Munchausen’s Children

Evolutionary psychologist Gad Saad casts an eye over politically corrected academia:

There is a disorder known as Munchausen syndrome, wherein I fake illness and I go to the hospital because that will garner me a lot of attention and sympathy… I think this hyper-victimology poker is a manifestation of this type of syndrome. I can garner a lot of sympathy by constantly seeing life through a prism of endless victimhood. People respond to that. “Oh, it’s okay, you’re protected here.” It’s hard to argue this stuff with me, though, because I can always use the card of “I escaped execution in Lebanon, therefore you better have a really strong victimology story to outdo mine.” And usually they run away. So this is what happens when people are using their identity for these types of purposes. It’s grotesque.

Dr Saad’s recent lecture at the University of Ottawa can be viewed in full here. A brief taster, with illustrations by Matthew Drake, can be viewed here.  

Comments

[David]

From the video:

Anisa Rawhani [a non-Muslim student at Queens University, Ontario] decided to wear a hijab for 18 days to see how people would respond to her. It turned out that, to her surprise, people were very kind and polite. Now, the conclusion I would come to is that, well, maybe there aren’t massive numbers of rabid racists walking around everywhere. But she couldn’t have that conclusion. [And so] this overt tolerance and kindness is [allegedly] a manifestation of overcompensating for people’s latent bigotry and intolerance – i.e., being kind and tolerant is racist. In other words, by people being polite, kind, gracious with her when she was wearing a hijab, the only possibility is that they were compensating for the latent hatred that they had in their hearts.

Yes, racism in all directions. Why, it almost sounds like a trap.

[McN]

My son is at university. He's a big fan of your blog.

[Jonathan]

I've noticed that SJWs like to use the what I call the 'Guilt/ Threat' paradigm when talking about so-called victim groups. In other words, Muslims, for example, are a persecuted minority - for shame you bigots! and simultaneously 1.6 billion people who're going to overtake the West - they're coming to get you haters!

[David]

I think Milo Yiannopoulos used the term “feminist quantum superposition,” in which the scold in question is somehow both victim and aggressor. Or rather, they affect victimhood as a pretext for being obnoxious.

[Jonathan]

I think Milo Yiannopoulos used the term “feminist quantum superposition,”

Milo is of Greek descent, so does that make his use of the Latin word 'quantum' Cultural Appropriation? We should be told.
Excellent talk by Dr Saad BTW. I hope he has tenure.

[Captain Nemo]

Milo is of Greek descent, so does that make his use of the Latin word 'quantum' Cultural Appropriation? We should be told.

Well, Jonathan, I'm sure that Milo would argue that as the Ancient Romans appropriated elements of Ancient Greek culture, (their architecture for instance owes a great debt to Greece), he's simply taking back ownership of something that is rightfully his.

[tolkein]

Milo is of Greek descent, so does that make his use of the Latin word 'quantum' Cultural Appropriation?

Of course not! The Greeks struggled under the hegemonic oppression of the imperialist, patriarchal and proto capitalist Roman Empire so the adoption of Latin, the linguistic tool of the oppressing class, was actually a subversive, nay transgressive act which should be applauded. And comments to the contrary, comrade – if you are worthy to continue to addressed thus - are micro-aggressions that must be condemned!

[Jonathan]

Or rather, they affect victimhood as a pretext for being obnoxious.

Somebody came up with 'Cry-Bullies', which I think is quite apt. Milo says it better though, as usual - damn him!

[Jonathan]

And comments to the contrary, comrade – if you are worthy to continue to addressed thus - are micro-aggressions that must be condemned!

I'm sure David will wheel out the Correction Booth for me.

[Jonathan]

And comments to the contrary, comrade – if you are worthy to continue to addressed thus - are micro-aggressions that must be condemned!

I'm sure David will wheel out the Correction Booth.

[Jonathan]

Arrrrgh!!

[David]

Arrrrgh!!

Fixed.

[Jonathan]

Fixed.

