The Power of Terrible Ideas

American Thinker ^ | Rael Jean Isaac

[RoosterRedux]

While many have criticized the current enthusiasm for judging the past by the standards of the present (and condemning those past leaders who did not meet them), few have noted how many currently dominant beliefs are totally disconnected from reality and have a profoundly destructive impact. I propose to discuss two of them here: ideas about the nature of mental illness which have produced what Charles Krauthammer called “an army of broken souls foraging and freezing in the streets” and the conviction that our planet is in existential danger from human-induced climate change. The latter has led to a wholly unwarranted, hugely expensive crusade to eliminate fossil fuels. The chief effect has been to strengthen the leverage of those countries, many of them enemies of the West, that continue to produce these fuels, which remain essential to the functioning of industrial societies.

In the 1960s, a mad idea was born, the notion that there is no such thing as mental illness. Incredibly, it would become the foundation for public policy.

*snip*

While the need for treatment had traditionally been a basis for treatment, only a quasi-criminal dangerousness standard survived. Intervention was legitimate only when someone was an “imminent danger” to himself or others, and this was defined so narrowly that the individual had to be on the verge of suicide or murder.

*snip*

The notion that our planet is in imminent danger of becoming uninhabitable because of man-made emissions of carbon dioxide is more recent, dating to the late 1980s.

*snip*

No one points up the absurdity of the entire enterprise as well as MIT emeritus professor of atmospheric science Richard Lindzen. “Future generations will wonder in bemused amazement that the early 21st century’s developed world [snip] contemplate(d) a roll-back of the industrial age.”

[RoosterRedux]

One additional tiny snippet:

(A)n especially corrosive new idea is now in danger of emerging triumphant. This is the notion that any differences in outcome between groups can only be explained by “racism.” For proponents, if eliminating differences requires overturning our educational and professional institutions, banishing tests and considerations of merit or competence, so be it.

[TalBlack]

“What was labeled mental illness was simply an alternative lifestyle.“

This is what you get when you ask he perverts and crazies.

[RoosterRedux]

But on the other hand, when you ask “conformists” to define mental illness, they point to all non-conformists.

[nathanbedford]

The author is quite right to point out the fallacies which currently dominate our politics and, indeed, our lives.

I note that he touches on the cause for these fallacies to be perpetuated and he even sees that we have been rendered defenseless. For example, he cites Karl Popper.

It is the destructive power of critical theory, the demon hatched by The Frankfurt School that renders us so defenseless against these bizarre and fraudulent fads that seem to have taken control of our national consciousness.

Critical theory and its misbegotten spawn such as critical race theory, transgenderism etc. undertook in the service of a new communist world order to disarm us intellectually and leave us vulnerable to whatever fad or flavor of the month that might be introduced to undermine our constitutional republic. But the Republic falls only after our minds fail us.

These fallacies are not the cause of our problems, they are a symptoms caused by a faulty epistemology that is itself absurd on its face.

[Scarlett156]

I just read the article and there’s something barely mentioned that I think is an important factor:

There’s more than one reason the perverts and crazies aren’t being locked up anymore, but allowed to roam free and enact their delusions on those who are managing to cling to sanity.

I know the article is about “the power of terrible ideas” and from that point of view it’s great. But which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

The idea that “there’s no such thing as mental illness” was moot because, prior to about 1960 or so, people who were clearly not manageable by their families or capable of managing on their own, and especially if they were causing problems in the larger community, where housed in charitable institutions that were, a lot of the time, religion-based.

Yeah, it’s true that a lot of charities that housed the mentally ill were hellholes, just like a lot of the orphanages, a lot of the unwed teen mom homes, etc. But even a substandard lockup is at least protecting community at large from the truly awful things that a mentally ill person can do if s/he is left without care or supervision. Unfortunate but true.

The organized Left has always made use of bums, drunks, addicts, and crazy people. That’s really the Left’s army and they have been doing this since way before 1960 - it’s just that having the government take over a lot of the work formerly done by charities and churches would make that SO MUCH EASIER. So they started looking around for terrible ideas to help them, and found a whole bushel of them with this guy Szasz and his buddy Laing. Throw opportunistic lawyer Ennis into the mix and you’ve got the Three Fairies that are going to increase the Left’s army a thousandfold.

And they did!

The lust of communism to devour the free nations will attach itself to charities, especially religious charities, early on. Keeping crazy people locked up (so they can’t hurt anybody or cause mayhem) and making them take meds is religious nuttery! And oppression!

So bing, bam, boom, all of a sudden the charitable institutions are gone and you have the Zombie Apocalypse.

That being said, what passes for mental health care these days is largely a joke. Try to find a psychiatrist or other mental health professional that isn’t a flaming liberal. I double-dog dare you!

Also, claiming that you’re mentally ill to beat a rap - say, for drunk driving or, like one guy I used to pal around with, ATTEMPTED MURDER - is now an accepted way to avoid jail AND get free counseling sessions at state expense, probably psych meds, too. Does it help? No, it’s just a cynical ploy to stay out of jail. I’ve never seen anyone helped by it; meanwhile the criminal gets to roam around free and, if he doesn’t commit crimes, he’ll still f*** up a lot.

