TAW122
Emissary of the right to die.
- Aug 30, 2018
- 7,458
I have written many anti-psychotherapy threads as well as explained my positions (as well as a megathread on it), but in this thread, I will present additional reasoning and some examples of what I mean. First off, as a brief reminder of why I hold the anti-psychotherapy position, is because it is an insinuation of a mental disorder, illness, or problem with the said person and a way to deflect, dismiss, and/or downplay the person's plight, problems. It is also blaming the person suffering as making it a shortcoming of their own. I also hold the position that one is better to be suspected of being a criminal versus being mentally incompetent (though neither is good at all), because at least a suspected criminal has recourse and rights, isn't immediately stigmatized (depending on context, crime, of course), but that is for another thread and I digress…
Anyways, so the statement "seek therapy" (and it is more prevalent nowadays, perhaps even more aggressively pushed onto unwilling participants), is considered offensive is because it blames the victim for whatever plight or suffering they have, as well as taking away any agency (through dismissal and gaslighting) that the person has. So whenever someone is suffering, whenever someone says "seek therapy" it is nothing more than merely a low-effort, non-helpful, platitudinal phrase intended to make the speaker feel 'powerful, accomplished' or even useful, even if the outcome is not helpful. It is also unfalsifiable whether or not the person's plight or problems are even solved, but instead 'swept under the rug'. This doesn't even delve into the availability, affordability, or even efficacy, or nuances of psychotherapy (that is another whole thread for those topics and I would rather not complicate and go off tangent on those points).
Here are some examples of what I mean (using an analogy).
Modern secular society, victim of SA:
In the modern world, late 20th century, perhaps even into the 21st century, as society has become more and more secular, as well as less prudish, at least in everyday life and certain places, settings, there are people who wish to be expressive and go about their day, dressing up or being visually provocative, because – freedom of expression, freedom of speech, etc. So then, some bad actor goes up to the victim and either eyes him/her down, does some uncanny thing, and then some prudish puritanical person says "the victim shouldn't have been provocative wearing revealing clothes or showing skin, etc.!" Of course, in modern society, most people would take issue (maybe even cancel, threaten harm) to the puritanical person! This is an example of victim blaming.
Modern society, victim of robbery:
Similar to the previous example, however, this time, it is dark at night, near midnight, or even past midnight, and someone (male or female, regardless) is walking in the streets, and somehow they ended up in a bad neighborhood and for bad luck, encountered an opportunist thug, who then robbed them at gunpoint, demanded cash, valuables, and other things. However, instead of addressing crime or focusing on making the streets safer, and other productive, constructive solutions, some affluent person in a safe suburb tells the person "You're fault for walking at night, shouldn't be walking in dangerous neighborhoods in general!" and society would definitely want to rip affluent asshole person a new one!
So there it is, whenever society and people push therapy or say "seek therapy" (or any similar statements) to the targetted person, they are effectively dismissing, gaslighting, and downplaying the person's problems or suffering, refusing to address the underlying causes. It is ironic how society doesn't do that for actual problems (or even if they do, they at least acknowledge the other causes, or try to fix them if possible), but when it comes to someone mentally struggling, suffering, because of whatever reason, or so, they are shut down, given unhelpful platitudes, and condescending platitudes, such as seek therapy and such! This thread explains and shows with examples of why the statement "seek therapy" is considered offensive and unhelpful. Of course, as long as society keeps pushing these failed platitudes, insinuating there is something wrong with the person's mind and in need to being reeducated or corrected, then blaming the victim of suffering (using their reaction against them), then people will continue to suffer quietly until one day they snap! Instead, society should focus on the problems, listen more (which is easier said than done), and this pro-psychotherapy culture needs to be dialed back significantly!
Anyways, so the statement "seek therapy" (and it is more prevalent nowadays, perhaps even more aggressively pushed onto unwilling participants), is considered offensive is because it blames the victim for whatever plight or suffering they have, as well as taking away any agency (through dismissal and gaslighting) that the person has. So whenever someone is suffering, whenever someone says "seek therapy" it is nothing more than merely a low-effort, non-helpful, platitudinal phrase intended to make the speaker feel 'powerful, accomplished' or even useful, even if the outcome is not helpful. It is also unfalsifiable whether or not the person's plight or problems are even solved, but instead 'swept under the rug'. This doesn't even delve into the availability, affordability, or even efficacy, or nuances of psychotherapy (that is another whole thread for those topics and I would rather not complicate and go off tangent on those points).
Here are some examples of what I mean (using an analogy).
Modern secular society, victim of SA:
In the modern world, late 20th century, perhaps even into the 21st century, as society has become more and more secular, as well as less prudish, at least in everyday life and certain places, settings, there are people who wish to be expressive and go about their day, dressing up or being visually provocative, because – freedom of expression, freedom of speech, etc. So then, some bad actor goes up to the victim and either eyes him/her down, does some uncanny thing, and then some prudish puritanical person says "the victim shouldn't have been provocative wearing revealing clothes or showing skin, etc.!" Of course, in modern society, most people would take issue (maybe even cancel, threaten harm) to the puritanical person! This is an example of victim blaming.
Modern society, victim of robbery:
Similar to the previous example, however, this time, it is dark at night, near midnight, or even past midnight, and someone (male or female, regardless) is walking in the streets, and somehow they ended up in a bad neighborhood and for bad luck, encountered an opportunist thug, who then robbed them at gunpoint, demanded cash, valuables, and other things. However, instead of addressing crime or focusing on making the streets safer, and other productive, constructive solutions, some affluent person in a safe suburb tells the person "You're fault for walking at night, shouldn't be walking in dangerous neighborhoods in general!" and society would definitely want to rip affluent asshole person a new one!
So there it is, whenever society and people push therapy or say "seek therapy" (or any similar statements) to the targetted person, they are effectively dismissing, gaslighting, and downplaying the person's problems or suffering, refusing to address the underlying causes. It is ironic how society doesn't do that for actual problems (or even if they do, they at least acknowledge the other causes, or try to fix them if possible), but when it comes to someone mentally struggling, suffering, because of whatever reason, or so, they are shut down, given unhelpful platitudes, and condescending platitudes, such as seek therapy and such! This thread explains and shows with examples of why the statement "seek therapy" is considered offensive and unhelpful. Of course, as long as society keeps pushing these failed platitudes, insinuating there is something wrong with the person's mind and in need to being reeducated or corrected, then blaming the victim of suffering (using their reaction against them), then people will continue to suffer quietly until one day they snap! Instead, society should focus on the problems, listen more (which is easier said than done), and this pro-psychotherapy culture needs to be dialed back significantly!