Thanks.

[tolkein]

Sadly, the words flowed on to the page with virtually no conscious thought applied - or necessary!

[Gregoryno6]

To misquote Henry Ford, you can have any opinion you want as long as it's racist.

[Trevor]

Yes, racism in all directions. Why, it almost sounds like a trap

It took me a few years - and I can never recover my twenties spent reading The Guardian - but now I've managed to whittle down the number of flying fucks I give about racism to a lovely comforting zero I'm much happier.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

[David]

Or rather, they affect victimhood as a pretext for being obnoxious.

I mentioned this before a couple of years ago, but it may be worth repeating. I’m pretty sure it’s the first time I encountered the phenomenon mentioned above.

As a teenager I once had to deliver some posters to an alternative arts and music venue, one staffed almost entirely by lefties and hippies, and therefore run quite badly. To get to the appropriate office I had to use the main entrance and walk past the dancefloor – which, on this afternoon had been commandeered by a group of feminists. In the centre of the room, maybe ten metres away, a dozen or so women were seated in a circle, talking. There was a sudden hush. As I quietly walked past towards the offices, clutching tubes of posters, I was stopped and berated by one of the ladies. “This is a women-only space,” I was told, quite firmly.

I apologised for the interruption, such as it was, and pointed out that this was the only available route to the offices. “These have to be delivered by 4pm. I’ll drop them off upstairs and be out in 2 minutes.” From the group sounds of tutting could be heard. A burlier, rather quarrelsome woman came over with a face (and voice) like thunder. “What do you think you’re doing in here? This is a safe space for women - men aren’t allowed!” Again, I explained that I had a delivery to make and would be very quiet. Rather than let me get on and out of their way, a third woman joined what was now becoming a one-sided argument. They seemed to enjoy the opportunity to browbeat a callow teenager, continually interrupting my every attempt to speak.

Stunned by the hair-trigger hostility, I finally pointed out that the ladies’ “safe space” wasn’t closed off from a fairly busy thoroughfare, through which staff and visitors had to pass to go about their business. Given the availability of other, more private “spaces” in the venue, where interruption would be much less likely, this seemed a little odd. While I said this, another hapless visitor, one of the male café staff, walked past and was immediately accosted and shouted at for his inexcusable sin. That’s when it occurred to me that this futile attempt to impose a “women-only space” not in a room with a door but in an open thoroughfare may not have been an oversight. I mean, if you wanted to create a situation in which you got to gang up on and berate a series of bewildered male strangers, while feeling both wronged and heroic, this was hard to beat.

[Criticas]

this overt tolerance and kindness is [allegedly] a manifestation of overcompensating for people’s latent bigotry and intolerance

Also known as kafkatrapping (http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=2122):
Notably, if the model A kafkatrap is true, the world is divided into two kinds of people: (a) those who admit they are guilty of thoughtcrime, and (b) those who are guilty of thoughtcrime because they will not admit to being guilty of thoughtcrime.

[Watcher in the dark]

I have a distant relative who was born in Africa. She likes the Guardian and with her "Graun Glasses" can see so much racism in the world as reported, and though I understand her all-white family in these islands offer her nothing but kindness, I get the feeling she is itching for 'something inappropriate to be said' and thus finally prove the Graun correct. But, my, it is such a long wait...

[Jonathan]

I mentioned this before a couple of years ago, but it may be worth repeating. I’m pretty sure it’s the first time I encountered the phenomenon mentioned above.

I remember that now. It seems to be part of female pathology to want to take over any space which has not already been designated for their exclusive use - witness the abolition of the Boy Scouts in this country, or the demands that sporting clubs - founded, built and paid for by men - must be opened to women, who then proceed to feminise the whole organisation. (Puts tin helmet on and prepares for Flak.)

[David]

I remember that now.

At the time, it did seem odd behaviour. I remember there was an A4 hand-written note taped to a wall, saying “women only space” or something to that effect, but you couldn’t actually see it until you were already inside or on your way out.

