If Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton can be relegated to the ranks of "Autism" these days, then The New World does seem perilously close to being upside down--as I have always suspected.
Does it not anger anyone else that many of the last two centuries' geniuses are now being labeled with various and sundry sicknesses in our current culture? How so very convenient. I wonder what circumstances exactly bestowed them with their ailments in their own times . . . . (Too bad that we did not have a genuine Virginia Woolf brain scan, hot off the presses for analysis, in all its depressive full-color glory, before she dropped the big rock, because she could have been helped earlier, before she ever wrote any of those unfortunate books--even better.) This seems to be the Masses' (no, not just "The Sheep") revenge: to on one hand, either entirely ignore geniuses, or on the other, to use them for all they are worth to society, subsequently disclaiming them (and on to the next) with psychiatric labeling, so that they can look down their collective noses, and feel superior for being so mentally HEALTHY on all their Meds--what progress and evolution.
One cannot watch television (and believe me, I usually have not for many years now, aside from the occasional new popular war here, major catastrophe there, or Presidential contest; then it is CNN, but of course (is there anything better?))--especially any major network news hour--without having to suffer through various commercials for this Pill and that Pill claiming to cure this Sickness and that Ailment (many of which are psychic "illnesses") replete with quickly mumbled long lists of disclaimers of side effects (so long that one would wonder why anyone in one's right mind (Errr . . . Ummm) would risk such possible calamities and destruction to get "better"); illnesses are only euphemistically referred to, but we are somehow supposed to get the subtle cues via cultural osmosis, and ongoing subconscious intravenous feeding. Everyone, and one's grandmother, is encouraged to obtain the help of a therapist--why should anyone remain "ill" needlessly? I have read and heard enough journalists and interviewed self-help authors featured in reputable newspapers, magazines, books, and on radio programs, television, etc. to suss the milieu of the past fifteen years--at least--and to see the direction of this culture--the Message being, in this regard:
Just get help and take the pills needed to continue to work and function "normally."
Most major life decisions are influenced by economics--do not even get me started on this concept right now, I say . . . . The quick fix of suppressing the symptom(s), and ignoring the cause(s)--this is done with rampant cancer these days as well: the fact that many more children, even, are falling prey to, and dying of cancer somehow is not alarming enough; nor are the higher rates of medicated young children and teenagers, on encouraged substances such as Ritalin and Prozac, their brains still physically growing, affected in development, and having little say in these decisions because they are not of legal age. Yes, start them young, and keep them quiet; who cares what might REALLY be distressing them all?!: No one is actually supposed to have a reaction to disturbing circumstances, feel what one is really feeling, and perhaps make decisions based upon these thoughts and emotions anymore, because it might be too inconvenient for immediate family, and the economic society as a whole.
If people consciously WANT to take these prescribed pills, fine; but it is becoming much harder to put up a fight by saying "Buzz Off, I DO NOT," without appearing ill, by the very action of resisting "Help."
Yes, surely we should be convinced that if all the unhealthy geniuses would just take their pills early and often, as prescribed, along with everyone else, that the world will be a better place for the Future of Humanity.
© Carol Maric