pop culture
Representations of mental health in pop culture; dissect and discuss popular psychology, mental illness stigmas, and media depictions.
Paranoia in a Postmodern Age of Collective Trauma
We’ve all been there. The guy you went to high school with, now gainfully employed at your local auto body shop, has graffitied a 500-word screed on your Facebook wall about the downfall of society and how, if we don’t “wake up!” the end is nigh. Everyone is entitled to moments of existential dread; the problem is, those who use social media to rage against the system typically have about as much perspective on the given matter as a fish to the ocean it swims in. For some ill-formed reason, this guy seems to actually believe he knows what he's talking about. But more to the point, a curious phenomenon has steadily developed since the postmodern era - regardless of training, race, SES, ethnicity, or class - paranoia seems to be gripping us all.
By Andrew Magers4 years ago in Psyche
Thank You, Jodie Whittaker, for being the Doctor, Who Healed my Mental Health
I don’t like endings, the Doctor doesn’t like endings, no one likes endings; the time has come around once again where the Doctor’s face changes. Regeneration, it’s like a lottery. You don’t know what you’ll end up with. It has been announced that Jodie Whittaker – the Thirteenth Doctor – will be stepping down from the top role in autumn 2022, followed by showrunner, Chris Chibnall.
By Lewis Jefferies5 years ago in Psyche
Virtual games, real drugs
The stakes are high in the final rounds of major Counter-Strike tournaments. The teams face hours of competition, they have to think strategically and show skill. They still have the battles of the last rounds in their bones, not to mention the hours of daily training to prepare. If even one player loses concentration, the glory of victory may be gone - and with it prize money and lucrative sponsorship and advertising contracts. It's no wonder that it's tempting to give your brain a boost. Ritalin gives your gray cells the decisive kick, you hear behind closed doors. Or: Take Adderall instead, it makes you fit.
By AddictiveWritings5 years ago in Psyche
To Be Honest
There are a number of specific phrases that lying persons are said to use when exaggerating the truthfulness of their spoken or written words. One of the most commonly mentioned of these is the phrase “to be honest.” The use of this particular phrase reveals an overemphasis on truthfulness which is often listed as an indicator that someone is lying. Recently a friend called me out during a discussion for using the phrase, and suggested I was likely lying because of it. I am no different than any other human being alive, and cannot claim that I never have, or never do, lie, however in this case I was being perfectly honest (and there I go again overemphasizing my truthfulness, am I lying about not lying? No I am not.) Later I caught myself using the phrase again in an email and again, in that particular case, I was not lying, or dissembling, or misleading in any way.
By Everyday Junglist5 years ago in Psyche
The Psychology Behind A Serial Cheater
Infidelity is such a shitty and difficult thing for everyone involved to understand. If you've ever been cheated on, you know how heartbreaking and confusing that experience can be. You wonder how your partner could do that to you knowing the pain they were going to cause you. You wonder why do people cheat, if it was your fault, if you weren't enough or if it was because of something you did. These questions are not easy to answer and many psychologists have been studying this behavior to find some pattern.
By Mindsmatter.5 years ago in Psyche
What is Our Collective Consciousness Trying to Tell Us About Narcissism
At the turn of the twentieth century, our western society saw a monumental explosion in the field of Psychology. Behind this movement, were the brilliant minds of both Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, who, to a certain extent, led the charge. In fact, one of the most significant events of the early 1900’s that was an intrinsic part of this particular field of study, was that of the 1907 meeting, where the two giants got a chance to meet each other face-to-face. For the most part, the two had completely different opinions as far as the human mind was concerned. The one area that two did happen to agree on, was that of the overall importance of the unconscious, and the sentiments that would later manifest in Jungian Psychology as the ideas of the collective unconscious, as well as what is often referred to as collective consciousness.
By Aaron M. Weis5 years ago in Psyche
Magical Thinking, Mundanical Thinking
We’re all familiar with the problem of magical thinking. Magical thinking is generally used to refer to superstitious beliefs which ignore basic things like causation or evidence. But we can expand the definition slightly, to encompass any belief which ignores reason or evidence in favour of something nice, or comforting, or optimistic. (This is sometimes called wishful thinking but I irrationally like the feel of ‘magical’ as a cover-all term). A good example of this is the belief that human history will necessarily turn out well; that it is inconceivable for humanity to drive ourselves extinct or otherwise royally screw-up our future. In many cases it can involve a kind of positive fatalism: “things will turn out okay”, “God has a Plan”, or “lots of bad things like extreme poverty have been decreasing for a long time so things will probably just keep getting better and we don’t need to worry too much about existential risks” (looking at you Steven Pinker). Magical thinking often involves a poorly considered, naive optimism that spares the details in favour of fantasy.
By Conor McCammon5 years ago in Psyche
What Minority Representation In Hollywood Has Done For Our Mental Health
Have you ever wondered why Hollywood studios are trying harder and harder to integrate casts with greater racial diversity? Not only ethnicity, but minority representation in film has also been a hot topic in the world of entertainment. Many still do not fully understand why, others believe that it is only a question of marketing and that the large studios only fulfill one agenda.
By Mindsmatter.5 years ago in Psyche
The Persuasive Power of Words
The Story Newly landed in Italy, we gorged ourselves on everything Italian. The sights, sounds and food were all to die for. Pizza, pasta and peperonata became our daily fare. Even the local cats and dogs could be seen enjoying huge bowls of spaghetti. The country, the weather and the food were all delicious. Not to speak of the wonderful wine … but I digress.
By Donna L. Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)5 years ago in Psyche
The Fame Monster: at the Intersection of Celebrity and Mental Health Advocacy
As someone with mental health issues, I recognize the importance of celebrities advocating for treatment and reducing the stigma surrounding psychiatric illnesses. But lately, I’ve been disenfranchised with stars’ performative acts and at times, downright triggering attempts to shed light on mental illness. Stars tend to forget that they have a larger audience than most. They also may be so coddled in a Hollywood bubble that they lose their sense of reality. Most recently, Lady Gaga released an ad for her cosmetic line, Haus Laboratories, that fashioned eyeliner swatches to look like self-harm scars on the inside of the model’s wrists. Dozens of followers commented that they found the image insensitive and triggering. Without apologizing or even acknowledging the harm caused, Haus Laboratories promptly removed the image from their Instagram. In the past, Lady Gaga has advocated for access to mental health treatment and has opened up about her personal struggles with mental health. She even penned an essay for The Guardian about the urgency of suicide prevention for World Mental Health Day in 2018. Of course, this is not the first incident where Gaga was called out for being insensitive about mental illness, and other celebrities have been just as guilty, but this latest instance reveals a deeper pattern of celebrities claiming to advocate for mental health while causing harm to those struggling.
By Erica Mones5 years ago in Psyche