I suppose it’s possible they were just incredibly disorganised, but the enthusiasm they showed in scolding any male who passed by, however quietly and at distance, was quite conspicuous. I assume the idea was to gather around bitching about how awful men are and then, every few minutes or so, they could seize on a convenient example of someone male being inconsiderate and imposing himself on women. Even though the location they’d chosen for their gathering made interruptions – even very quiet ones - inevitable.

[PiperPaul]

Maybe it's the smothering instinct.

[Burnsie]

"Grotesque" is the perfect word to describe how the most advantaged young people in history go to such lengths to wallow in unhappiness. I guess I sound like an old codger, but they just don't know how good they have it.

[David]

“Grotesque” is the perfect word to describe how the most advantaged young people in history go to such lengths to wallow in unhappiness.

As I said a while ago,

There are plenty of people in this world who can rightly be called oppressed, some horrifically so. And none of them are spending $60,000 a year to piss about on an Ivy League campus, while bemoaning the trauma of seeing white people wearing fashionable headphones.

But hey, fight the power, man.

[Deborah]

I have a new neighbor and though she seems to be a nice person was very quick to rattle off a litany of health issues she endures.

She is, of course allergic to gluten (only discovered in her late fifties), as well as horses, cats (though she constantly seeks out mine to pet), bees, certain types of grass, ugh I forget the entirety of the list, but you get the gist. She also has a litany of physical ailments that includes all of her joints. I must say, considering all that is apparently wrong with her, she is robust and looks younger than her years. She also never seems to actually ail from any of her maladies.

Finally I realized what was going on, in the absence of any hardship in her life this lefty, white lady (she thinks Bernie Sanders is the bees knees) had to cast about for her slice of victimhood pie. When meeting anybody new, it is but mere minutes before she informs them of all her issues. I myself must be reminded daily of her total inability to consume gluten lest she curl up on the floor in the fetal position.

Amusingly, as often as she reminds me of her problems, she almost as frequently lets slip that her friends and family think she is full of BS and even related an incident of having to go to the hospital for a reaction to something and being unable to reach her husband who was seemingly ignoring her calls. When she arrived home later she found him asleep and unconcerned with her near death experience.

On its face, it seems obvious that this poor gal craves attention, but I have also begun to think that she believes that airing these problems makes her interesting, somehow. Whenever I walk away from her I can't help but think that if she developed some hobbies and interests she might find herself on the road to wellness.

[Jib Halyard]

this overt tolerance and kindness is [allegedly] a manifestation of overcompensating for people’s latent bigotry and intolerance

Also known as kafkatrapping

Also known as a non-falsifiable hypothesis

[David Hadley]

I must be getting old. I can remember a time when you could immediately become special, precious and - most of all - interesting by just declaring yourself a vegetarian.

But then being a mere vegetarian became a bit run of the mill and so you had to become a vegan to stay interesting... and so on.

As I've probably said here before, middle-class leftieism is a sort of Stephen Potter game of one-upmanship. Status and thus winning the game is all about getting one step higher up the ladder of victimhood, special illness, heightened sensibility, purer ideological stance and so forth than your peers.

Rather than have the latest model of must-have car on your drive, you claim that Jeremy Corbyn is too far to the right for you.

[WTP]

Deborah, I think we know the same person...jk. It's wide spread. This is nothing new though, as David Hadley points out. But it applies much more broadly. We see it in religious circles, conservative politics (US at least though prolly manifested differently in UK cons), even athletics. As a distance/open water swimmer, and I'm sure this is true of most off-beat sports, I bump in to the diet obsessed as well but also the perpetually injured. One wonders why they continue in athletics if it's so damaging to their health. So they go on and on about the special training technique that they MUST use. Or cyclists who are so finely tuned to their bikes that they simply can't ride anything other than the thing they ride today which puts whatever you are riding to shame. And especially that latter bunch who get all worked up when a car (CAGERS!!!) comes close to them when they are choosing to get their exercise on the main street through town at 5:30 in the evening when everyone else is trying to get home from work. And motorcyclist "victims" who ride like idiots through traffic but cry about CAGERS!!! not seeing them.

