Archive of December 2008
2008.12.23
Doctor Who Christmas Special Trailer
[video:youtube:IVT6LXK1KMA]
Seriously, I could not be more excited. I definitely did a draw-drop at the end of the teaser!
2008.12.22
Pharmaceutical Ads
"Ask your doctor if [insert name of drug] is right for you today."
I strongly detest pharmaceutical ads. I can kind of see what the originating idea behind the ads might have been: to inform people about the various pharmaceuticals available to them, to let them know about beta drugs and other options, and so that people might feel informed about the drugs they're using. But it feels more and more like the ads are just trying to sell the drugs. And the drugs are usually directed at the "popular" disorders: depression and bipolar disorder.
While I understand that the purpose of these ads is to inform people of the multiple options available to them, I can't help but notice that it also has the potential to make it more difficult for therapists. They'll get clients who'll saunter in, thinking they know what drug they need - the one they saw on the commercial, and demand it. Sometimes, if they don't get what they want, they'll switch therapists until they find one that will.
That is no way to treat a disorder.
There are many different factors that go into each of these disorders. Depression is a multi-faceted beast. It can be an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, it can be that the person has gone through some traumatic experiences, it could be a slow build up of stressors, etc. The list does go on. And these ads perpetuate the belief that a drug can fix it, make it better. Sometimes it can. But if the depression is because of life-events, it's a natural reaction, and it needs to be worked through. I'm not saying that drugs should not be used along side it. Sometimes, that's necessary.
But more and more, it feels like in our culture people want a quick fix - I'm depressed, so I'll just take this pill and I'll be good again. Nevermind the experiences that may have triggered the depression. We want instantaneous relief of our pains and worries. We're not going to get it simply through pills.
If we want relief, we have to work through our problems. Maybe with medication, maybe without it. But we have to also recognize that at some point, we'll need to take that medication away. For myself, I've always found that meditation works wonders.
2008.12.20
Um, heck yes
Battlestar: Galactica webisodes are up. Go, watch now.
2008.12.18
Via Survey of Character and Faith
I like what the authors of this survey are trying to do: create a survey that, instead of measuring the negative aspects of one's character, shows the positive aspects. I know a lot of people who think that psychologists essentially diagnose what's wrong with people and then try to fix them. The DSM-IV surely doesn't help tear down the illusion either, since it's the criteria we use to identify disorders in patients. So creating a survey that shows people their strengths is commendable.
However, I have a tiny disagreement with one attribute on this strength survey: faith.
I don't disagree that people may find strength in religion. I do disagree that not having faith implies a lack of strength. I know many atheists (myself included) who find strength in their lack of belief in a God(s). Some of the faith based questions are ambiguous, and simply ask about spirituality. One of the statements adds an element of meditation alongside prayer. I do meditate; it's something I picked up from Buddhism, and I consider myself a secular Buddhist, or a Buddhist without a God or some other divine power. This one was a little less of a problem, since meditation doesn't necessarily imply faith. However, there was one question which directly asked belief in God or some divine power. Answering negatively on this one pretty much ensured that faith would not be one of my strengths.
The questions on the survey ask about behaviors that most people find desirable. But I think it's inaccurate to view someone without faith as weak in some way, as lacking in strength in some way. Just because atheists do not believe in religion, or go to church, or pray, does not mean that they suffer from some weakness. Some people of faith may disagree, but they would be wrong to disagree. A lot of the atheists I know place that faith elsewhere, though "faith" is probably the wrong word: science, reason, humanity, love, goodness as derived from ourselves and not some higher power.
So while I agree with the intentions of the survey, I do not agree with the choice to view lack of religion as something that is not considered strong.
Naturally, faith was at the bottom of my list. My top five character strengths were:
- Curiosity and interest in the world
- Creativity, ingenuity, and originality
- Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness
- Perspective (wisdom)
- Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness
I like my list as is stands.