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heatherwilliams3825's review against another edition
5.0
Thought-provoking, engaging, and compassionate. I wish everyone could read this!
knitreader's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
labricoleuse's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
mahir007's review against another edition
5.0
جاء البريطانيون إلى جزيرة مارثا فينيارد لأول مرة في أوائل القرن السابع عشر ، عندما كان لا يزال يقطنها مجتمع محلي من عدة آلاف من هنود وامبانواغ. كما هو الحال في المستعمرات ككل ، تضاءل عدد الهنود هناك بسرعة ، بينما زاد عدد السكان البريطانيين. على مدى أجيال ، تزوج المستوطنون بعضهم البعض ونادرًا ما سافروا حتى إلى جزيرة نانتوكيت المجاورة ، على بعد ثمانية وثلاثين ميلاً فقط . بحلول منتصف القرن الثامن عشر ، كان هناك ثلاثون لقبًا مختلفًا فقط بين 3100 مقيم بريطاني ، وبدأت عواقب زواج الأقارب بالظهور.
في هذا التجمع الجيني المغلق ، ظهر اضطراب وراثي. بحلول نهاية القرن التاسع عشر ، كان ما يقرب من ربع السكان يعانون من درجة ما من الصمم الوراثي. لكن الصم والصم جزئيًا والقادرين على السمع ابتكروا لغة الإشارة الخاصة بهم حتى يتمكنوا من التواصل ، ويفترض سكان الجزر - الذين لا يوجد سكان آخرون لمقارنتهم بهم - أن الصمم كان مجرد جزء من الاختلاف البشري. في الواقع ، كان الصمم شائعًا لدرجة أنه في الروايات الشفوية التي تم جمعها في القرن العشرين ، واجه أحفاد المستوطنين صعوبة في تذكر من كان من بين أصدقائهم وعائلاتهم أصم أو يسمع. قال أحد كبار السن في عام 1980 : "كما ترى" ، "الجميع هنا يتحدثون لغة الإشارة".
بمرور الوقت ، عندما غادر الناس مارثا فينيارد ، ووصل سكان جدد ، اختفى الصمم الوراثي . لكن السكان المحليين كانوا مازالوا يتذكرون لغة الإشارة ، واستمر الكثير من الأشخاص الذين يسمعون في استخدامها مع أشخاص آخرين يسمعون . بعد سنوات من آخر ساكن في الجزيرة مصاب بالصمم الوراثي في عام 1952 ، على عكس المناطق الأخرى ، لم يتم تمييز الصم ، لأن الجميع يتحدثون بلغة الإشارة ، وبالتالي ، فإن الصمم ليس إعاقة ولم يتم وصم الصم بالعار. ونظرًا لأنه لم يتم تمييزهم كمجموعة ، فإن الأشخاص الذين لا يستطيعون السمع لم يتم تصنيفهم أبدًا على أنهم "صُم".
كان جمال اختراع لغة الإشارة هو أن سكان الجزر طوروا تكيفًا ثقافيًا مع الإعاقة السمعية. إن ذلك يقدم أحد أفضل الأمثلة على كيفية إنتاج الثقافة ، وليس الطبيعة ، وتحديد ما يعتبر طبيعيًا وغير طبيعي. كانت الثقافة - العزلة الاجتماعية والتزاوج المختلط - هي التي أوجدت المشكلة البيولوجية ، ولكن بعد ذلك كانت الثقافة قوية بما يكفي ومبدعة بما يكفي لتجاوزها. نظرًا لأن الأشخاص الذين لا يسمعون كانوا مندمجين تمامًا في مجتمعاتهم وكانوا قادرين على التواصل مع الجميع ، يمكننا حتى القول إنه لا يوجد أحد "أصم" حقًا في مارثا فينيارد.
.