Meanwhile people who DO have real problems in some of these regards have to keep even more quiet about their problems, even when they need to speak up about them because they fear being associated with these special snowflakes. I have a blind friend whom I've come to notice gets quietly aggravated by these idiots. It seems harder and harder for him to restrain himself from reacting like Dr. Saad.

[David Gillies]

Anyone who calls people in cars "cagers" needs something unpleasant and instructive doing to them with a bicycle pump.

[Shiggz]

I'd like to hear more from Trevor.

Questioning such thugs\things can really get the morality hammer dropped on you in such groups.

[Shiggz]

Speaking of this I noticed a pattern where typical leftist might bump into a page like this and then:

1. They get frustrated at the lack of racism and hate, which they "know" we all bathe in.

2. Decide we must be hiding our "hate" and try to goad it out of us.

3. When there is no hate to be found only reason and pleasantness they actually melt down and actually become the ones saying racist ignorant things.

I think seeing it here puts their minds at ease. Even if they are the ones who put it here.

[Shiggz]

We talk about how leftists can be immune to reasoning and facts but nit how deliberate some of this "conditioning" was done.

[dicentra]

NARAL actually Goes There: "We can't have Doritos commercials that humanize fetuses."

[dicentra]

Roman appropriation of Greek can have wicked, long-lasting consequences.

In all of the Romance languages, the word for "hand" has a masculine ending but is of the feminine gender.

ESP, ITA — la mano
FRA — le main
POR — a mão
CAT — la mà
ROM — mana

BECAUSE

The Greek word from which "manus" was derived is feminine but has what would be a masculine ending if it were of Latin origin.

Or so I was told in my linguistics classes.

[WTP]

It wouldn't surprise me that this silly Doritos controversy hasn't been ginned up by the Doritos people to keep their product in people's minds. NARAL may indeed be that stupid, but it also wouldn't surprise me if they went to Doritos with this idea.

[Steve 2 - A Touch of Stevil]

Re: Doritos.

The comedy duo Mitchell & Webb had a sketch where they play two Nazi soldiers during WW2 who suddenly realise that they're on the wrong side.

Second Nazi: Have you noticed that our caps actually have little pictures of skulls on them?

Hans: I don't... er-

Second Nazi: Hans... are we the baddies?

Similarly, if you find yourself complaining that a lighthearted depiction of a pregnant lady getting an ultrasound scan on an advert for maize-based carbohydrate snacks might serve to "humanise" unborn babies, well...

[Hal]

. . . witness the abolition of the Boy Scouts in this country, . . .

That does sound awfully odd, so out of curiosity, which country are you writing from?

Absolutely by contrast, there are indeed still quite thriving scouting programs, both here in the US and over in the UK as well.

[Shiggz]

Ninth bday. Umm yaa I would abort that. imagine the money from the body parts!

[juliaeryn]

On a similar note, I have noticed that some people now appear to collect mental health diagnoses and parade those. I've wondered whether it might be a middle step between classic Munchhausen's and the issue described here.

I have a friend who previously received a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. Recently, from a different therapist, they received a diagnosis of Bipolar 2 Disorder. Never mind that all of the 'bipolar' symptoms they exhibit are already explained by their personality disorder diagnosis (there is quite a lot of symptom overlap). My friend now describes themselves as having Borderline Personality, Bipolar disorder, suicidal tendencies, and depression. More worryingly , I also met a young boy whose parents describe him as Autistic, Asperger's and OCD. Again, after the first diagnosis, the remaining labels become redundant. Btw, these folks (my friend, the parents) work in mental health and should know the specific criteria for each diagnosis and that symptoms are not evident of a diagnosis if they are more adequately explained by an existing condition. After all, you wouldn't hear someone describe themselves as have Type 2 Diabetes and metabolic syndrome. I always assumed these folks were gaining in other ways - e.g attention/impressing others. Or perhaps if parents can spout multiple diagnostic labels for their child, people are less likely to criticise their parenting skills after the child has kicked their car door in.

