Last Blog -- Fashionable Syndromes

So I think this is the last blog and since I would like to end on a good note, I have a list of 'fashionable' syndromes (thought about during my PSYC 245 class when I probably should have been studying) for people who like to jump on the bandwagon.

As Americans, we get so many choices that others living in less pop-culture consumed countries that sometimes we don't know what to choose to make ourselves liked by others. So I'm here to put those eases aside by giving you my complete list of fashionable syndromes to have for 2010 which I derived throughout the year from my Abnormal Psychology Class.

1. Foreign Accent Syndrome
While the method of creating this syndrome is rather unappealing (it results from head trauma, stroke, brain injury or something of the like), it creates the most desirable effect of speaking words in a completely different accent. Plus even if you were not so good at impersonating accents, somehow the brain rewires the language system so you adopt a realistic sounding accent AND use grammatical errors which we Americans associate with other languages. So if you get a British, Irish, Italian, French, Spanish, or basically any sexy romantic language your romantic endeavors are set for life. Or at least until they find a cure.

2. Stendhal Syndrome
This syndrome gets its name from the 19th century French author Henri Beyle's penname Stendhal. The symptoms of the syndrome are not too bad: rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, and even hallucinations. How to get the syndrome? Well it happens sometimes when an individual is present with an incredibly beautiful work of art or immense beauty in the world. Most documented cases are people traveling to Florence Italy. This syndrome is genuinely interesting, if your American is shows culture awareness, doesn't require head trauma or severe pain, and if you tell your girlfriend you got this syndrome when you first saw her once again you are set for life (if you wanted to be set for life, if not I suppose just for the one night stand).

3. Dissociative Fugue
While technically this is not a syndrome, it is a mental illness according to the most recent version of the DSM and in my opinion is a wonderful illness to have. Dissociative Fugue is a dissociative disorder -- disorders which represent extreme experiences in which aspects of people identities split apart. In this disorder, the person moves away and assumes a new identity, with amnesia for the previous identity. The best part: one day you DO realize who you really were and move back. There is no switching among personalities (so thank god people don't think you have dissociative identity disorder). Now some psychologists criticize this disorder because they feel the person just got bored with their life and walked away. However, imagine how wonderful it would be to go take a 3 month vacation to get away from the responsibilities of life. Although everyone would be worried sick and angry at you, you have a mental illness so they can't blame you! This one isn't for getting the girl, its mainly to get away from her if you need it.

4. Conversion Disorder
This disorder is a somatoform disorder in which people lose functioning in a part of their bodies. While the area of the body is risky, people have been known to have blindness, you have no biological problems yet are pain free in some area of the body. Worried that this one might not be for you? Don't be! A fantastic side effect of the disorder is la belle indifference: 'the beautiful indifference' describes the effect that people appear completely unconcerned about the loss of functioning in their limb. So you might be impaired, but you get all the sympathy and no pain AND you don't even care. This disorder is caused by sever psychological stressors, which seems bad but is pretty easy if you just don't study for finals.

So these are in my opinion the top 4 syndromes and disorders for 2010. Sorry for centering the syndromes for guys but I am writing from a guy's point of view. If you have any more questions about how you can get these syndromes just ask! Thanks for reading my last blog, I had a blast with it.

~Joey

Analyzing An Aphorism

So while I would love to have something incredibly interesting to say or comment on current events (anyone hear about the death of the Polish president?), I've decided that I might as well just write about things that interest me rather than pander to a non-existent audience! So anyhoo, I apologize in advance if this is not interesting to you.

One of the most analyzed (an one of my favorite) aphorism of Friedrich Nietzsche is


This in my opinion is primarily an excellent and insightful statement but also gives me an opportunity to illustrate Nietzsche's style and overall philosophy.

The statement itself is rather clear -- Nietzsche is trying to stress the importance of differing opinions in an educational system -- yet has far reaching consequences. It seems amazing that people still do not support teaching differing theories on phenomenon. During my Spring Break, I actually learned that the IB program is taking Freud out of the teaching material for IB Psychology; while I DO think Freud was wrong about sexuality as the primary motivation (I believe largely in his dream work though) I find it horrible that they would not teach such an amazing and influential psychologist's work -- even if it was largely incorrect. It illustrates the foundations of modern psychological work and research. But that differs from my point.