Roy Grinker
Nobody's Normal
Translated By #Maher_Razouk
في هذا التجمع الجيني المغلق ، ظهر اضطراب وراثي. بحلول نهاية القرن التاسع عشر ، كان ما يقرب من ربع السكان يعانون من درجة ما من الصمم الوراثي. لكن الصم والصم جزئيًا والقادرين على السمع ابتكروا لغة الإشارة الخاصة بهم حتى يتمكنوا من التواصل ، ويفترض سكان الجزر - الذين لا يوجد سكان آخرون لمقارنتهم بهم - أن الصمم كان مجرد جزء من الاختلاف البشري. في الواقع ، كان الصمم شائعًا لدرجة أنه في الروايات الشفوية التي تم جمعها في القرن العشرين ، واجه أحفاد المستوطنين صعوبة في تذكر من كان من بين أصدقائهم وعائلاتهم أصم أو يسمع. قال أحد كبار السن في عام 1980 : "كما ترى" ، "الجميع هنا يتحدثون لغة الإشارة".
بمرور الوقت ، عندما غادر الناس مارثا فينيارد ، ووصل سكان جدد ، اختفى الصمم الوراثي . لكن السكان المحليين كانوا مازالوا يتذكرون لغة الإشارة ، واستمر الكثير من الأشخاص الذين يسمعون في استخدامها مع أشخاص آخرين يسمعون . بعد سنوات من آخر ساكن في الجزيرة مصاب بالصمم الوراثي في عام 1952 ، على عكس المناطق الأخرى ، لم يتم تمييز الصم ، لأن الجميع يتحدثون بلغة الإشارة ، وبالتالي ، فإن الصمم ليس إعاقة ولم يتم وصم الصم بالعار. ونظرًا لأنه لم يتم تمييزهم كمجموعة ، فإن الأشخاص الذين لا يستطيعون السمع لم يتم تصنيفهم أبدًا على أنهم "صُم".
كان جمال اختراع لغة الإشارة هو أن سكان الجزر طوروا تكيفًا ثقافيًا مع الإعاقة السمعية. إن ذلك يقدم أحد أفضل الأمثلة على كيفية إنتاج الثقافة ، وليس الطبيعة ، وتحديد ما يعتبر طبيعيًا وغير طبيعي. كانت الثقافة - العزلة الاجتماعية والتزاوج المختلط - هي التي أوجدت المشكلة البيولوجية ، ولكن بعد ذلك كانت الثقافة قوية بما يكفي ومبدعة بما يكفي لتجاوزها. نظرًا لأن الأشخاص الذين لا يسمعون كانوا مندمجين تمامًا في مجتمعاتهم وكانوا قادرين على التواصل مع الجميع ، يمكننا حتى القول إنه لا يوجد أحد "أصم" حقًا في مارثا فينيارد.
.
Roy Grinker
Nobody's Normal
Translated By #Maher_Razouk
erboe501's review against another edition
5.0
While the premise of Grinker's book isn't anything I haven't heard in my reading on Disability Studies, I did enjoy his evidence. I hadn't ever approached the construction of mental illness from a military health point of view. I knew that military science has influenced many developments across the board for the lay population. That is especially true for how we understand mental health.
The diagnosis of nonconforming individuals with "stigmatized" mental health conditions is a way to control and police all of our behavior. I found anthropologist Ruth Benedict's words, quoted in the book, especially clarifying: “The concept of the normal is properly a variant of the concept of the good. It is that which society has approved.”
On the other hand, medical professionals might feel pressure to diagnosis a patient with a certain condition the patient doesn't have in order to help the patient receive benefits or compensation or reduce stigma.
There's also a lot of interesting discussion on how we understand the mind and body to be connected--or not connected, and how Western society can more easily process ailments of the body we can see.
Another interesting discussion: how modern-day ECT (basically electro-shock therapy) has been honed to a much safer and effective degree than the horrors of the mid-20th century practice would lead me to expect. But the stigma trailing those earlier practitioners discourages those who might benefit from the practice from getting that help.
The diagnosis of nonconforming individuals with "stigmatized" mental health conditions is a way to control and police all of our behavior. I found anthropologist Ruth Benedict's words, quoted in the book, especially clarifying: “The concept of the normal is properly a variant of the concept of the good. It is that which society has approved.”
On the other hand, medical professionals might feel pressure to diagnosis a patient with a certain condition the patient doesn't have in order to help the patient receive benefits or compensation or reduce stigma.
There's also a lot of interesting discussion on how we understand the mind and body to be connected--or not connected, and how Western society can more easily process ailments of the body we can see.
