General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAmerica's Continuing Empathy Deficit Disorder
It's possible for an entire culture to develop shared forms of mental disturbance. As socially shared pathologies increase, they can be difficult to recognize; they become the norm. Such is the case today, and a prime example is what I call our national Empathy Deficit Disorder, or EDD.
I made the name up, so don't go looking for it in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Actually, I'm hesitant to suggest a new disorder, given that our mental health professions increasingly define normal variations of mood and temperament as new "disorders" (for which Big Pharma is ready to supply "treatments" . But this one's real. It's become pervasive throughout our increasingly polarized social and political culture of the past several years.
EDD has profound consequences for the mental health of individuals and society. Yet it's ignored as a psychological disturbance by most of my colleagues in the mental health professions, largely because it's become the norm throughout our emotional attitudes, public policies and behavior.
First, some explanation of what I mean by EDD: It's reflected in being unable to step outside yourself and tune in to what other people experience, especially those who feel, think and believe differently from yourself. EDD is a source of personal conflicts, of communication breakdown in intimate relationships, and of adversarial attitudes - including hatred - towards groups of people who differ in their beliefs, traditions, values or ways of life from your own.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-labier/americas-continuing-empat_b_637718.html
This blog post is from 2010 but the way I see it the problem has only gotten worse.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)or in a lot of cases, imagining that you do.
Dan de Lyons
(52 posts)... which is also not in the DSM. More about it here...
There are many forms of chauvinism. When a person exhibits several, this may indicate a disability in the affective/empathetic part of their nature. But research is needed.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)No Vested Interest
(5,167 posts)Last edited Sat Oct 4, 2014, 10:38 AM - Edit history (1)
I attribute a lot of it to immaturity, which isn't so bad, in that it can be outgrown.
But, we all know, that's not the final answer, as it's not out-grown in all cases.
UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)fuels the lack of empathy while many other countries still express and support those who are less fortunate. In this country not so much. Can a nation outgrow it's lack of empathy? Only time will tell.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)and directly related to attacking liberals and defending corporate politicians.
No Vested Interest
(5,167 posts)on these comments we too frequently see?
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)The Republicans?....Not so much.
Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)Psychologists to program the shows to make people angry and afraid, although that's probably giving Limpballs too much credit! This media Oligopoly needs to be broken up and laws passed requiring truth, even if you say it's "entertainment."
vlyons
(10,252 posts)As a Buddhist, I recognize it as a lack of compassion, or loving kindness, a major teaching of the dharma. But I like you EDD, I'm going to borrow it.
What I see is that we are now full blown into KaliYuga, the Degenerate Age.
SleeplessinSoCal
(9,123 posts)But when rallied by a good cause, has historically come through. "Atlas Shrugged" was published in 1957 and wasn't the smash hit during Viet Nam "conflict" that it is now. By the 80's its message was adopted by the GOP. And they're just smart enough to deny it.
I think nearly all our current failures, shortcomings and woes are a direct result.
Bigmack
(8,020 posts)Most of the people who identify with all that GOP/Rand stuff and accept it completely. The fascinating thing is that the vast majority of them never read Rand's spew. That shit sounds good to the thoughtless and sounds great to the borderline sociopaths in this country.
Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan have turned our country into this "Hooray for me and screw you!" thing we see today.
UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)loved the saying "IGM" I got mine, you get yours, until his business fell apart and then was wondering where was all the help.
UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)ever truly isolationists at any point. Take in consideration all the wars and all of the coups we supported in our time as a nation. Maybe for brief time during the depression but other than that I just don't see it.