Comments on: Thomas Szasz has a New Masterpiece: COERCION AS CURE http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/ Author James Bovard Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:31:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Thomas Szasz - A short talk | Encefalus http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-118846 Thomas Szasz - A short talk | Encefalus Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:09:55 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-118846 [...] Thomas Szasz has a New Masterpiece: COERCION AS CURE [...] [...] Thomas Szasz has a New Masterpiece: COERCION AS CURE [...]

]]> By: anita http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-118773 anita Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:32:55 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-118773 Please have someone contact me, it is very inportant and this issue should be addressed with the proper health and rights advocate. Thanks for all your help and concern. sincerely Anita in Florida. Please have someone contact me, it is very inportant and this issue should be addressed with the proper health and rights advocate. Thanks for all your help and concern. sincerely Anita in Florida.

]]> By: Janie Lee http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-112405 Janie Lee Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:02:34 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-112405 there isn't any anti psychiatry that is truthful isn't it, because to do anti psychiatry is almost pretty much like doing psychiatry trying to change someones mind, I suppose it is different to, I am a faithful anti pyschiatry kind of a person who would love to meet some others who really want to put a stop to psychiatry and not just play games about doing it, thanks for being around there isn’t any anti psychiatry that is truthful isn’t it, because to do anti psychiatry is almost pretty much like doing psychiatry trying to change someones mind, I suppose it is different to, I am a faithful anti pyschiatry kind of a person who would love to meet some others who really want to put a stop to psychiatry and not just play games about doing it, thanks for being around

]]> By: Martin http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111965 Martin Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:03:38 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111965 With respect to Szasz, there is no mental illness or mental health - they are code words for disapproved (undesirable) and approved (desirable) behavior, consequently, there can be no "cure" for undesirable behaviors like depression or schizophrenia. People troubled by their own behavior will more than likely seek some sort of help - autonomous psychotherapy - would help a person to change his (or her) behavior in the way they would like. Changing one's behavior takes courage rather than insight. Those whose behavior troubles others will likely be forced into "treatment" which Szasz desribes as assault. Those people are placed in a prison called euphemistcially a hospital. With respect to Szasz, there is no mental illness or mental health - they are code words for disapproved (undesirable) and approved (desirable) behavior, consequently, there can be no “cure” for undesirable behaviors like depression or schizophrenia. People troubled by their own behavior will more than likely seek some sort of help - autonomous psychotherapy - would help a person to change his (or her) behavior in the way they would like. Changing one’s behavior takes courage rather than insight.
Those whose behavior troubles others will likely be forced into “treatment” which Szasz desribes as assault. Those people are placed in a prison called euphemistcially a hospital.

]]> By: Chris Buors http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111909 Chris Buors Mon, 03 Dec 2007 09:10:24 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111909 I am a big time fan of Dr. Szasz and have read about 20 of his books. What Dr. Szasz means is that "mental illness" is not a disease as per Virchowian definition that is used by pathologists. People with "problems in living" is what Dr. Szasz says the so-called mentally ill are. Depression for instance. The cure for depression is hope. Offering hope is a spiritual matter and not a medical matter. Psychiatrists are soul doctors who use pseudo-medical sounding language to associate themselves with medicine. Language and the power of the metaphor is the tool of the soul doctors. Broken hearts are not the same as a heart attack. Feeling don't belong in the realm of medicine. Bottom line..... There is no Physical Health Act that gives authority to Pathology books. Mental Health Acts from one end of the Nation to the other are what make the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual V4 legitimacy. Members of the APA vote on what gets into that book as a disease by the way. What was it Jefferson said about only error needing legislation because truth can stand on its own? People put up with it because the Act empowers the police to deal with people who disturb us but aren't committing any crimes. I came to libertarianism through the writings of Thomas Szasz. Dr. Szasz is also a political philosopher second to none in the Licertarian sphere. I found Szasz an easier read than Mises and Rothbard too! I am a big time fan of Dr. Szasz and have read about 20 of his books.

What Dr. Szasz means is that “mental illness” is not a disease as per Virchowian definition that is used by pathologists.

