But the issue which caught my attention is the trend in mental health and government to class individuals as mentally ill or dangerous based on their disagreement with, or questioning of, authority. That is a dangerous thing for those who do not think a forced conformity and collectivism is the best way to achieve a civil society.
New mental illnesses identified by the DSM-IV include arrogance, narcissism, above-average creativity, cynicism, and antisocial behavior. In the past, these were called “personality traits,” but now they’re diseases.
That is from a link on the Verbivore blog. The dsm is the manual which catalogs mental illness and is used by shrinks for diagnosing the ever growing types of crazy. The human race, as a whole, is a bit nuts. That is why many geniuses aren't recognized during their lifetimes. They are often considered crazy or weird, or their work threatens those whose short term gain is possibly imperiled by constructive progress or great art. People (or in politician bs, folks) have become so accustomed to thinking it is "for the greater good" to police their neighbors' behavior that little outrage happens when children are overly stifled, stigmatized and drugged under dubious circumstances; and diagnosed based upon anecdotal rather than solid scientific evidence. Their parents are often painted as villains, and way too often the state kidnaps the kids with very flimsy cause.
Obviously, the outfit responsible for countless deaths worldwide, which can't do anything but exacerbate inner city and gang issues, etc., is the best judge of how you need to raise your offspring. It is also the best judge of which social and political philosophies are of value. Those who disagree bear the scrutiny and wrath of any number of security agencies, including homeland security, national security, and no doubt in security.
There is plenty of spill over, usually seen in the inspired genius of public schools; keeping squirt guns, and finger pointing out of the hands of errant, clearly poorly raised youth. Good thing they hold the parent and criminal child responsible when young Elmo points a finger or bites a sandwich into an L shape. I can't tell you how much better I sleep knowing that "zero tolerance" in these matters has become the norm.
So, you hate anyone not on board with the present group in power? It only makes sense for dissenters, no matter how peaceful, to be considered evil by so-called law enforcement (I say so-called because if they actually enforced the basic, decent laws, I would not be discussing this). But, what if your views fall from vogue in the future, and your favored organizations and viewpoints become the targets classed as threats to security, complete with harassment from IRS and other legal thug entities?
There is a marked difference between non-violent groups and views which are at odds with the powers that be, and groups which wish to force, by any means, psychotic religious law, or subjugation of one group or other. Groups justifying violence or threat of violence. Force is the key consideration there. Ron Paul supporters are not terrorists, neither are die hard socialists or tea-party-ists. I would argue that socialism is violent in that it relies on forced confiscation of wealth, but those who like it, on the whole, won't personally blow you up and all that. They are not somehow too dangerous to exercise their natural right to express their view of how things should be done.
I've seen suggestions that amount to silencing, by force if need be, the opposition. Much of it on the net where most of those people are exaggerated caricatures of their fantasy selves. Real bad asses. Lots of tough guys and gals who say lol to prove they have for sure outwitted their opponent. Still, that there is the degree of sentiment in favor of curbing one's right to speak his mind unless it coincides with whatever everyone supposedly should think, is disturbing. Anything of that nature which is actually enforced is bullying of the worst kind. Those same people, though, have taken that word to a place which it does not belong. They bully the innocent in the name of anti-bullying.
Often socialists and others decry what they term "capitalism", but what they are really talking about are crony capitalism and the often touted "government-business partnerships"-- which are at the root of crony capitalism and the odd corporate power matrix. Actually the phrases, "crony capitalism" and "government-business partnership" are pretty much interchangeable. But one sounds better and people buy it. It is usually said as if it is a proof that they aren't totalitarian rulers at heart. Can't fool me!
The excuse used to justify all the over 350 labels for mental disorders (and counting) is that they only now have been identified. What a marketing ploy by the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry and the paid shrink racket. You can just make stuff up, and they do using real life personality traits. Especially the ones that reflect independent thought. While some conditions are real (seriously, there are some truly dangerous, unrepentant people running around, and pure wackos too) and do truly need some chemical help, most life issues with which people cope respond best to compensation strategies and learning to accept reality.
Certainly the vast majority of children don't need meds. They need a better educational environment which is the opposite of the direction much of public education has gone for well over fifty years. Good parents would also help. The temptation to use schools as political tools and as propaganda camps is too great when under the micro management of those who, for some reason, wish to control the world.
I'll never forget being threatened with "the office", and the ninth grade civics teacher trying to demean me in the eyes of my classmates, because I did not approve of progressive income tax, which was the so-called discussion. Part of his anger may have been that the class didn't turn on me and he looked like a jerk. Well, he was a jerk. Most of the class had no opinion, really, and were impressed I understood the topic--aside from my opinion. So even then, the "proper" prescribed viewpoint was the only one allowed, or else.
I was forbidden from participating further in the ongoing discussion under threat of being booted to the principle's office. It could have gone on my permanent record. What then?
There does seem to be a tie-in with such broad and subjective mental illness diagnoses and the use of this kind of thinking by the state in order to squash dissent and opposition. And that is why I point out that you can be a raging democrat or a raging republican or raging libertarian or anything else and you aren't necessarily safe from official censure in the long run.
That is why the established core of both major parties seems happy to keep the irs intact, and finds plenty of excuse for all kinds of intrusive practices to "protect" us. They each bitch about it when not in power, but do little to remove the rabid dogs at their disposal.
In class discussions, like the one I cited, even waaaay back then, I was accused of being oppositional when I reasoned a view which did not match the propaganda being shoveled down our throats. But it was not a disease. Just some of the few times when I actually paid attention, was interested and participated.
A kid like me today would either be sedated, taken from my home by the state, expelled and/or failed. An adult like me would probably be on every list they have, if I had money and power, and any audience. And I am not any kind of aggressive threat. Just not on board with what is being officially, and sometimes culturally, pushed, in the realm of basic philosophy and how it applies to my rights and those of others.
Used to be that the difference between the established political powers and normal, decent people was that, though many normal, decent people disagree with one another, they would not take vindictive action to silence the other. It is clear that silencing opposition through ridicule and bureaucratic intimidation has become so much the norm that it is rare that people interested in civic affairs actually argue from a point of logic. The heretofore normal, decent people have begun to behave like political insiders in their tactics. Used to be less of it in the mainstream. Thuggery is not new, there is more of it now, and in more and new guises.
On the internet, calling all opposition idiots, and adding plenty of LOL, substitutes for reason. And half truths put out by talking-point outfits substitute for truth. They pick a team and demonize the other. Fact be damned. That lol stuff at the end of a political comment makes me wish I could send a message that would cause their internet device to slap them silly.
So, if you are a little blue or somewhat angry about official policies and practices don't be too quick to see a shrink, and if you do, don't blindly accept a diagnosis of mental illness merely because you think outside the mandated guidelines which are shaped by those in power.
Much of the time, the only obvious pressure is the going along with the crowd kind of thing. It is a collection of conditioned responses, it feels like. Pavlovian.
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