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> From: Howard Olson <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Maternal care
> Date: Monday, May 05, 1997 2:26 AM
>
> Juan Carlos Garelli wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated  4 May 97 at 14:07, Matthew Levy says:
> >
> >  >         There has been much discussion on  this list recently on
> >  >         the
> >  > related issues of political psychopathology and childcare.  Much of
> >  > this seems to be prompted by Dr. Garelli's original comment that
> >  > many of our political problems are attributable to the pathological
> >  > character of politicians, and the suggestion that we can do away
> >  > with such problems  by having mental health care professionals
> >  > monitor our elected (or unelected) officials, and by introducing
> >  > new methods of childrearing.
> >
> > I never said such a thing. Moreover, I asserted that current
> > political sociopaths are irredeemable, and that nothing can be done
> > to redress this situation.
> >
> > What I did say is that there are ways to early detection of
> > psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies in infants and preschoolers
> > and that psychiatric intervention in those cases might prevent
> > anti-social developments.
> >

> > JCG

>         Juan, it would be profoundly regrettable if you were to feel that
> those who have misinterpreted what you say make it necessary to abandon
> your discussion. Clearly, you are correct to pursue this discussion to
> its logical conclusion which is a proposal vis a vis educational and
> clinical/counseling psychology to help prevent the development of
> psychopathologies fostered by authoritarian institutions. I hope you will
> continue....
>
>                         Howard

Earlier, Dr. Garelli had written:

> > Psychopathologically, self-deception characterizes a mental
> > condition known as _psychopathy_ or _sociopathy_, which displays a
> > number of sub-syndromes spanning a vast range of external
> > manifestations: from crime and murder to manipulating others.

> > This is important, to my mind, since politicians and socially
> > successful people are almost invariably psychopaths of different
> > kinds of severity. Detecting them, penetrating the barrier of
> > self-deception is therefore of the utmost importance for a society
> > based on mutual cooperation.

I, Don DeBar, had written (see earlier post) that he didn't know that it
would be effective or possible to train the next generation of the elite to
be "healthy" leaders. I have since re-read Dr. Garelli's original post, and
realize that even if this is true, there may well be some value in applying
this effort to the rest of society. The reduction of pathology in the rest
of society may well help remove the TV, drug & alcohol addictions many
working people suffer from the equation, as well as helping to reduce the
social and political catatonia that oppression can induce. Obviously, the
big problem is one of control of this program under existing
conditions...will it be used to help, or further oppress, working people.

DD