People with “problems in living” is what Dr. Szasz says the so-called mentally ill are.

Depression for instance.

The cure for depression is hope.

Offering hope is a spiritual matter and not a medical matter.

Psychiatrists are soul doctors who use pseudo-medical sounding language to associate themselves with medicine.

Language and the power of the metaphor is the tool of the soul doctors.

Broken hearts are not the same as a heart attack.

Feeling don’t belong in the realm of medicine.

Bottom line….. There is no Physical Health Act that gives authority to Pathology books.

Mental Health Acts from one end of the Nation to the other are what make the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual V4 legitimacy.

Members of the APA vote on what gets into that book as a disease by the way.

What was it Jefferson said about only error needing legislation because truth can stand on its own?

People put up with it because the Act empowers the police to deal with people who disturb us but aren’t committing any crimes.

I came to libertarianism through the writings of Thomas Szasz.

Dr. Szasz is also a political philosopher second to none in the Licertarian sphere.

I found Szasz an easier read than Mises and Rothbard too!

]]> By: Mace Price http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111142 Mace Price Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:29:05 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111142 ...Rank and file Leftists are unwitting Totalitarians; with the educated and/or intelligent variety looking for a place to rise on the proverbial ant heap. Throughout History the experience of any organized reaction to them has differed little if any. It must operate on the same, collective, hierarchical basis to check its Political expanse. …Rank and file Leftists are unwitting Totalitarians; with the educated and/or intelligent variety looking for a place to rise on the proverbial ant heap. Throughout History the experience of any organized reaction to them has differed little if any. It must operate on the same, collective, hierarchical basis to check its Political expanse.

]]> By: Mace Price http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111139 Mace Price Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:41:54 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111139 ...If I'm not mistaken, anyone in the former Soviet Union questioning the authority of the state, or otherwise demonstrating the slightest dissent in regard to living "Workers Paradise" was deemed to be insane and thus involuntarily committed to a variety of Political Prisons throughout the Soviet Union with the ostensible titles of Mental Hospitals, where their "delusions" were treated with various methods; most of them barbaric as the regime that instituted them. …If I’m not mistaken, anyone in the former Soviet Union questioning the authority of the state, or otherwise demonstrating the slightest dissent in regard to living “Workers Paradise” was deemed to be insane and thus involuntarily committed to a variety of Political Prisons throughout the Soviet Union with the ostensible titles of Mental Hospitals, where their “delusions” were treated with various methods; most of them barbaric as the regime that instituted them.

]]> By: Sean O'Neil http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111137 Sean O'Neil Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:43:38 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111137 Tory, given the way you have defined "liberal" in the past conversations with me, it sounds like you are complaining about everyone but yourself. Your criticism looks more like scapegoating than an honest observation of the world you live in. But maybe that's because you live in a different world from me. I guess it's valuable to SOMEone for you to type just for the sake of hearing yourself speak and rail against "the liberals" but I really do not see what your lengthy comment has to do with Tomas Szasz. What have I missed? Tory,

given the way you have defined “liberal” in the past conversations with me, it sounds like you are complaining about everyone but yourself.

Your criticism looks more like scapegoating than an honest observation of the world you live in. But maybe that’s because you live in a different world from me.

I guess it’s valuable to SOMEone for you to type just for the sake of hearing yourself speak and rail against “the liberals” but I really do not see what your lengthy comment has to do with Tomas Szasz. What have I missed?

]]> By: Lawhobbit http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111122 Lawhobbit Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:46:35 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111122 Sean - Based on other articles of his I've read, I think you've read him right, but I'll check in after the book gets here and I've gotten through it. I think the term "mental illness" has unfortunately been expanded to include "any behavior that disturbs people (self or other) to any degree," and the rush to medicate it out of existence is doomed to failure and also takes away from the folks who DO need some actual help in coping with serious problems - whether "hardware" or "software" related - in their heads. Sean - Based on other articles of his I’ve read, I think you’ve read him right, but I’ll check in after the book gets here and I’ve gotten through it. I think the term “mental illness” has unfortunately been expanded to include “any behavior that disturbs people (self or other) to any degree,” and the rush to medicate it out of existence is doomed to failure and also takes away from the folks who DO need some actual help in coping with serious problems - whether “hardware” or “software” related - in their heads.

