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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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 Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject: Blatcherism - free market capitalism boosts madness in UK |
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Here is an interesting little thesis. Unfettered rampant free-marketeering is causing an epidemic in mental illness in the UK.
Infected by affluenza
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Selfish capitalism causes mental illness by spawning materialism, or, as I put it, the affluenza virus - placing a high value on money, possessions, appearances (social and physical) and fame. English-speaking nations are more infected with the virus than mainland western European ones. Studies in many nations prove that people who strongly subscribe to virus values are at significantly greater risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and personality disorder.
Follow the logic? Selfish capitalism infects populations with affluenza; it fosters mental illness; English-speaking nations are more selfish capitalist - ergo, more prone to illness.
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I found the article a little flawed in parts. How can you really measure the mental illness in Shanghai or Nigeria against that in developed countries. I can't imagine they'd be taking great care to quantify it in a place like Nigeria.
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| The US is by some margin the most mentally ill nation, with 26.4% having suffered in those 12 months. This is six times the prevalence of Shanghai or Nigeria, a huge discrepancy. Again, genes do not explain it - studies show that when Nigerians move to America, within a few generations they develop American prevalences. |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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| honestly, i feel dumber after having read that. there was almost no single sentence in it that I could simply read without my sense of skepticism recoiling in horror, so after I while I just stopped thinking and passively accepted his litany of ridiculous arguments like a rectal thermometer. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| While I have a bit of trouble with the whole "selfish capitalism" hypothesis, I have noticed that mental illness seems more common in western countries. Just look at how many people are on mind-altering prescription drugs back home compared to here. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| While I have a bit of trouble with the whole "selfish capitalism" hypothesis, I have noticed that mental illness seems more common in western countries. Just look at how many people are on mind-altering prescription drugs back home compared to here. |
Or maybe its because diagnosis and care exist and that unlike, ummm say Cambodia, we don't chain our mentally ill relatives to a tree.
As for the OP, I could say something about socialism and mental illness or drunkeness (read Vitaly Vitalev's 'Borders Up'), or suicide (hello Nordic countries) or even make the sweeping statement that leftism itself is some form of psychosis, but I'm not a Randroid so I won't. |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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| jaganath69 wrote: |
As for the OP, I could say something about socialism and mental illness or drunkeness (read Vitaly Vitalev's 'Borders Up'), or suicide (hello Nordic countries) or even make the sweeping statement that leftism itself is some form of psychosis, but I'm not a Randroid so I won't. |
But clearly there is a Randroid inside you just itching to break out!  |
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ChimpumCallao
Joined: 17 May 2005
Location: your mom
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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Wow.
That is the stupidest thing I have ever read.
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| English-speaking nations are more selfish capitalist - ergo, more prone to illness. |
We are more 'prone' to this as only western countries have the time and capital to focus on such frivolity. Selfishness and materialism. WHAT A FLAWED SOCIETY!! THE HORRORS!
Oh how a Congolese would love to have these problems. I never understood the guilt with wanting to have nice things and to live well.
Others around the world don't do it because they CANT, not because they are so much morally superior that they don't want to. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:12 am Post subject: |
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| Big_Bird wrote: |
| jaganath69 wrote: |
As for the OP, I could say something about socialism and mental illness or drunkeness (read Vitaly Vitalev's 'Borders Up'), or suicide (hello Nordic countries) or even make the sweeping statement that leftism itself is some form of psychosis, but I'm not a Randroid so I won't. |
But clearly there is a Randroid inside you just itching to break out! |
Sorry luv, I'm a classical liberal whose justification for capitalism is utilitarian, not moral. Therein lies the distinction.
PS, I still read the Guardian. |
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