Thanks to Paul Goyette for permission to use this Photo.
I just finished reading Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, which is coming out towards the end of August. The book summarizes, in very accessible terms, thirty years of work by John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago and his colleagues.
It’s initially hard to get past the title. William Patrick, John’s coauthor, relates how a friend reading an early manuscript found the word “loneliness” to be disturbing, even more so than “rape,” “murder,” or “death.” This reaction fits perfectly with the major theme of the book–we humans are a very social bunch, and being cut off from other people, as in solitary confinement, might be the very worst punishment of all.
What I especially liked about the book is the constant, seamless integration of what we call “perspectives” in psychology, harkening back to William James. In other words, the neuroscience, social psychology, and cognitive science is all woven together so that you get the big picture. In other writing, John has compared psychology to a symphony, with the different perspectives contributing to the whole of our understanding just as the score, musicians, instruments, and conductor join together to produce fantastic music. He and William have definitely succeeded in bringing this integration to the study of loneliness. Given the all-too-frequent Balkanization of psychology into little subdomains, this approach is refreshing and informative.
Like William’s friend, I found myself feeling sad at times while reading the book. I don’t consider myself a lonely person, as I am blessed by having a close family and good friends. But I know a lot of lonely people, and reading the various case studies brought these people to mind in a vivid way. The sad mood lifted, however, when John would throw in some of his modest and self-deprecating humor, as in his description of his trip to “Grenada.” Enough said. You need to read the book to find out the rest. (more…)
Thanks Ryan, this video was really eye opening and scary at the same time! I watched the rest of the programs. Mr. Rushkoff has a few other programs I plan to watch—all seem interesting.
I shared some of the information with my teenager and we had a nice conversation. The new generation is being raised with a weak set of values making them very vulnerable to the marketing by people who don’t care about their well being. The more aware we are of the tricks being played, the more capable we are of resisting and giving them the tools they need at a young age not to be vulnerable to this kind of marketing.
Thanks again for sharing such thought provoking topics.
The insights of cultural/media theorist Douglas Rushkoff are always contemporary and often prescient. He was deciphering the social codes of the virtual psyche, lifestyle, and marketplace before such concepts were formally identified by the so-called “machine.” TheMerchants Of Cool is a brilliant analysis of the incorporation of youth pop-culture that Ruskhoff created while working as a correspondent for PBS Frontline. This is a very entertaining documentary. You’ll learn a lot too. Let me know what you think in the comments section.
Thanks to Boris Anthony for permission to use this Photo.
Marshall McLuhan’s groundbreaking theories on media communications and the psycho-social impact of technological development made him both a very respected and controversial figure beginning in the 1950’s. Seen by many as a prophet of our contemporary media filtered age, McLuhan’s famous “the medium is the message” theory, in which the communications medium itself (microphone, television, computer, letter) is more directly related to the meaning and ultimate impact of a given message than the actual “content” (intellectual/rational meaning) continues to gain depth as the decades pass.
I recently discovered an excellent audio-video archive of McLuhan’s work on the CBC web site. This is a great primer for our psychology students unfamiliar with his work and I strongly encourage you to check this archive out by clicking here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on McLuhan, a thinker who still truly remains ahead of his time.
Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University Psychology Program
Thanks to Curtis Perry for permission to use this Photo.
Since at least the 1930s, mental health professionals in the city of Jerusalem have attested to the existence of a peculiar syndrome affecting some first-time visitors. Referred to as the Jerusalem syndrome, it is described as an intense religious psychosis characterized by delusions, obsessive ideas, or other psychotic symptoms that can affect first-time visitors to the city and can quickly resolve in a matter of weeks. There is a suggested typology of Jerusalem syndrome episodes based on whether there is a preexisting psychiatric history or idiosyncratic ideation involved.