This quote illustrates Nietzsche's preferred style of writings -- in short aphorisms which he wanted the reader to pick apart and analyze each bit. Furthermore, it illustrates Nietzsche's pessimism inherited largely from Schopenhauer. Instead of advising the educational system the best way to teach a youth he structures the aphorism to address the worst way.

Lastly, just to end this blog, I want to stress something important about Nietzsche. Many scholars, largely due to his sister changing some of his works to fit her pro-Nazi beliefs, had interpreted Nietzsche as some sort of pro-Nazi after Hitler and the 3rd Reich used much of his philosophy of the "master race" and "superhuman" to justify their actions. While this quote is not addressing Semitic feelings, Nietzsche has numerous points in his philosophy to illustrate his hatred of German nationalism and anti-Semitism. For those of you who didn't know this, this can help if you study Nietzsche and someone tries to claim he was an anti-Semitic.

Well thanks for reading! Time for bed. Cheers

Doctor Who

For those of you don't know or have never heard of the television series "Doctor Who", you have missed our on some of the best British science fiction program ever. And do NOT dismiss this show solely on the basis that it is science fiction -- trust me it is nothing like American science fiction like Battlestar Galactica or something. For this blog, I will essentially give a brief overview of the program and then illustrate why the show has captivated me and I have watched every single recent series.

Doctor Who depicts the incredible adventures of the Doctor, a humanoid alien, as he travels throughout time and space in a little blue policebox known as the TARDIS (an acronym for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space). He gathers companions throughout the series and goes throughout time to fix events due to his extremely generous nature and compassion. His race is known as the Timelords, a superior race known for their ability to travel and manipulate time with advance technology. Much of the recent series involves companions who help the Doctor save the Earth because many other aliens are interested in concurring our planet due to our abundance in lives and resources.

But before the show takes a turn for focusing on science fiction, the reason I love the show is for two main reasons.

1. The show (for me, an American who sadly does not know enough about British culture) is quintessentially British -- the quirky eccentricity and dry humor makes the show completely different from American shows.
My favorite actor as the Doctor, David Tennant, is completely amazing because he depicts a modern British superhero. He doesn’t have incredible superpowers such as super strength or speed, but actually makes numerous mistakes in landing the TARDIS, spends half the time trying to get everyone to find a peaceful solution, and in the end comes through with some brilliant thinking just so he can go home for a nice cup of tea. American television shows center around one thing usually: drama. In order for an American show to take off, either the show centers around incredibly stupid comedy, have classic car chases or fighting scenes, or a dramatic plotline which the audience in unable to relate to (this is a generalization for emphasis, I actual love many shows such as Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother, and Burn Notice). End point: this British television show captures an amazing culture.

2. The show addresses unique philosophical and moral questions about the nature of all life forms, purpose and meaning of life and the universe, and stretching the mind beyond the impossible.
I do not want to tell too much about the brilliance with which the writers create these episodes (because it will be necessary to watch some), but I can tell you as a Philosophy major this show is cleverest and philosophically engaging/questioning show I have ever had the pleasure of watching. It addresses the morality of conquest, the determination of fate on our lives, scientific questions such as time as a fourth dimension and time in flux, the brilliance and inspiring power of mankind, and so much more. Just to give one example, the episode “Blink” featured a race called “Weeping Angels.” Their perfect defense mechanism (inspired by actual physics) was whenever someone viewed them they froze in quantum lock, becoming a statue. They are called “weeping” angels because they cover their eyes so they don’t look at another of their race and become eternally frozen in stone. They destroy their enemies by carrying them away through time in the past and let them die of old age, essentially the person never existed during that time period. Anyway, the Doctor gets trapped in the 1960s and records himself on a series of VHS tapes until a girl in 2006 gets them and follows the instructions to save the Doctor by sending the TARDIS back through time. I realize this must seem really convoluted but just imagine the brilliance and genius it must have taken to create this idea! I would highly recommend watching this episode.
Anyway thanks for reading my comments on my favorite series Doctor Who! Hope it was interesting.