Posted by Chris O on August 4, 2014, at 17:27:26
In reply to why no psychosocial treatment?, posted by Christ_empowered on July 30, 2014, at 12:17:58
Christ_empowered:
"Clearly, the issue is American culture. We're not supposed to question our society. Take responsibility, be accountable, pick yourself up by your boot straps, etc. Read: its all your fault."
I agree with what you are saying, to a degree. I have this WASP Protestant meme (what I would label the quote above) living in my head as well. It is probably one of the most powerful mythological tenets underlying American culture. However, I am always puzzled when writer, politicians, actors, MSM talking heads, and the like, pretend like "America" is the most conservative place in the world, when, in fact, in most ways, it is the most empathic and liberal. This is especially true when it comes to mental health issues. Surely, people do not think that East Asia, South Asia, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, South or Central America are better in terms of these conservative attitudes? In my experience, they are not; in fact, these places have far more conservative attitudes toward mental health issues, attitudes so regressive as to make even conservative Americans cringe. While I am certainly frustrated with mental health treatment in the United States, I nevertheless understand that it is better here than almost anyplace else in the world. I certainly think my status on the "loser train" would be much higher in Confucianist East Asia, Hindu South Asia, animist/zealously evangelical Africa, or Orthodox Christian Russia than it is in humanist-Calvinist-neo-liberal North America.
Chris
poster:Chris O
thread:1068978
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140717/msgs/1069225.html