Case histories that have been reported include one individual, who was observed to be dressed in a white tunic and wearing a gilded crown on his head welcomes tourists and pilgrims on their way to the Wailing Wall and proclaiming himself as King David. Being the psalmist, he held a lyre and sang psalms accompanied by occasional preaching. Another case involved a self-proclaimed “messiah” who was observed to guard the entry to Jerusalem and calling on all sinners to repent as he claimed the doomsday is near. Another individual referred to himself as “Samson” and attempted to move the giant stones of the Wailing Wall “to the right place”. After fighting down policemen who tried to interfere, “Samson” was taken to the Kfar Shaul Psychiatric Hospital in Jerusalem where he was treated and later released. (more…)
Thanks to Jon Nicholls for permission to use this Photo.
After receiving approval from the Catholic Church, a new centre is scheduled to be opened in the Polish town of Poczernin near the German border to provide exorcisms for those believing themselves to be possessed. Andrzej Trojanowski, an academic chaplain who has been working in the nearby town of Szczeczin for the past five years, will be directing the centre. Father Trojanowski is reported to have dealt with twenty cases a week in his former position. While there are currently fifty exorcists operating in Poland, the centre will be the first of its kind in that country. The new centre is also expected to draw potential clients from Germany due to the lack of exorcists in that country. Reports indicate that the centre will be built as a retreat house with a chapel, guest rooms and clinical facilities for the psychiatrist who has been working with Father Trojanowski.
After a long decline throughout most of the twentieth century, demand for exorcisms began to make a comeback in the 1960s (partially spurred by movies such as The Exorcist). (more…)
Thanks to Jon Walton for permission to use this Photo.
Visitors to the countries of Western Africa (including Morocco, Algeria, and
Senegal) can take in the exotic sights, sounds and smells associated with that part of the world but, for a real understanding of the religious life of the people, you need to learn about the marabouts. Meaning “saints” in the Berber language spoken in Morocco and Algeria, the marabouts act as spiritual leaders of the particular brand of Islam practiced throughout the West African nations. While the marabout tradition appears to predate Islam (and Islamic leaders often denounce the veneration attached to them), marabout worship can take many forms.
The term marabout extends to the living spiritual leaders, known for their virtuous living and ability to act as agents between humans and divine forces, but also to the tombs where they are buried. Long after a marabout’s death, the tomb can be a site for pilgrimages with each saint being judged by the miracles attached to his name and stories surrounding his life. Of all the marabouts who continue to attract pilgrims long after their death, there are few who are more revered than Bouya Omar. (more…)
Thanks to Herman Snerd for permission to use this Photo.
We all know that humans are natural born conformers - we copy each other’s dress sense, ways of talking and attitudes, often without a second thought. But exactly how far does this conformity go? Do you think it is possible you would deny unambiguous information from your own senses just to conform with other people? (more…)
While cases of religious ecstasy are hardly unusual, there are definitely examples that tend to stand out. In 1728, in the Parisian cemetery of St. Medard, a phenomenon began that quickly became the talk of France. Following the burial of a pious, Jansenist bishop named Francois de Paris in the cemetery, stories arose of miraculous cures being worked at the bishop’s tomb. Pious female parishioners, who later became known as St. Medard’s convulsionaries, were described as engaging in “contortions and convulsive movements, attended by cries, shrieks and groans, all of which were regarded as manifestations of divine power”. The adherents would work themselves into states of religious ecstasy and engage in acts of severe torture which they either inflicted on themselves or through the actions of assistants known as Secouristes. They would then reportedly work miracles and cure all forms of disease.
The massive hysteria that arose led to a crackdown by the police under orders of the King and the eventual closure of the cemetery in 1732. Thousands of convulsionaries were arrested and the movement was driven underground. It eventually split into different factions and faded into obscurity (although it would briefly reappear in Paris in 1759). The police action gave rise to a famous epigram: “De par le roi, defense a Dieu De faire miracle en ce lieu. (Louis to God: To keep the peace, here miracles must henceforth cease).”
The convulsionaries of St. Medard gained a literary immortality through the writings of Voltaire and Diderot. A less famous but longer-lasting example of religious convulsionaries occurred in the northern Spanish town of Jaca. This small town was known for centuries for the annual pilgrimage to commemorate its patron saint, Orosia (also spelled Eurosia). Different accounts of Orosia’s life exist (and she may have never existed at all) and it remains unclear why she was named patron saint of the demonically possessed but she became the patron saint of Jaca after her relics were brought there in the eleventh century.