Also, when I am in practice, I find there is a strong, negative correlation between the number of diagnoses a client announces they have at the beginning of therapy and the genuine impairment/distress they suffer.

[juliaeryn]

Yes, racism in all directions. Why, it almost sounds like a trap

Ah, the disprovable hypothesis. The hallmark of garbage research...

[WTP]

Btw, these folks (my friend, the parents) work in mental health

And there it is. Many people who work in mental health are there because they themselves have issues. It's a significant problem.

[juliaeryn]

And there it is. Many people who work in mental health are there because they themselves have issues. It's a significant problem.

I really meant that these people don't actually have problems - or at least, not as many as they think/say they do :)

[Richard Powell]

Juliaeryn: "My friend now describes themselves..." Multiple personalities too? There was a fashion for that a while back, but we don't hear as much about it these days.

[TomJ]

@Hal: I think the reference to the abolition of the Boy Scouts refers to the fact that girls can now join.

[dan]

The comedy duo Mitchell & Webb had a sketch where they play two Nazi soldiers during WW2 who suddenly realise that they're on the wrong side.

One of the funniest things ever.
Here it is:
https://youtu.be/hn1VxaMEjRU

[Daniel Ream]

Or perhaps if parents can spout multiple diagnostic labels for their child, people are less likely to criticise their parenting skills after the child has kicked their car door in.

Here in Canada, where health care is rationed like rubber tyres in WWII, it can be very difficult to get approved quickly for state-funded treatment for thgins you actually suffer from. I have a couple of friends with legitimately but not cripplingly disabled children who have quietly acknowledged that it significantly ups your chances of getting any support services at all if you grossly exaggerate how messed up your child is.

[Hedgehog]

Dicentra: As a pedantic cheese-eating surrender monkey ™, I must apprise you of the fact that in French the feminine article is la, not le. So, la main.

[Deborah]

WTP,

Holy cow, we just might! jk, indeed.

____________

I am convinced that health issues, both mental and physical, are being used as signaling for a variety of reasons. I attribute this to the furtherance of the decline of everything. At this stage of the game there is no facet of life that remains untouched by the lunacy, but I must register my constant surprise at the sheer volume lemmings.

At one time it was only in one's advanced years that conversation centered around one's litany of ailments, now it is de reiguer for all.

I'm depressed. *Sad Face*

[Jonathan]

That does sound awfully odd, so out of curiosity, which country are you writing from?

The UK. The 'Boy Scouts' were forced to become just the 'Scouts' and had to allow girls to join and women to become Scout leaders. The 'Girl Guides' became the 'Guides' but no compulsory boys for them - presumably because RAPE!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/20356642

[dicentra]

Many people who work in mental health are there because they themselves have issues. It's a significant problem.

My father was the department chair of the psychology department at the local uni.

He was also a cerebral narcissist.

If he had a problem, he'd be the first to know.

Ergo, he did not. Just ask him. (Except that he's three years dead, so that might be difficult.)

As a pedantic cheese-eating surrender monkey™, I must apprise you of the fact that in French the feminine article is la, not le. So, la main.

I actually appreciate corrections, seeing them as someone Doing Me A Favor By Increasing My Knowledge Base rather than it being a neener-neener taunt.

Which, that particular attitude tends to play hell with the Golden Rule.

[Graham Asher]

"The Greek word from which "manus" was derived is feminine but has what would be a masculine ending if it were of Latin origin. Or so I was told in my linguistics classes."

Your linguistics teachers were wrong. 1. The Latin word 'manus' is not derived from Greek. 2. The classical Greek word for hand is 'kheir'.

