Has American Society Gone Insane?

[NicholeW.]

Has American Society Gone Insane?
By Bruce E. Levine, AlterNet. Posted September 11, 2008.

America's mental health problems may be more than a matter of some "unadjusted" individuals. The entire culture might well need adjusting.

http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/97934/

In The Sane Society (1955), Fromm wrote, "Yet many psychiatrists and psychologists refuse to entertain the idea that society as a whole may be lacking in sanity. They hold that the problem of mental health in a society is only that of the number of 'unadjusted' individuals, and not of a possible unadjustment of the culture itself."

Is American society a healthy one, and are those having difficulties adjusting to it mentally ill? Or is American society an unhealthy one, and are many Americans with emotional difficulties simply alienated rather than ill? For Fromm, "An unhealthy society is one which creates mutual hostility (and) distrust, which transforms man into an instrument of use and exploitation for others, which deprives him of a sense of self, except inasmuch as he submits to others or becomes an automaton." Fromm viewed American society as an increasingly unhealthy one, in which people routinely experience painful alienation that fuels emotional and behavioral difficulties.

[tekla]

And Fromm was talking what, 40-50 years ago, and its not got much better.  Clearly, and a society that somehow thinks its OK to have automatic weapons as a standard household item has got some issues.  And that's just one topic.

[sneakersjay]

I think the culture of consumerism and beauty and conformity would make anyone insane.  Society's expecations (good grades, college, good paying job, marriage, house, kids, dog) is a myth and a trap.

There is a lot of good, but the media tells us that unless we subscribe to the above and do it well we're failures.

Leaving the rat race and downsizing my life and living it against the grain has been truly freeing in every sense of the word.

Jay

[tekla]

R.D. Laing once said that madness is rational response to living in an insane world.  Might have been on to something there.

And beauty might be a society deal, but a good paying job is not.  Who longs for some crappy job with low pay?

[NicholeW.]

O, I was hoping someone might mention Laing!! Thank you, Kat.

He actually postulated that schizophrenia is a rational break from an insane society. The difficulty I have seen in years of practice and again in school is that anyone who mentions that perhaps the society itself is insane gets a sorta pat on the head and then its suggested that the major reason for therapeutic effort is to help people be better with society's organization.

That wasn't overall true with Social Work as a lot of it deals with societal change, but some of my psych friends said that seemed to them the overall picture in psychology.

From was a gem. So was Laing. Too bad about the alcoholism and the suicide. *sigh*

But he bears re-reading or reading for those who've not yet done so.

Nichole

[sneakersjay]

R.D. Laing once said that madness is rational response to living in an insane world.  Might have been on to something there.

And beauty might be a society deal, but a good paying job is not.  Who longs for some crappy job with low pay?

My point was to do what you love and the money will follow.  For the first nearly 18 years of my career (which requires a doctorate) I had low pay but loved working.  Only now am I receiving a decent paycheck; that said many people in the trades make far more than I do with a HS education.  There are many people slaving away in cubes hating it but collecting nice paychecks, but others in the arts, for example, love what they do yet don't get paid much.

And McDonalds can be a career for some people; the lowly crappy job turns into management.

In a few years I will be likely giving up my hard-earned career for travel and happiness and an interesting online job, focusing on having fun in life and not so much on having to earn a ton of money to pay for stuff that needs cleaning and maintenance and sucks away my free time.  Life's too short and retirement never happens for a lot of people (death, disease, accident etc).

Jay

[Kaitlyn]

I'm always leery about reifying the abstraction that is "society", since that in itself usually leads to treating people as objects - screwing with real lives as a means to some greater "social" end.

On the other hand, there is an idea in America today that whomever disagrees with you is maladjusted, crazy, or evil.  I've seen it in business, religion, politics, clubs and social gatherings, and even in family relations.  If you have ideas that fall outside the mainstream, not only do people not want to hear them, but you're cast as some sort of monster for having them - very few people bother to assume good faith anymore.  Depending on the circumstances, you can wind up in a mental hospital, a prison, or even Gitmo.

For example, if I say that I oppose minimum wage laws, it's guaranteed that many readers of a different ideological bent will dismiss my opinion out of hand.  I'm just willfully ignorant, or crazy, or even malicious.  Because I don't agree with them, I'm automatically wrong.

How many people who disagree with me will believe that I have a logical, mature, and well-researched opinion on the topic, and that I'm willing to debate in good faith?