Elijah Cummings - who was in office in MD for like 100 years - and his wife famously pulled a mental health scam that enriched them a great deal. Did it help any mentally ill folks? I doubt it! Public mental health funding is like a call for grifters, con men, and crooks to come milk the system.

So if you’re looking for mental health services these days, good luck finding anyone who will actually, you know, HELP you. The system seems permanently jiggered. Having worked in mental health in the hospital setting, I can tell you who gets the most attention (the criminal) and who is neglected the most (the mentally ill person who doesn’t act out or get in trouble, but is just miserable with his/her symptoms).

Yes: A mentally ill person who does NOT commit crimes or cause problems, who manages to keep his/her behavior under control, can suffer more than one whose behavior is out of control. And unless you’re just all over the place, ranting and raving and making threats, a lot of the time no one takes you seriously. They give you Prozac and “see you next month.” A guy who steals cars gets twice-weekly visits and all kinds of love.

The author is correct that climate change may be the same kind of thing: It may take the human race decades or longer to come back around to relatively clear thinking on the subject. Let’s hope we don’t have bigger problems in the meantime, like what to do about radioactive fallout or total collapse of the world economy.

[Scarlett156]

You know what’s a real treat?

Someone who, having claimed to be right-wing and Republican, small-govt, anti-abortion, etc etc etc, THEN starts using one of these “but so-and-so is JUST EXPRESSING HIMSELF and you know, EVERYBODY’S DIFFERENT; YOU’RE NOT BEING A GOOD LISTENER” and of course the classic: “Why is it bothering you so much? Have you asked yourself that?” when I express a concern about someone trafficking in methamphetamine.

Everybody spouts that stuff without even thinking.

Having avoided college for most of my life (I’ve worked in a couple and that didn’t last long) I’ve managed to stay free of a lot of that garbage. It’s bad to see someone you thought you cared about sink into the intellectual quagmire.

I was thinking the Frankfurt School when I made my other post under this topic but I couldn’t remember the year it started and too lazy to look it up.

[Shady]

In addition to your excellent post we have the Former (thank Heavens) “First Woman” of Gnu Yak Sitty, Chirlane McCray who, along with her grifter formerly mayor spouse, stole a good portion of $850 Million in taxpayer dollars for her “mental health initiative..” but that bastion of justice, fair play and cronyism “Tish” James, the supposed Attorney General of NYS did NOTHING to protect the citizens of NY from this mega felony.

Something has to be done to obtain justice and stop this rabid insanity. If not, we all will be consumed in the fire laden hell to come…

[Jim Noble]

an army of broken souls foraging and freezing in the streets

Great description!

Caused, completely, by one book and one movie.

In 1955, New Hampshire had 6000 beds for crazy people. Today, it has 135.

And, the demand is much higher today than in 1955 (as anyone with eyes can see).

[Jim Noble]

Yeah, it’s true that a lot of charities that housed the mentally ill were hellholes

No it isn't.

[Lurker]

“So they started looking around for terrible ideas to help them, and found a whole bushel of them with this guy Szasz and his buddy Laing. Throw opportunistic lawyer Ennis into the mix and you’ve got the Three Fairies that are going to increase the Left’s army a thousandfold.”

And by any measure they’ve been spectacularly successful. They’re not just roaming the streets these days.

They’re in charge.

L

[Scarlett156]

*argues pointlessly*

[Scarlett156]

At first I thought “Gnu Yak Sitty” was a real place. I guess I need some more coffee.

But seriously, folks: Mental health is the easiest scam in the world. I’ve seen the same folks running it in my state for a very long time, now. Some stories I could tell! (because I worked for some of them - some of them in more than one place)

“For the children” is a pretty easy scam, but you have to battle with their parents first. Some parents still care about their kids and don’t like them being used as political poker chips.

The mentally ill often don’t have anyone looking out for them and often won’t engage in treatment. They are easy to plunder as far as social security benefits and so on. Makes me want to hurl, it does!

[ridesthemiles]

IF there is no such thing as mental illness-—

PLEASE EXPLAIN Charles Manson & group.

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

Evil explains a lot.

[Cincinnatus.45-70]

When I see in the news that someone with “mental health” issues has killed others and then killed himself or has to be killed by police, I ask one question. Wouldn’t the crazy person and all the victims be better off with the treatment used in 1700s Britain?

That is, the crazy person was chained to a brick or stone wall and fed and watered daily. Anyone who answers No to that question above needs to explain who would worse off under that old system. Anyone who says the crazy person would be worse off has to answer another question. The crazy person is now dead. So does that mean you advocate killing crazy people to protect society? I don’t get much discussion after that.

[Paal Gulli]

If you aren't familiar with the terms "The Abilene Paradox" or "The Bus To Abilene," or its applicability to "management by concensus," you really should look it up.

[RoosterRedux]

I'm about halfway through Abilene Paradox. Excellent, if a little depressing.

That poor girl who was destined to marry a person she didn't love reminds me of my first marriage.;-) Can't believe I went through with it.