Friday, July 13, 2007
Aggro opinionated moron!
I frown at people who simplify a complex issue to a singularity in order that they can soapbox about their point of view. I frown harder when it infringes on my area of... I guess I can say expertise. I was out the other day and had to listen to this woman babbling about how it's wrong how some of the kids at her precious and unique snowflake's school are overmedicated and *gasp* on Ritalin. Yeah, heard it before lady. Seems like everyone from Volvo driving soccer mom to Tom Cruise has an opinion on psychiatric medications. I guess the stupid television and radio commercials don't help.
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12 comments:
um...I didn't know your expertise was children or the medicating of them?
If you don't have kids, you aren't an expert.
The mom has a point, anyway. And she's entitled to her opinion.
"I frown at people who simplify a complex issue to a singularity in order that they can soapbox about their point of view." Haha, you mean like George Bush ;^P
tell us more about what you know.
I actually mean, sincerely, that I want to know what you know, and what you've seen.
As an expert of education/human development, and as an expert of psychology and of Hubby, I think maybe I can clear things up?
I think maybe the mother was expressing disdain at the fact that any child was on Ritalin. I am passionately opposed to the overmedicating problem faced in society, but I also recognize that many children do have the need for them. I think the mom thought medicating children at ALL was terrible. James has never expressed an opinion that overmedicating was not a problem.
I think both are valid points, and I'm not just playing peacemaker. That's why it's such a complex issue--the challenge lies in determining which children have sincere need for medication and which can be helped with behavioral, cognitive, or natural remedies. My biggest concern is that many kids that DON'T need those drugs are given them, and the drugs they're given are amphetamines--not a type of drug to mess around with. On top of that, they have great street value, and you find students selling these in school.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the problem lies in determining which children cannot be helped by more healthy alternatives.
Oh, forgot my second point--
For those children that have sincere need for those medications, their lives are significantly improved. Kids that have, say, ADHD, have more problems than just keeping focused. Their world is different than ours, and it's a much more difficult world to navigate. Psychology's direction is more and more neurological-based--that is, most psychological illness can be traced and/or helped by altering the physical chemicals in the brain. Most research now is based on discovering those pathways, so we can develop treatments. Most people don't know all about neurons and synapses and neurotransmitters, and I've heard many people dismiss psychoactive medications as evil simply because they are used improperly at times.
I guess in this area, I was referring to having a knowledge of psychopharmacology versus people who get their opinions from Oprah or Bill O'Reiley. It's easy to make a sound bitable point on an issue, but it's harder to actually educate one's self on what an issue actually entails.
I think I reacted strongly to this post because of the language you chose to use. Your choice of the words "Aggro" "moron" and "babbling" when referring to a mom kinda pissed me off, and struck me as being offensive and demeaning to women. Mom's don't deserve labels, actually no one does.
You also said that this mom was expressing concern about OVERMEDICATING children, not about whether all children everywhere should or shouldn't take any medication.
And *gasp* even some people who don't have a BS in psychology or sociology may have some knowledge of this subject. And I don't even watch tv!
I meant moms, not mom's.
oops
Obviously your lack of tv watching has affected your spelling skillz. :)
I think that Ginny is part of a growing minority in the states of people who DO educate themselves on issues and who don't rely on tv to do so. Too many people rely on tv for information. I've always admired you for that.
Audrey, have you read Paolo Freire's Letters to Cristina, or Pedagogy of the Oppressed? If not, I think it would be great reading before you begin your teaching this fall.
No, I haven't read those two. I'm glad you mentioned them because now I have a great excuse for a Powell's trip. :)
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