A society that somehow thinks its OK to have automatic weapons as a standard household item has got some issues.

I disagree, and apparently so do most of the Swiss.  Nearly all Swiss households contain an automatic rifle, and they have one of the lowest firearm homicide rates in the world.  If it's an issue of cultural attitude, then I think we should be looking into exactly what makes the Swiss (and other gun-safe cultures) so responsible towards gun ownership.  I think we should be raising people's consciousness' and encouraging personal responsibility, not treating entire segments of the population as mental aberrants, or guilty 'till proven innocent.

[NicholeW.]

The Swiss are allowed to keep guns while they are subject to service of their country. They have no he-man-woman-hater cowboy on the wide frontier mythmakers to extol violence for the sake of violence and appearing to be macho for the sake of some desk-chair ego.

You're right, Switzerland is a different culture. The truth is that allowing automatic weapons in American homes is a prescription for death, mayhem and murder on a wide-spread basis.

I mean, it's kewl, right?

Nichole

[Constance]

I didn't know that automatic weapons were considerered standard by socieity. Even the hunters and shooting enthusiasts I know (myself included) do not own such things.

Good grades? Yes, I got those late in my high school career, in trade school, and in college. Before my senior year of high school, I didn't care.

College? Yes, but only as far as my associate's degree.

Good paying job? Well, if I didn't live in the SF Bay Area, that would be true. But, It's taken me 17 years to get a "good paying job." But, it's still not quite enough (i.e., I'm nearly 40 with no savings to speak of).

Marriage? Yes. Septmeber 18 will be our 20th anniversary.

House? No, but we have a good sized apartment.

Kids? Yes. My son is 19.5 and my daughter is nearly 17.

Dog? No. Death before dishonor.

Overall, I would say that the society in which I live and was raised is a bit wacko. (Although, the last time I mentioned that on these boards, I was challenged by some of the very same folks who are now saying it is indeed wacko. Strange, n'est pas?)

Downsizing is something that does indeed seem to help. Though, there are some very specific pieces of musical gear I'd like to acquire. What I love is music. But, it seems that the money there will only follow if one's music is readily marketable. Why else would (sorry to use 80's musicians as metaphors) would Bon Jovi sell out huge venues and Larry Carlton gets shot outside the small clubs where he play? Bon Jovi's crap music was marketable; Larry Carlton's was quality.

There are certainly times when I'd love to just quit my job and write/record music full time. But, I just can't do that to my family yet. My wife is a minister; she doesn't make much money. They rely on me for the bulk of our income. I harbor no grudges regarding that; my kids never asked me to be born or to have me as their dad.

Maybe after the kids are gone and we can get by on less, I'll make a concerted effort to do what I love and see if the money will follow. It would certainly be saner than the job I have now.

[Kaitlyn]

Society's expecations (good grades, college, good paying job, marriage, house, kids, dog) is a myth and a trap.

There is a lot of good, but the media tells us that unless we subscribe to the above and do it well we're failures.

I can't say I ever felt the urge to buy into the media's conception of success.  I don't know anyone who has, either - everyone claims to be unaffected by advertising and pop culture.  It's always someone else who's the victim of unrealistic social expectations.  How arrogant we are.

[Kate]

I think the culture of consumerism and beauty and conformity would make anyone insane...

And yet, in many ways transitioning is the ultimate act of conformity, ya know? Heck, everything I've done is an attempt to conform, to blend in, to become invisible and "normal" and "just like everyone else."

~ Katie Marie ~

[debbie j]

I think the culture of consumerism and beauty and conformity would make anyone insane...

And yet, in many ways transitioning is the ultimate act of conformity, ya know? Heck, everything I've done is an attempt to conform, to blend in, to become invisible and "normal" and "just like everyone else."

~ Katie Marie ~

as always kate your right on the mark .

[iFindMeHere]

And Fromm was talking what, 40-50 years ago, and its not got much better.  Clearly, and a society that somehow thinks its OK to have automatic weapons as a standard household item has got some issues.  And that's just one topic.

I dunno, i mean, it's a piece of our culture that evolved out of the Revolution. Besides, the less laws regulating us, the more we must be responsible for ourselves.

*CORRECTION* I missed the word Automatic. I don't agree that this is an overall "Cutural Norm" across the entire US. I stand by my opinion that ownership of guns should be unrestricted.



