I was aware of these things and places. Whenever I see such I always wonder how they got to that point and I never see the justification as valid. I recall from when I was young that people would have family members committed and the rumor would always be that it was for the sake of convenience or frequently punish a woman who failed to live up to standards set by a father or husband.
I see both sides of it. There is definitely a population of people that can not care for themselves or function in society. When it comes to profound disability, there is a point in time that many of them will get to the size that their parents will be unable to care for that individual. Bathing a person that is fully immobile would be difficult for two people, and in home help is extremely difficult to get for many. Institutions are often the only way around that problem.
This is also true of many people with profound mental illness. There are many that need to be cared for twenty-four hours a day, and even then are a danger to themselves. Asylums and institutions were an attempt to fix that problem, and in some cases it was very successful.
However, all of the things you mentioned were also issues, as well.
I had a feeling that's where this series was headed - looking at the psychology of what turns the staff against the patients and how fairly ordinary people become capable of abuse.
There's alot of harsh truth in this post. Especially the bit about the human tendency to despise weakness.
It reminds me of this quote from Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi (from his book If This Is A Man):
"In fact, we are the untouchables to the civilians. They think, more or less explicitly—with all the nuances lying between contempt and commiseration—that as we have been condemned to this life of ours, reduced to our condition, we must be tainted by some mysterious, grave sin. They hear us speak in many different languages, which they do not understand and which sound to them as grotesque as animal noises; they see us reduced to ignoble slavery, without hair, without honor and without names, beaten every day, more abject every day, and they never see in our eyes a light of rebellion, or of peace, or of faith. They know us as thieves and untrustworthy, muddy, ragged and starving, and mistaking the effect for the cause, they judge us worthy of our abasement."
interesting timing for this one. im currently in my third shelter and ive been thinking quite a bit about how shelters in general operate and the difference between the three ive stayed in. i am lucky that this one is staffed by relatively caring people, but the overcrowding and overall feeling of being a member in a herd of cattle in the other two is something ive been thinking of.
i like the perspective and viewpoints on this one.
Caring and concern is a choice that must be continually made. How we see those around us is decided by us, even when some primal part of the mind tries to drag us to the depths, tuning toward the light is something that has to be in the forefront of the mind.
Would you mind if we used your article as part of our college presentation looking at how society allows sex cults? I would like to highlight what leads to dark behavior and societies role in abuse by turning a blind eye to its victims, and I feel like you explained it very well. I used to follow you both here and on Quora, but I left for a while and forgot about it all. I am glad to be reminded of your existence, and I'm glad your still here writing.
I was aware of these things and places. Whenever I see such I always wonder how they got to that point and I never see the justification as valid. I recall from when I was young that people would have family members committed and the rumor would always be that it was for the sake of convenience or frequently punish a woman who failed to live up to standards set by a father or husband.
I see both sides of it. There is definitely a population of people that can not care for themselves or function in society. When it comes to profound disability, there is a point in time that many of them will get to the size that their parents will be unable to care for that individual. Bathing a person that is fully immobile would be difficult for two people, and in home help is extremely difficult to get for many. Institutions are often the only way around that problem.
This is also true of many people with profound mental illness. There are many that need to be cared for twenty-four hours a day, and even then are a danger to themselves. Asylums and institutions were an attempt to fix that problem, and in some cases it was very successful.
However, all of the things you mentioned were also issues, as well.
I had a feeling that's where this series was headed - looking at the psychology of what turns the staff against the patients and how fairly ordinary people become capable of abuse.
There's alot of harsh truth in this post. Especially the bit about the human tendency to despise weakness.
It reminds me of this quote from Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi (from his book If This Is A Man):
"In fact, we are the untouchables to the civilians. They think, more or less explicitly—with all the nuances lying between contempt and commiseration—that as we have been condemned to this life of ours, reduced to our condition, we must be tainted by some mysterious, grave sin. They hear us speak in many different languages, which they do not understand and which sound to them as grotesque as animal noises; they see us reduced to ignoble slavery, without hair, without honor and without names, beaten every day, more abject every day, and they never see in our eyes a light of rebellion, or of peace, or of faith. They know us as thieves and untrustworthy, muddy, ragged and starving, and mistaking the effect for the cause, they judge us worthy of our abasement."
interesting timing for this one. im currently in my third shelter and ive been thinking quite a bit about how shelters in general operate and the difference between the three ive stayed in. i am lucky that this one is staffed by relatively caring people, but the overcrowding and overall feeling of being a member in a herd of cattle in the other two is something ive been thinking of.
i like the perspective and viewpoints on this one.
Caring and concern is a choice that must be continually made. How we see those around us is decided by us, even when some primal part of the mind tries to drag us to the depths, tuning toward the light is something that has to be in the forefront of the mind.
Would you mind if we used your article as part of our college presentation looking at how society allows sex cults? I would like to highlight what leads to dark behavior and societies role in abuse by turning a blind eye to its victims, and I feel like you explained it very well. I used to follow you both here and on Quora, but I left for a while and forgot about it all. I am glad to be reminded of your existence, and I'm glad your still here writing.
Yes, you can use it, and welcome
Thank you. It will be a few weeks, but I will send you a copy if you like
That would be lovely, thank you