[dicentra]

I am convinced that health issues, both mental and physical, are being used as signaling for a variety of reasons.

Which makes it all the more fun for those of us with actual mental/physical health issues. Any mention of difficulty is taken as status-signalling whinging.

Your linguistics teachers were wrong

Ok, then, why is are all the Romance words for hand feminine despite their masculine endings?

"Illus manus" doesn't resolve to "la mano" the way "illa aqua" resolves to "el agua" ("las aguas"; a feminine word with a singular masculine article).

It came from SOMEWHERE.

[Deborah]

Which makes it all the more fun for those of us with actual mental/physical health issues.

________________

The same may be said for false rape allegations, domestic violence reports, discrimination claims, etc. The hue and cry from the phonies diminishes the empathies for the truly afflicted.

There is, of course, an end point for all of this, but I imagine it may be something quite frightening. Either we collectively wise up and stop the runaway train or we brace for the inevitable impact. I fear, as I'm sure most here do, that the collective wising-up ain't gonna happen.

So, I again proffer my *sad face*.

[Deborah]

Damn you HTML italics!! (shakes fist skyward)

[David]

Fixed.

[ Shoots skyward, cape billowing, to perform other daring rescues. ]

[Deborah]

David,

Such feats of derring-do rightly deserve tribute be paid. I'm off to the tip jar.

Thank you,
Damsel in Distress

[David]

I’m off to the tip jar.

May your towels remain fragrant after even the lengthiest spell in storage.

[Trevor]

It came from SOMEWHERE.

On the subject of confusing genders, in Portuguese there are a few Greek-derived nouns that are masculine despite an apparently feminine ending, e.g. cinema, sistema, programa.

[pst314]

" I have noticed that some people now appear to collect mental health diagnoses and parade those."

Next up: Neurodiversity: "I'm not crazy, I'm a member of a neurominority. You must tolerate me and make accommodate my obnoxious behavior.

[pst314]

Sorry David: I neglected to close that html tag.

[pst314]

try again

[Hal]

Uni president wants to drown the bunnies.

For some reason, this is seen as odd, so Uni president then starts firing staff as well.

Um. I recommend someone take up a different hobby.

---and, if my impromptu html fix attempt doesn't work, cleaning up the cascading italics as well . . .

[dicentra ن]

in Portuguese there are a few Greek-derived nouns that are masculine despite an apparently feminine ending, e.g. cinema, sistema, programa

Same in Spanish.

It's el problema, so "no problemo" is doubly Spanglish.

[pst314]

Hal: What was your impromptu html fix that clearly worked?
I tried a second comment closed with an italics-off tag.
Then I tried a third comment with both opening and closing italics tags.

[Hal]

Hal: What was your impromptu html fix that clearly worked?

. . . . David may have to chime in on mebbe doing something, but actually what I saw after posting was continuing italics---so my reaction at that point was Ehn, Oh, well, David will fix. If the impromptu fix did work, the issue with html is that everything has to be in balance, matching, on/off, etc.

So when you go digging into the source code of the page, you'll see that I started my post with < / i > . . without all the spacing in there, to be the closing italics tag to balance the starting tag from up the page . . . and then continued with the rest of my post.

[pst314]

"everything has to be in balance, matching, on/off, etc..."
Exactly.
"...So when you go digging into the source code..."
Which my aging eyes have ever more trouble doing, sigh.
"...you'll see that I started my post with < / i >..."
That was the one thing I didn't think to try. I'll remember or the future.
Thanks!

[Quint&Jessel, Sea of Azof, Bly, UK]

Huh. Just spent some time reading a blog by a person claiming to have Multiple Personality Disorder due to being sexually abused by her mother and a cult whilst a child. Normally, I'd be quite skeptical, but...Rotherham happened, and that still seems unbelievable.

[mojo]

Seems like a good place for a "check tag symmetry" function, eh?

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

Seems like a good place for a "check tag symmetry" function, eh?

OTOH, one could just hit the "preview" button before posting...