Posted on: September 11, 2008, 03:56:44 PM

I think the culture of consumerism and beauty and conformity would make anyone insane.  Society's expecations (good grades, college, good paying job, marriage, house, kids, dog) is a myth and a trap.

There is a lot of good, but the media tells us that unless we subscribe to the above and do it well we're failures.

Leaving the rat race and downsizing my life and living it against the grain has been truly freeing in every sense of the word.

Jay

YES. THIS. I must admit weakness when it comes to the Beauty Myth tho 

[Flan Princess]

I think the perception that (anerican) society turning into a giant loony-bin is due to the direction it is headed. While some of the change is good, too many americans cling to old deadly myths, and as a result, are stuck on stupid.

I'm always leery about reifying the abstraction that is "society", since that in itself usually leads to treating people as objects - screwing with real lives as a means to some greater "social" end.

That is why the term "Human Resources" was invented. 

And please excuse my going off topic but I feel that I must slay the machine gun myth.
Yes, Americans can own select-fire weapons.
No, it is not wide-spread.
Yes, it is regulated, both federal (firearm registration with the ATFE) and state (some ban ownership)
No, crime with automatic weapons are the exception. (Bank of America shoot-out)
Yes, owners of registered select-fire weapons are generally quite the law abiding bunch.

[NicholeW.]

Society's expecations (good grades, college, good paying job, marriage, house, kids, dog) is a myth and a trap.

There is a lot of good, but the media tells us that unless we subscribe to the above and do it well we're failures.

I can't say I ever felt the urge to buy into the media's conception of success.  I don't know anyone who has, either - everyone claims to be unaffected by advertising and pop culture.  It's always someone else who's the victim of unrealistic social expectations.  How arrogant we are.

Actually, tekla has always been rather outspoken that he makes lotsa money and enjoys the comfort and freedom that offers him. Others here have as well.

I think our social/political attitudes are what's being decried here. And maybe that tendency we have to find that more is never quite enough.

As for the owners, legal, of automatic weapons, I have no doubt that they are law-abiding for the most part.

The ones who buy from trucks are the one's I worry about, not the ones who go through the ATF. Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Aryan Nations, and assorted survivalists who foresee Armageddon and wanna hasten it's arrival.

Nichole

[Elwood]

Everyone has issues, most people need some sort of therapy, and a lot of people don't bother to ever step into a doctor's office...

[Kaitlyn]

Society's expecations (good grades, college, good paying job, marriage, house, kids, dog) is a myth and a trap.

There is a lot of good, but the media tells us that unless we subscribe to the above and do it well we're failures.

I can't say I ever felt the urge to buy into the media's conception of success.  I don't know anyone who has, either - everyone claims to be unaffected by advertising and pop culture.  It's always someone else who's the victim of unrealistic social expectations.  How arrogant we are.

Actually, tekla has always been rather outspoken that he makes lotsa money and enjoys the comfort and freedom that offers him. Others here have as well.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean... my point was that lots of people decry the unrealistic imagery and ideas put forth by the media, but few actually believe it matters in their own lives.  Take scorn for advertising as an example - whether it's harmful or not, all the vitriol is about what it does to "other people".  How many people are going to stand up and say that they can't control themselves, so they shouldn't be exposed to advertisements?

[iFindMeHere]

How many people are going to stand up and say that they can't control themselves, so they shouldn't be exposed to advertisements?

*stands up and raises his hand* it's why i walked away from yahoo! Mail and TV and magazines.

[Kaitlyn]

Everyone has issues, most people need some sort of therapy, and a lot of people don't bother to ever step into a doctor's office...

If most people need therapy, than it's possible that lots of doctors need therapy too.  Scary thought.

Posted on: September 12, 2008, 01:40:55 AM

How many people are going to stand up and say that they can't control themselves, so they shouldn't be exposed to advertisements?

*stands up and raises his hand* it's why i walked away from yahoo! Mail and TV and magazines.

Ah, but isn't walking away from them a form of self-control?

[iFindMeHere]

Posted on: September 12, 2008, 01:40:55 AM

How many people are going to stand up and say that they can't control themselves, so they shouldn't be exposed to advertisements?

*stands up and raises his hand* it's why i walked away from yahoo! Mail and TV and magazines.

Ah, but isn't walking away from them a form of self-control?

Nope. It's a form of discipline.

OH HAI META