]]> By: Tory http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111100 Tory Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:25:50 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/2007/09/04/thomas-szasz-has-a-new-masterpiece-coercion-as-cure/#comment-111100 Liberals are always searching for the smoking gun, the miracle cure, the fix to make society perfect. No liberal dares to be average, especially a gun phobic, hoplophobic anti-gun crusader. Some of them are meat craving chimpanzees. Government will save all those restless children. No more soul-searching on your own (you need HELP.) Mental illness is the absence of knowledge or the lowest measures of stupidity. It may also display itself after personal surrender - the enemy (mom or dad or even Big Daddy) having the greatest power. RETREAT ! Save yourself (temporary coward) to fight another day. Parents, lighten-up. If your kid wants to fail then let them. You can't create an Einstein from an average kid - no matter how much YOU want to succeed. Liberals want school all year long for all the pups, fillies, colts and babies. Suicide just might be a wise choice for some - who are we to decide for another. And what kind of person creates fairies, ghosts, UFO's, Gods, or genius politicians? Someone prone to fantasies, neurosis, psychosis and DRUGS ?. Let em be and let em go - good riddance; better than allowing government to order courts to medicate their enemies (you and me). No ? How many innocents rot on death row ? Worse than that - how many innocents die from the death penalty. They wanta save every beating heart and kill, or incarcerate every one of their enemies. Even the CIA gave up on most drugs (though not all.) The CIA loves their truth serum (it makes terrorists talk while their sleep). Boo ! And who needed medication, Padilla or his torturers ? The best antidote is the rhetoric of freedom - sometimes the old, but mostly the new. When you're surrounded by corruption, lies, cover-ups, bribes, socialists, deficits and nazis, then only the truth about a recent Hangarian election fraud can bring balance to a lopsided, beaten down, wounded brain. And when the euphoria wears off there's no side effect; you're left with a harmless reality. Oh my, what would the world be like without libertarians. Who would be there to decipher, and beat back all the madness. Liberals are always searching for the smoking gun, the miracle cure, the fix to make society perfect. No liberal dares to be average, especially a gun phobic, hoplophobic anti-gun crusader.
Some of them are meat craving chimpanzees.

Government will save all those restless children. No more soul-searching on your own (you need HELP.)

Mental illness is the absence of knowledge or the lowest measures of stupidity. It may also display itself after personal surrender - the enemy (mom or dad or even Big Daddy) having the greatest power. RETREAT ! Save yourself (temporary coward) to fight another day. Parents, lighten-up. If your kid wants to fail then let them. You can’t create an Einstein from an average kid - no matter how much YOU want to succeed.

Liberals want school all year long for all the pups, fillies, colts and babies.

Suicide just might be a wise choice for some - who are we to decide for another. And what kind of person creates fairies, ghosts, UFO’s, Gods, or genius politicians? Someone prone to fantasies, neurosis, psychosis and DRUGS ?. Let em be and let em go - good riddance; better than allowing government to order courts to medicate their enemies (you and me). No ? How many innocents rot on death row ? Worse than that - how many innocents die from the death penalty. They wanta save every beating heart and kill, or incarcerate every one of their enemies.

Even the CIA gave up on most drugs (though not all.) The CIA loves their truth serum (it makes terrorists talk while their sleep). Boo ! And who needed medication, Padilla or his torturers ?

The best antidote is the rhetoric of freedom - sometimes the old, but mostly the new. When you’re surrounded by corruption, lies, cover-ups, bribes, socialists, deficits and nazis, then only the truth about a recent Hangarian election fraud can bring balance to a lopsided, beaten down, wounded brain. And when the euphoria wears off there’s no side effect; you’re left with a harmless reality. Oh my, what would the world be like without libertarians. Who would be there to decipher, and beat back all the madness.

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