nikki bruno (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} nukko) wrote,@ 2008-12-02 00:21:00 |
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So this is the budding beginning of a long ranting essay I'm going to end up writing for my own entertainment... but I don't have time right now.
As I do research for my English paper, and just read news and articles in general, I grow more and more appalled at how much our government believes they have the right to regulate the personal lives of us citizens. The obvious issues out there being gay marriage and the likes, but even more scary are happenings not so present in the news. Of course, there is always more than one side to a story. And I don't know everything. But when I think about how screwed up the priorities of society are, at least in some facets, I can't help but want to get the hell out as fast as I can.
Anyway, I'm just gonna give you a reader's digest from a paper I'm reading right now, so this isn't entirely my opinion, but interesting anyway.
My final English paper is about AD/HD as a cultural phenomenon, more specifically an American phenomenon. Not to say that the disorder doesn't exist anywhere else in the world, because it is just as prevalent as it is here. However the real problem lies in the fact that most Americans view it more often as a mental illness, and then subsequently medicate the shit out of their kids.
Back in 1937 a dude named Charles Bradley experimented on some children who lived at the psychiatric hospital/home that he was the director of. He fed them some Benzedrine, a stimulant, and noticed that the drug gave the children unusual motivation to work, and enhanced reading, comprehension, and arithmetic ability.
So you ask, where the hell does the government come into all this?
In 1958, the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was put into place. Brought about by the space race, the act sought to fund more education in math and science, as Americans feared that the Russian education system was superior and therefore gave Soviets the advantage. After observing the mental conditions of shell-shocked WWII soldiers, the NDEA reminded the parents and educators how important a young boy's mental health was to national security. So into schools flooded psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers, etc. to ensure the health of the youth. This national focus of nurturing children to be well-adjusted young men encouraged educators to develop not only academic skills in students, but to aid in personality development. The government did not want inferior, unproductive, children becoming the future of the country. So post WWII, those school psychologists encouraged the "medicalisation of American education." AKA, medicating the shit out of the kids who didn't like math and writing. It came to the point where educators were considered legitimate diagnosticians, and views of the parents were put on the backburner. This is still seen today as some schools have been known to forcefully request that a child be medicated for AD/HD, or the child may not be allowed back in the classroom. Are there kids out there who really needed the drugs? Of course. But you as well as I know many people who probably wouldn't have been prescribed stimulants had we all lived in another country.
Take that for what you will, but considering the United States consumes 80% of the worlds Ritalin alone, it doesn't seem to be a far-fetched explanation. Nor should it surprise you that the government would go through any means to ensure that we stay on top. Granted.. we're not on top. And it is somewhat of an extremist view to put all the blame on the system. But nevertheless, something to ponder...
I keep wondering if it is only a matter of time before we are forced to live as the banned-books all predicted we will. In Oceania, or as Firemen, or as Alphas, Betas and Gammas, or as George and Hazel Bergeron with speakers in our ears and lead around our necks.
End slightly coherent babble. On to finishing homework...
x-posted from my facebook.
It's kind of ironic, and intentional, that I'm writing an argument paper against the over-prescription of stimulants, considering my desperate need for them in fear of failing out of college because I can't concentrate for shit anymore. At least not on shit I'm supposed to be doing. Or things I need to get done. And it stresses me out. Humsigh.
But I enjoy writing papers that argue with myself. I just don't enjoy not having enough time for doing a good enough job.
EUUGH. TOO MUCH WORK. And not enough of an attention-span.
K. Done.
As I do research for my English paper, and just read news and articles in general, I grow more and more appalled at how much our government believes they have the right to regulate the personal lives of us citizens. The obvious issues out there being gay marriage and the likes, but even more scary are happenings not so present in the news. Of course, there is always more than one side to a story. And I don't know everything. But when I think about how screwed up the priorities of society are, at least in some facets, I can't help but want to get the hell out as fast as I can.
Anyway, I'm just gonna give you a reader's digest from a paper I'm reading right now, so this isn't entirely my opinion, but interesting anyway.
My final English paper is about AD/HD as a cultural phenomenon, more specifically an American phenomenon. Not to say that the disorder doesn't exist anywhere else in the world, because it is just as prevalent as it is here. However the real problem lies in the fact that most Americans view it more often as a mental illness, and then subsequently medicate the shit out of their kids.
Back in 1937 a dude named Charles Bradley experimented on some children who lived at the psychiatric hospital/home that he was the director of. He fed them some Benzedrine, a stimulant, and noticed that the drug gave the children unusual motivation to work, and enhanced reading, comprehension, and arithmetic ability.
So you ask, where the hell does the government come into all this?
In 1958, the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was put into place. Brought about by the space race, the act sought to fund more education in math and science, as Americans feared that the Russian education system was superior and therefore gave Soviets the advantage. After observing the mental conditions of shell-shocked WWII soldiers, the NDEA reminded the parents and educators how important a young boy's mental health was to national security. So into schools flooded psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers, etc. to ensure the health of the youth. This national focus of nurturing children to be well-adjusted young men encouraged educators to develop not only academic skills in students, but to aid in personality development. The government did not want inferior, unproductive, children becoming the future of the country. So post WWII, those school psychologists encouraged the "medicalisation of American education." AKA, medicating the shit out of the kids who didn't like math and writing. It came to the point where educators were considered legitimate diagnosticians, and views of the parents were put on the backburner. This is still seen today as some schools have been known to forcefully request that a child be medicated for AD/HD, or the child may not be allowed back in the classroom. Are there kids out there who really needed the drugs? Of course. But you as well as I know many people who probably wouldn't have been prescribed stimulants had we all lived in another country.
Take that for what you will, but considering the United States consumes 80% of the worlds Ritalin alone, it doesn't seem to be a far-fetched explanation. Nor should it surprise you that the government would go through any means to ensure that we stay on top. Granted.. we're not on top. And it is somewhat of an extremist view to put all the blame on the system. But nevertheless, something to ponder...
I keep wondering if it is only a matter of time before we are forced to live as the banned-books all predicted we will. In Oceania, or as Firemen, or as Alphas, Betas and Gammas, or as George and Hazel Bergeron with speakers in our ears and lead around our necks.
End slightly coherent babble. On to finishing homework...
x-posted from my facebook.
It's kind of ironic, and intentional, that I'm writing an argument paper against the over-prescription of stimulants, considering my desperate need for them in fear of failing out of college because I can't concentrate for shit anymore. At least not on shit I'm supposed to be doing. Or things I need to get done. And it stresses me out. Humsigh.
But I enjoy writing papers that argue with myself. I just don't enjoy not having enough time for doing a good enough job.
EUUGH. TOO MUCH WORK. And not enough of an attention-span.
K. Done.
