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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sigismund on July 24, 2007, at 19:33:25
I realised that the reason I find the movies of Todd Solondz so wildly funny is that they are about depersonalistion. "Happiness", "Palindrome" "Storytelling" "Welcome to the Dollhouse"
Anyone with an interest in depersonalisation should find them interesting. They are movies about people who are not themselves, perhaps because they are taken over by others, or by some idea they have, or whatever else.
If I was up to it I would try to develop an argument about depersonalisation and spirituality. The best I can do at the moment is to quote Eliot.
We are only undeceived
Of that which, deceiving, could no longer harm.
In the middle, not only in the middle of the way
But all the way, in a dark wood, in a bramble,
On the edge of a grimpen, where is no secure foothold,
And menaced by monsters, fancy lights,
Risking enchantment. Do not let me hear
Of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly,
Their fear of fear and frenzy, their fear of possession,
Of belonging to another, or to others, or to God.
The only wisdom we can hope to acquire
Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless.
Posted by Sigismund on July 26, 2007, at 3:17:33
In reply to Depersonalisation, posted by Sigismund on July 24, 2007, at 19:33:25
From chapter prefaces to 'Feeling Unreal'.
"If the patient can tolerate the experience of unrealness for a time, he can make for himself a new reality which is more solidly grounded for his own needs and perceptions, and in a sense more 'real' than his old compromises were, however comfortable and familiar they might have felt."
J.S. Levy and P.L. Wachtel
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human can fight and never stop fighting."
E.E. CummingsI said on the main board that I felt trapped by people, situations and language. Sometimes I am a little impressed by myself.
The idea that we might be trapped by language (without which we presumably cannot think) is very interesting.
Verne said something a little similar to this once.
Posted by B2chica on July 26, 2007, at 8:21:00
In reply to Re: Depersonalisation, posted by Sigismund on July 26, 2007, at 3:17:33
>> The idea that we might be trapped by language (without which we presumably cannot think) is very interesting.
> Verne said something a little similar to this once.
being trapped by language is something i think about alot...but mostly because i feel that my native language (english) is not very expressive (at least for my needs). i only know bits of other languages...but one i do know well is ASL and surprisingly it is a Very expressive langauge...
but back to topic of being trapped and not able to think...interesting, but we as humans if not exposed to language will create one. it is innate. even if no one else is around to corroborate or communicate, we will create one.
i've once heard (during my undergrad) about a very disturbed study regarding an orphan that they kept in isolation and Never talked to, to see if he would learn to speak...the child did, in his own form...but also died at an early age (around 8 or something like that, maybe even younger) because-they believe- of the isolation and lack of communication. very sad and disturbing. but other studies (humane ones) have shown that it is innate that we put a "label" on items...things. we organize things...in our mind, therefore to categorize we need to label and differentiate.
Posted by Sigismund on July 26, 2007, at 16:02:46
In reply to Re: Depersonalisation **TRIGGER***, posted by B2chica on July 26, 2007, at 8:21:00
Such people as that orphan end up in the interestingly named 'marasmic states'.
There was a case *somewhere* where the orphans made up a language from the scraps overheard from the attendants....scraps of Romanian mixed with other languages maybe and elaborated on.Now that I think about it, the book refers to depersonalisation as being more likely to arise from situations of structured neglect, and PTSD to arise from outright violence and abuse.
If it wasn't so important to us to please each other perhaps there would be no need for it to arise??
This is the end of the thread.
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