This is getting interesting, eh?
I like the Internet. One is allowed to state a complete thought without interruption.
First off, let me say that I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. Secondly, you have said so much that it is difficult to respond without me asking you a few questions.
Your conclusion about children's learning processes indicates to me that you hold the opinion that a child is, essentially, a small piece of meat. Adults, I might assume, are larger pieces of meat. Further, mental illness, or at least some "forms" or "manifestations" of it (if I may use that term; I think we can agree on the definition, generally, as 'a greater or lesser lack of the ability to recognize reality') is best addressed and cured by psychotropic medication, and perhaps in extreme instances, ECT.
I'll let the "people who worship madmen" thing slide, because it seems to be a conclusion based on your prior analysis of, and conclusions regarding, mental illness. I want to try and stick to the possible basis for your conclusions, not necessarily the opinions you have drawn from the data you are making conclusions *from*.
I've got to be very honest with you and tell you that I've heard these arguments before. I have not studied this to any great degree, but I believe these concepts of mental illness being "cured" by psychotropic drugs (which is what I am assuming you are referring to as 'good drugs' as opposed to, say, heroin or cocaine) and Electro-Convulsive Therapy are relatively recent ideas that have been propagated by the psychiatric community within the last 100 years or so. Certainly, ECT was not available as a "cure" prior to the discovery of electricity, for example, unless one happened to survive the "all-natural remedy" of being struck by lightning.
I actually got into a lengthy 'colorful discussion' with a psychiatrist one time back in 1975. What he was asserting was uncannily similar to some of the things you just wrote in your last post, and from my cursory study of the subject, (I am, after all, a rather simple reptile when all is said and done) it appears to me that what we might call "Modern Psychiatry" is intent on making sure that just about everyone is on medication of some kind or another.
Now, without getting into the "whys and wherefores" of why this could be, such as an alliance with the big drug companies, or some sort of unbelievably nefarious intention to control the thought processes of every damned mammal on this ball of dirt you folks call "Earth", I can say with some certainty that "Modern Psychiatry" may not possibly be all it is cracked up to be.
Without getting into the exact reasons WHY, (which we can discuss at a later date if you desire) I decided at one point about 20 years ago to try and understand the etymology of the word "psychiatry".
It's really interesting. Well, to me, anyway.
Look in any dictionary you want, and you'll see the root word, it's a Greek word, psyche. The root word for psychiatry is "psyche".
Just up the page, on the definition of "psyche" we see "the soul".
Fascinating, eh? (Well, it is to me, anyway.)
The root word for the word "psychiatry" is the Greek word for "soul"!
Now, "soul" is an interesting word. VERY interesting. Rather than get into a discussion of theology, (which I am sure would be immediately interrupted by more than one of our fellow threadsters here) let's just take the current Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary definition, which is:
"an entity which is regarded as being the immortal or spiritual part of the person, and though having no physical or material reality, is credited with the functions of thinking and willing, and hence determining all behavior."
Now, that is a *killer* definition, if I may use one of my son's adjectives.
An entity [ being, existence] which is the immortal or spiritual part of the person, with no physical reality, and having the function of determining all behavior. (emphasis mine)
"Fascinating!" to quote a pointy-eared mammal named Spock.
Paraphrasing, we could say, "an immortal spiritual being that is part of a human being (dare I say ‘giant reptile'?) has the function of determining all behavior.
This is heavy dooty, dude. Heavy friggin' dooty, says Mr. The Chicken Brains. "An immortal spiritual being". Get the definition there? That there is a subject for some serious study, I do believe, oh yes I do indeedy.
So!
We have a very highly organized and very highly funded branch of Modern "Medicine" (that cracks me up) that is *extremely* interested in administering psychotropic drugs and electric shock to lots and lots and lots of human brains, and claiming that they are doing this most excellent and very helpful work in a sincere and heartfelt attempt to "cure" MENTAL ILLNESS.
Uh…….is this a Bulletin Board stock??
I'm not demanding you to agree with this. Don't get me wrong. I'm just pointing out, in my simple and humble way, that a dude that is frying my uncle's brain while claiming that it is a sincere medical attempt to cure some problem with his behavior just might be uh...how can I say this...not telling me the entire truth.
You get me? I mean, I can make a damn good argument against that form of "therapy". Personally, that's a therapy that I think I'll just "say no" to, know what I mean, Vern?
And if that isn't really the reason these dudes are giving mind altering drugs to 5 year old kids, then what the F*CK is their real reason? Eh? What is their true purpose? Some dude is sticking a couple of wires in the electric socket and then connecting them to my ears for what exactly? What is their true intention? (There is that word again, "intention".)
Is it because they don't believe that I am an immortal spiritual being? Well, that's cool. They don't have to believe it. They could call themselves Meatrists or something maybe. But I'll tell you what, they ain't gonna stick no damned electric wires onto my head. No sirree Bobcat. And no damned mind altering drugs for my 5 year old boy either. Or me, or my friends. Nope. I've decided on this. In fact I feel so strongly about it that I will physically resist any such attempt.
Which makes me wonder if maybe that's what they are trying to do.
Make me docile. Hook me on some drugs and just have me send the check right over to Accounting every month. Calm. Relaxed. No bother at all.
It would be easy, I guess, if they could FIRST convince me that I am not an immortal spiritual being. That when the old green-skinned bag-‘o-bones assumes room temperature, that's the end of the story.
But I ain't buying it. Nope. Not me. Maybe you, but not me.
I think those dudes are Bad News With Extra Sprinkles and Whipped Cream on Top. I don't think they have a clue what I'm all about, and I think they know it. I think they KNOW they can't control me, and I think that scares them, because I know what they are really up to with their drugs and their electric shock and the rest of their psychotic bullshit. I think they want to control the whole planet and turn every single person on it into a walking zombie, like the freaks in the hospitals they give Thorazine to.
Yeah, I've seen it. I've seen the Thorazine Shuffle up close and personal. I've seen some poor bastard get his brain fried with "Electro-Convulsive Therapy".
"Electro-Convulsive-Therapy". HELLO................
And I'll tell ya why I ain't buying their Game Program.
Because one time I heard the phone ring, and I wasn't expecting a call, and I knew who it was, and when I picked up the phone, I was right.
And a bunch of other stuff too. I've been studying this for about 25 years.
So like I said, I ain't demanding that you see it my way. You see it whatever way you want, that's your call.
If you think what I just wrote is "insane", that's cool too. No problem there.
But if these dudes are real buddies of yours, and you and your pals take it upon yourselves to have a zombie cop stop by my house to pick me up to take me to the hospital for my "therapy" because I am "crazy" (for my own good of course, since I cannot function in your "Real World") then dude, you better bring some serious help along in the van, ‘cause the line is drawn, and you are on The Dark Side, and my cOUSIN really REALLY hates psychiatrists. Not on my watch, Ed. Ain't gonna happen. Just have the "resisting" part of the form already filled out in advance. And remember, I'm immortal, and I can be VERY persistent.
Now, the questions;
1. If I'm a spiritual being, how does frying my brain cure anything?
2. If I'm right about all this stuff, then by definition, that would make me sane. What would that make you? |
