War Against Eccentricity

[Trevor Salyzyn]

The best way I can describe the mental health institution is that it is waging an all-out war on eccentricity. Don't psychiatrists have something better to do with their time?

[Kunga]

They would give their left brain for a Van Gogh painting .........

[oxytocinNA]

The best way I can describe the mental health institution is that it is waging an all-out war on eccentricity. Don't psychiatrists have something better to do with their time?

The mental health institution is a very dangerous primitive thing.

I think the thread would be better titled: "A war against anything deemed out of the norm"

The biggest part of it: An assessment from an arbitrary* "normalcy".

*fluctuating over time - cultural change.

Normalcy, as an assessment, is a fallacy used to control and limit (often centure) people. It is not unlike religious dogma. Particularly back in history. People in societies were expected to follow along with the prevailing religious dogma - or be labeled problematical - heretic - unfit - etc. Parts of the mental health institution are just as primitive. But wait - there is more (Just like those $19.95 cooking utensil deals): Back before woman's right - when they were to be seen, and not heard; outspoken women often got in trouble - for being out of the norm - and paid the price. But it was normal - back then. So I guess they were justly punished - or were they? How many women would accept that today, now that we live in a time of equal rights (more accurately: individual rights actually being put into practice)? There are too many examples to list, about this malevolent fallacy.
Even as you might point this out - many people would still respond: "Yeah ...but... ________ (insert the supposed abnormal behavior they do not like)" It is this ignorance of proper abstraction and applicable axioms, and how to put them into practice, that allow things to get so twisted (in this case - the topic of this thread)

Here is the break down:
Any assessment has to be held to an objective comparative. In other words to reality (properties there of, properly abstracted).

That said - there are valid studies that have been done in psychology. It is the "Normalcy Nazis", that are this biggest problem in that field (it gives them a new dangerous power base). They (these types of individuals - with the stunted thinking - the Normalcy Nazis), have always been around, and always will be. And some individuals will suffer for it - unjustly. Same old same old.

So if you are an eccentric individual - cheer up - at least one person knows that you are OK (as long as you are not violating another's individual rights) - but still - safer to hide it ...LOL

[Merlin]

Yeah...and they're eating up the system with SSI.

[Consistency]

Eccentricity is essential for evolution when we are healthy mentally. Eat more raw leafy greens. I can't stress it enough on the importance of minerals for our electromagnetic brain and the rest of the body. :-)

[mwolf]

This isn't an accurate characterization of the psychological profession in western/capitalist countries. I specifically address American psychology and its offshoots (nearly all western Pyschological practice and most research.)


Psychology in the west is embedded in the system. The system is the artificial socio-politico-economic mess we have created for ourselves which supresses human potential in the name of controlling human motivation. Psychological practice thus relates to enforcing this system, and cannot affect people except to make them compatible with the system.

So, it is not the psychological practice which suppresses human potential and thus is your "war against eccentricity," rather, it is society, the system itself. The system is one which requires uniformity, conformity. The system requires everyone be the same; but within each layer of stratification. At its most mature, capitalism destroys itself. Capitalism IS the game Monopoly.


Revisit the film "The Matrix" for a clever, unintentionally perfect metaphor for the system...and for answers for how to survive it as well.