Hi folks,
About Virginia´s paper...I noticed one of the 5 interpretative themes is
about biology vs. moral culpability, and reading this I thought of a book I
read a really long time ago called Erewhon, sort of a Victorian dystopia
novel where a traveler chances upon a peculiar society where one of the
chief peculiarities is that the societal responses to illness and crime are
reversed from, well, society of Victorian England. People who were
diagnosed with a physical ailment were punished, as the philosophy was that
if they became sick they were morally culpable. On the other hand, crime
was not punished but treated, and the criminal was treated with sympathy and
caring.
I think this is interesting to think about in light of Virginia´s discussion
of ADHD as the place where everyday discourses of moral culpability seem to
challenge the medical discouse of illness...as exemplified in quotes like
"the only disability in life is a bad attitude."
I wish I could remember who wrote Erewhon and what was his point...I´m
afraid I didn´t care too much at the time, but now suddenly Virginia´s paper
has given me reason to be interested in this book that I read reluctantly
many years ago as a class requirement. Anybody know?
By the way, I felt a little lost due to a lack of familiarity with Foucault.
Virginia writes
"The bulk of entries borrowing the language of DSM-IV descriptors, however,
suggest a Foucaultian glaze on individual behaviors that are barriers to
success, not on potential strengths, thus reifying the association of
pathology to the label."
Well, I wonder if anybody shares with me this limitation, because I prefer
to think there may be other Foucault-challenged people on the list...it´s a
great opportunity to discover Foulcault, if anyone (Virginia?) could just
briefly explain what is a Foucaultian glaze. I notice a big Foucault
discussion has been brewing here, and I´d love to get ready for it...:)
Renee Hayes, Ph.D candidate
University of Delaware (virtually)
geographically...
Doctor Canoa 4, 1º-A
36206 Vigo
Spain
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