Someday I will do this long-form and with a lot of sources and such, but I’m writing at the moment out of considerable annoyance. In short, I am so sick and tired of being told by leftists that our mental illness problems (my mental illness problem) are the fault of capitalism, or perhaps some such vague and useless thing as “the system.” Sometimes they say this specifically about suicide as well. I would like to ask compassionate people to stop doing this, and I have the following questions and complaints.
Usage of the term "capitalism" and "neoliberalism" have moved beyond critiques of economic systems and policies for some people. In a lot of left-leaning circles, these terms serve the same purpose that "Marxism" or "Socialism" do in right-wing ones. They're synonymous with "thing I don't like" (and little more) while signaling which team you're on.
People seem to be conflating mental illness with the idea that "capitalism causes alienation that makes people sad." The second argument is found in Mark Fisher, and I find it persuasive. It's illogical to reduce mental illness—a much larger thing—to a symptom of alienation, but the pressure to compete is depressing.
While I think there's a lot of value in all 10 points, I feel like the only one that should need to be made is the tenth: "it's the capitalism" doesn't offer us some kind of material path to improve mental health, and is thus not useful.
I'm generally more capitalist than socialist / communist, but it's not hard to see the benefit of a more effective, ubiquitous social safety net, including to the many who suffer from mental illnesses.
Also, I was under the impression that men are more successful at committing suicide because they use more dramatic methods. They are more likely to say, shoot themselves in the head.
My wealthy aunt suffered from bi-polar disease, and when she did stuff like leave one of her babies on the neighbor's porch, she would end up being treated in a somewhat nice private facility until she got better. She still had a struggle, and died from kidney failure eventually. My dad, who worked selling luggage and crap at flea markets in later life, and who also suffered from bi-polar disease, ended up running from the cops down a California highway, throwing stolen tools from the window. He served two years in a high security facility (prison) for the mentally ill (because he threatened a cop), then a year or so in a low security facility where it actually seemed like he was doing better, then on to a couple shitty nursing homes before he died. They absolutely did not care that he was totally out of it and halucinating when arrested. All the mentally ill wandering the streets I see, they have something in common, and it's poverty.
This idea that capitalism causes MI was explored in Europe by the psychiatrically inclined members of Baader Meinhoff in the late '60s. So they threw open the asylums, "freed" the patients, and trained them as terrorists. Within a year, most were dead, either by suicide or killed by police at one of their ill-fated attack operations. About ten years ago, the LA Times put a picture of a US psychiatrist on the cover of its Sunday magazine, touting the same deadly theory, like he was some sort of innovative thinker. I was so infuriated I canceled my sub, never to return.
Very little to add except this: any take about what causes “mental illness” is about as useful as a sweeping generalization about what causes “physical illness.” Both terms encompass so many different kinds of situations. Is it generics? Is it diet? Is it trauma? Behavioral choices? Bacteria or virus? Is it temporary or permanent? It is terminal? Do people with mental illness commit crimes or are they mostly a danger to themselves? Is it exacerbated by capitalism or or some other policy? Yes! No! Maybe! Sometimes! “Mental illness” refers to a million different things, and nothing. One thing cannot cause “it.”
FWIW that line probably has roots in the theories of Thomas Szasz. ( Full disclosure: had to edit my origunal attrubution to a different psychiatriatric theorist, Reich, so maybe my input is questionable in any case.)
But w/public discourse being what it is now the prevailing mentality of all those who have an opinion to share is ( topic/problem of the moment) = (fave boogeyman did it). Your continuing testimony is worth far more than the overshared opionizing so common now. Please continue. But maybe for your own sake remember how inherently lightweight that all is.
I came to the US at age 9 about 50 years ago. By the time I entered high school, I could sense that American society seemed distant....that Americans seemed distant among each other, including among family members.
I've come to see that it's not just the United States, but a property of industrial societies. But even more, I think it may be the secular and irreligious nature of industrial societies.
I don't have the numbers, but it would be interesting to compare suicide and mental illness rates from industrialized societies to African, certain Asian, South American societies not considered industrialized.
