Friday, December 18, 2015

Rabbi Stern, Star Wars, Psychiatry

Many years ago, Rabbi Stern of Congregation B'nai Amunah in Skokie, Illinois gave a high holiday sermon, about an hour long, consisting of his personal review of the original movie, Star Wars. It was a brilliant demonstration of why this guy got the big bucks from one of the most successful American Jewish temples of the time.

Stern's last line, which really brought the house down, was of course... "May the Force be with you!"

In those days there were no SSRI's. ADHD was barely getting started. People may have believed in "chemical imbalances" in their brains, but not as blindly as they do now. It was not an issue that the authorities had to insist upon; and people believed in psychoanalysis and confession back then, too.

This weekend, with the record box office for Disney's new Star Wars movie, we are reminded that traditional American culture is still strong. It is strong around the world in the face of violent jihad, strong despite internal political squabbles between left and right, and strong against the debilitating influence of ultra-materialistic, "you-are-your-brain-and-that's-all-slave!" psychiatry.

The real conflict of our age is not what the media pretend it is. The real rebellion is against a Psych Empire, a true slave system wherein such exalted "experts" as Jeffrey (Darth?) Lieberman are the captains of medical teams, the rulers, to be obeyed or even worshiped by everyone else who is a mere "sick patient". When the patients don't bow down and proclaim sincere belief in the rightful authority and ultimate benevolence of their doctor-masters, it's because of their disease, of course! It's "anosognosia".

The Empire would allow no one to aspire to full natural recovery from mental health problems. It orders drugs for all its slaves, and requires acceptance of general, chronic disability. The Empire's white-clad storm troopers can catch and imprison anyone who refuses to be "treated". Taxes are extracted from the people of the planet to pay for the inflated salaries, the extravagant ritual sacrifices ("research"), and the construction of fortresses ("hospitals") demanded by state psych bureaucrats.

But the Empire has secret weaknesses, and there are rebels who refuse psychiatry. Perhaps the death star those rebels will destroy despite long odds is the DSM; perhaps it is the Murphy bill; perhaps it is the corrupt forensic mental health system of a certain state. But there will be victory, and celebration, and triumphant music. Just like in the movie.

We can count on it. Truth, however fought, will ultimately prevail.

May the Force be with you!

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