(no subject)

[bord-du-rasoir.livejournal.com]

My only source for news is the Internet. Currently, most of the media outlets (websites) I'd visit in the event of a big news story have a photograph of the Arizona shooter's face on their main pages (The New York Times, Fox News, CNN, Huffington Post, Drudge Report have it up; MSNBC and NPR don't).

This leads me to ask, Does the prospect of fame incentivize mass killing / killing of famous people?

Let's say we lack empirical evidence to answer the question. Is it not enough that making criminals famous may incentivize others to commit like crimes for media outlets to consider, you know, not making criminals famous?

How do decision makers in media justify making criminals famous? A journalist's duty is to provide the public information that the public is interested in?

What I'm saying is— cover the story, just do it in a tactful manner. This makes me consider why I'm able to see the Virgina Tech shooter's face in my mind's eye, or Tim McVeigh's, or Charles Manson's. Maybe there's a parallel dimension someplace with a society that doesn't repeatedly and consistently make insane people who do big bad things famous.

I'm sure many, maybe most, will disagree with my premise, but I'm looking at the portrait of that guy right now— at his crazy Manson eyes and his smirk, and I can't help but think that he appreciates and enjoys the attention, as McVeigh did, I'm sure, and Manson did and does. So, why as a society do we all agree to reward behavior most of us do not want?

Comments

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

No he isn't clearly a schizophrenic. Nothing points to the diagnosis. This is just more fake internet "expert" opinion by people who have no clue about mental illness and what words mean.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

No, it's a reasonable diagnosis by multiple mental health experts (shown on tv) and people I personally know who suffer from schizophrenia. Obviously we don't have an actual diagnosis yet, but the evidence is pointing that way, and not away from it. Schizophrenia is itself a fairly vague diagnosis of course, but I doubt you're objecting on that basis.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I'm objecting on the basis that he shows no signs of personal delusion, hallucination or serious cognitive impairment.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Seriously? It seems like a lot of evidence of personal delusion and cognitive impairment. Schizophrenia does not require hallucinations (this is one of the debated issues with the diagnosis).

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

No. A personal delusion would be something like "there is a chip in my brain" or "my neighbor is poisoning my cereal". Weird or strange non-personal beliefs of a political nature are not delusions. As for his cognitive impairment, he shows no difficulty in comprehending, understanding and following direction or communication. He shows a clear and direct contact with reality, with understandings of his actions and their consequences.

He is dumb. Not schizophrenic.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

His grammar thing is not political, but is a personal delusion.

As for his cognitive impairment, he shows no difficulty in comprehending, understanding and following direction or communication. He shows a clear and direct contact with reality, with understandings of his actions and their consequences.

So do schizophrenics.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

His grammar thing is not political, but is a personal delusion.
No it isn't. RTFM.

So do schizophrenics.
RTFM

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

So, since you're claiming to know better than other medical professionals, you're a super-psychiatrist?

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I'm claiming only based on the merits of the case. Jared Loughner displays no typical schizophrenic behaviors or conditions. Mania-related behavioral disorders are more likely.

So, since you're claiming to know better than other medical professionals, you're a super-psychiatrist?
I have several medical professionals who agree with my assessment. There goes that line of argument.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

As do I, plus people suffering from the condition, so we're at a stalemate, although my position is better supported.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

No, your position is nothing more than "I heard it on the TV". My position, on the other hand, takes its cue directly from the relevant medical material at hand. You also simply state blatantly false things in relation to mental health and abnormal psychology, as stated.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

No, that's not my position. I can only conclude you have no interest in an honest discussion at this point as you can't seem to follow even the basics of what I'm saying.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Also, mania and schizophrenia are not unrelated.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Do tell me how they are related.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Maybe you have one of them, since "not unrelated" does not equal "related". It's a simple concept, normal humans can grasp it.

[farchivist.livejournal.com]

DSM says no.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

It took two seconds to find that you are wrong.

http://www.schizophrenia.com/diag.php

Scroll down to "Types of Schizophrenia". Bullet point number 5: Schizoaffective disorder - These people have symptoms of schizophrenia as well as mood disorder such as major depression, bipolar mania, or mixed mania.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

It is also important to note that in the presence of suspected and unknown drug use, a psychiatric diagnosis is impossible to make. If he was a regular drug user, the pathology of his condition cannot be determined. For a delusion to be considered a psychiatric issue of mental illness, you have to rule out other factors like drug use or poisoning or some other source of impairment.

Can you give a theoretical, psychiatric pathology for his grammar beliefs?

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of any drug use other than marijuana, which would not change the diagnosis significantly. Again, I'm not saying that anyone has made a definitive diagnosis, only what the indications are. Your diagnosis is just as theoretical as mine.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard of any drug use other than marijuana, which would not change the diagnosis significantly.
Yes, it would severely hamper proper diagnosis of a true mental illness. Christ, you're just making stuff up here.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

No, we're saying two different things, neither of which contradict.

[anosognosia.livejournal.com]

"So, since you're claiming to know better than other medical professionals, you're a super-psychiatrist?"

I didn't realize there'd been a diagnosis. Can you point me to your info on this?

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Meus is diagnosing him. I'm not and neither are the people I'm citing. I've said only that the psychiatrists I've heard from (both on tv and elsewhere) and people that I know with schizophrenia are of the opinion that the indications are that he's schizophrenic. Meus is claiming that he definitely isn't.

[anosognosia.livejournal.com]

"Meus is diagnosing him."

Well, no, he doesn't seem to be. To not give a diagnosis is not to give a diagnosis, of course.

"I've said only that the psychiatrists I've heard from (both on tv and elsewhere) and people that I know with schizophrenia are of the opinion that the indications are that he's schizophrenic."

That's an interesting opinion, but it's not a medical one. Diagnoses cannot be given by hearsay and gut instinct.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

To not give a diagnosis is not to give a diagnosis, of course.

To say it's definitely not something is a diagnosis. It's not a complete one, sure, but it's still a diagnosis.

That's an interesting opinion, but it's not a medical one. Diagnoses cannot be given by hearsay and gut instinct.

Once again, I am not giving a diagnosis and have not claimed to. Yes, it's an opinion.