But keep in mind that mental illness is not "just a social construction". It does have biological origins.
You sound way too smart to be a socialist.
Usage of the term "capitalism" and "neoliberalism" have moved beyond critiques of economic systems and policies for some people. In a lot of left-leaning circles, these terms serve the same purpose that "Marxism" or "Socialism" do in right-wing ones. They're synonymous with "thing I don't like" (and little more) while signaling which team you're on.
People seem to be conflating mental illness with the idea that "capitalism causes alienation that makes people sad." The second argument is found in Mark Fisher, and I find it persuasive. It's illogical to reduce mental illness—a much larger thing—to a symptom of alienation, but the pressure to compete is depressing.
While I think there's a lot of value in all 10 points, I feel like the only one that should need to be made is the tenth: "it's the capitalism" doesn't offer us some kind of material path to improve mental health, and is thus not useful.
I'm generally more capitalist than socialist / communist, but it's not hard to see the benefit of a more effective, ubiquitous social safety net, including to the many who suffer from mental illnesses.
This post was as convincing and eloquent and powerful as anything I have read in a long time.
Breathtakingly brilliant.
Thank you for writing it.
Also, I was under the impression that men are more successful at committing suicide because they use more dramatic methods. They are more likely to say, shoot themselves in the head.
My wealthy aunt suffered from bi-polar disease, and when she did stuff like leave one of her babies on the neighbor's porch, she would end up being treated in a somewhat nice private facility until she got better. She still had a struggle, and died from kidney failure eventually. My dad, who worked selling luggage and crap at flea markets in later life, and who also suffered from bi-polar disease, ended up running from the cops down a California highway, throwing stolen tools from the window. He served two years in a high security facility (prison) for the mentally ill (because he threatened a cop), then a year or so in a low security facility where it actually seemed like he was doing better, then on to a couple shitty nursing homes before he died. They absolutely did not care that he was totally out of it and halucinating when arrested. All the mentally ill wandering the streets I see, they have something in common, and it's poverty.
This idea that capitalism causes MI was explored in Europe by the psychiatrically inclined members of Baader Meinhoff in the late '60s. So they threw open the asylums, "freed" the patients, and trained them as terrorists. Within a year, most were dead, either by suicide or killed by police at one of their ill-fated attack operations. About ten years ago, the LA Times put a picture of a US psychiatrist on the cover of its Sunday magazine, touting the same deadly theory, like he was some sort of innovative thinker. I was so infuriated I canceled my sub, never to return.
Very little to add except this: any take about what causes “mental illness” is about as useful as a sweeping generalization about what causes “physical illness.” Both terms encompass so many different kinds of situations. Is it generics? Is it diet? Is it trauma? Behavioral choices? Bacteria or virus? Is it temporary or permanent? It is terminal? Do people with mental illness commit crimes or are they mostly a danger to themselves? Is it exacerbated by capitalism or or some other policy? Yes! No! Maybe! Sometimes! “Mental illness” refers to a million different things, and nothing. One thing cannot cause “it.”
FWIW that line probably has roots in the theories of Thomas Szasz. ( Full disclosure: had to edit my origunal attrubution to a different psychiatriatric theorist, Reich, so maybe my input is questionable in any case.)
But w/public discourse being what it is now the prevailing mentality of all those who have an opinion to share is ( topic/problem of the moment) = (fave boogeyman did it). Your continuing testimony is worth far more than the overshared opionizing so common now. Please continue. But maybe for your own sake remember how inherently lightweight that all is.
Of all my substack subscriptions this is far and away the best.
I came to the US at age 9 about 50 years ago. By the time I entered high school, I could sense that American society seemed distant....that Americans seemed distant among each other, including among family members.
I've come to see that it's not just the United States, but a property of industrial societies. But even more, I think it may be the secular and irreligious nature of industrial societies.
I don't have the numbers, but it would be interesting to compare suicide and mental illness rates from industrialized societies to African, certain Asian, South American societies not considered industrialized.
But keep in mind that mental illness is not "just a social construction". It does have biological origins.