Another interesting discussion: how modern-day ECT (basically electro-shock therapy) has been honed to a much safer and effective degree than the horrors of the mid-20th century practice would lead me to expect. But the stigma trailing those earlier practitioners discourages those who might benefit from the practice from getting that help.
noodal's review
4.0
Picked this up in light of Mental Health Awareness month. Grinker explores the cultural elements that drive the negative stigma of mental illnesses, which he argues have stemmed from outdated Neoliberal/capitalist ideologies of productivity that relegate mental illnesses as deficiencies and weaknesses as if it was black and white, normal vs abnormal. Grinker presents a strong case for a spectrum that blurs and perhaps eliminates the divide between "normal" and "abnormal".
Though clearly thoroughly researched with several insightful anecdotes and case studies, I found it could have been much more succinct. As harrowing as the history of psychiatry seems in retrospect and as inspiring as these success stories where people with severe mental illness overcame their stigma are, it was very repetitive throughout the book.
At the same time, I would have liked to have had more discussion on the extent to how cultural factors have influenced the more recent phenomenon described by Dr. Rachel Yehuda:
I have seen this surface a lot in many American teens from both millennials and Gen Z. Many millennials still look fondly on (or appreciate that the difference from) their “emo” days, which glorified self-harm and broody behavior. Even when I was a teenager, I obsessed over "abnormal psychology" - in part, likely thanks to Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 hit movie The Dark Knight. I even convinced myself of having a shallow interpretation of schizophrenia; there was something so powerful about existing outside the norm, by instilling fear through unpredictability. (It was a weird, rebellious time in my life that I am long past.)
Yet we see somewhat similar examples more recently as well: the TikTok trend of users pretending to have Tourette’s syndrome or falsely diagnosing others with ADHD. While in some cases they were attempts to scam followers out of “donating” to support them, I am under the impression that such behavior signals an underlying motivation to seek the validation of their individuality (by demonstrating 'abnormality' as a proxy) or to gain entrance into the "kingdom of the sick". But I'm no expert, and this is just a presumption (one that I am open to changing).
But that does not mean we should perpetuate the distinction of mental illness from 'normalcy'. We should continue to learn and understand more about the various ways in which we communicate with one another and how our brains and bodies contribute to that.
Though clearly thoroughly researched with several insightful anecdotes and case studies, I found it could have been much more succinct. As harrowing as the history of psychiatry seems in retrospect and as inspiring as these success stories where people with severe mental illness overcame their stigma are, it was very repetitive throughout the book.
At the same time, I would have liked to have had more discussion on the extent to how cultural factors have influenced the more recent phenomenon described by Dr. Rachel Yehuda:
"Sometimes I wonder if we have swung the pendulum too far in reducing stigma, making some diagnoses far too broad and also glamorizing some mental illnesses, and perhaps even suicide."
I have seen this surface a lot in many American teens from both millennials and Gen Z. Many millennials still look fondly on (or appreciate that the difference from) their “emo” days, which glorified self-harm and broody behavior. Even when I was a teenager, I obsessed over "abnormal psychology" - in part, likely thanks to Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 hit movie The Dark Knight. I even convinced myself of having a shallow interpretation of schizophrenia; there was something so powerful about existing outside the norm, by instilling fear through unpredictability. (It was a weird, rebellious time in my life that I am long past.)
Yet we see somewhat similar examples more recently as well: the TikTok trend of users pretending to have Tourette’s syndrome or falsely diagnosing others with ADHD. While in some cases they were attempts to scam followers out of “donating” to support them, I am under the impression that such behavior signals an underlying motivation to seek the validation of their individuality (by demonstrating 'abnormality' as a proxy) or to gain entrance into the "kingdom of the sick". But I'm no expert, and this is just a presumption (one that I am open to changing).
But that does not mean we should perpetuate the distinction of mental illness from 'normalcy'. We should continue to learn and understand more about the various ways in which we communicate with one another and how our brains and bodies contribute to that.
sarahjordan4's review against another edition
4.0
I was torn between three and four stars on this one. There was so much interesting information in it, but I had heard a great deal of it before. I ended up giving it a four because if I had read this before other similar books then it would’ve been new information.
There were many subjects discussed in the book that had be thinking deeply randomly throughout my day.
There were many subjects discussed in the book that had be thinking deeply randomly throughout my day.