Posted by Elizabeth on April 7, 2002, at 18:22:39
In reply to Re: How did any of this happen???????, posted by Dr. Bob on April 4, 2002, at 22:00:10
Beardedlady:
> > I don't think stereotyping is what andyboy meant to do or did. What he said was not some horrible, evil, antagonistic lie; it was simply his belief. So it doesn't apply to everyone. Maybe there's a better way to say so.I think there might be a double standard here. If somebody believed that, say, women tend to be "suggestible," I think a lot of people would be pretty disgusted. Whether or not Andy genuinely believes what he said -- and I'm sure he does -- it's still a stereotype. Stereotyping doesn't happen because people make up evil lies (or whatever). Stereotypes exist because people don't question the things that they've heard.
Andy:
Okay, so you got this idea from a book you read. I'm sure we all know that an appeal to authority doesn't constitute evidence. The quote you posted may be applicable to certain kinds of psychiatric conditions ("somatic disorders," they're called; they include such things as hypochondriasis and conversion disorder), but it has little or nothing to do with depression or anxiety disorders. I don't even see the words "depression" or anxiety" in the quote you selected; "nervous suffering" might be taken to apply to anxiety (some people with panic disorder, in particular, find Weeks's self-help suggestions useful), but as it turns out, the actual evidence doesn't support this particular bit of speculation. (If you know of any evidence that I might not be aware of, please by all means post it. Evidence, mind you, not just somebody's opinion.)
Your caution not to believe everything we read is getting more and more ironic.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:3825
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020308/msgs/3977.html