From that time until the Church banned the practice in 1947, St. Orosia’s convulsionaries took part in a bizarre procession each year on June 25 (the Saint’s feast day). The procession involved the “demonically afflicted” (eg, epileptics, mentally ill, physically handicapped, and other stricken) and took place in front of the Saint’s sarcophagus. The pilgrims would gather to find healing for their various afflictions through participation in the procession and exorcism rituals. In a description of the procession by a medical observer in 1881 (and bear with me here since my Spanish is rusty), the bishop and retinue of friars would start off the procession accompanied by music and dancing. “Paralytics, madmen, epileptics and hysterics would gather during the night before the chest containing the saint’s relics.
Their infirmity is attributed to possession by a devil and they seek the devil’s elimination. Cramping, muscle contractions, spasmodic grins, and howling are the preamble of the convulsions. They would fall to the ground until they were black and blue, blood spurting from their mouths”. At this point, the exorcism would begin with multiple applications of the rosary and cross which the convulsionaries would kiss repeatedly. Once the demon was deemed to have fled, the newly healed convulsionaries would jump for joy and scream loudly.
It is doubtful whether any actual “cures” took place (there were certainly no follow-up studies) but the sight of the newly-exorcised praising the saint for their healing made for quite a spectacle by all accounts and drew pilgrims from all over the region.The banning by the Church in 1947 brought an end to St. Orosia’s convulsionaries and marked the last example of recurring mass motor hysteria in
Europe. Sadly, the use of exorcism in dealing with mental illness continues even today with tragic results When proper mental health care isn’t available and families seek for a cure for their loved ones, what solutions might they turn to in desperation?
Romeo Vitelli
Creator of Providentia
AU Contributing Blogger
*A man who has lived a fascinating life, Dr. Romeo Vitelli spent fifteen years as a staff psychologist in Millbrook Correctional Centre, a maximum-security prison run by the Ontario government. In 2003, he successfully escaped prison and went into full-time private practice and currently also serves as a Disaster Management volunteer with the Red Cross. He is one of the web’s most respected and trusted sources in matters of psychology. We here in the AUCJ community are honored to share with our students and would like to express our gratitude. Visit Providentia to learn more about the life and work of Dr. Romeo Vitelli.
In a recent issue of Tricycle, Clark Strand argued that for Buddhism to survive in the West, it must adopt some of the more traditional forms of ritual inherent Christianity and Judaism, so that young people brought up in Buddhist families will continue in the tradition. This is a very ethnocentric viewpoint.
Strand believes that rituals and tradition and chanting and marriages and burials and birthings, as well as prominent religious holidays, act as family-cohering events within a religion, something the Christians and Jews have in plenitude, while we stinting Buddhists have very little of that group-hug, dress-up bonding crap.
These are valuable things in a culture that adheres to such beliefs, but America is largely moving beyond these older value systems. We are, as Americans, essentially a post-modern culture now. Certainly, many people still need these rituals to feel connected — and I have no problem with that, the Buddha tailored his teachings to reach a wide range of people. Some teachings were far more advanced than others, both intellectually and culturally. But many Americans, especially Buddhists, are living in a post-ritual, post-mythic world.
When the Buddha was liberated, the culture was predominantly pre-rational, and many of the rituals and ceremonies of this cultural mindset survive into current Buddhist practice, especially in Tibetan Buddhism, which arose in a richly shamanic culture (the Bon tradition). But that was 2,500 years ago. The world has changed, and with it, so has Buddhism as it has moved to the West.
Science has shown that it is highly unlikely that we share the world with demons and other non-corporeal beings. Likewise, it is highly unlikely that there are hells or heavens, other than those we create for ourselves.
So what does this mean for American Buddhists?
When we discover Buddhism, we accept the Four Noble Truths and embark upon the Noble Eightfold Path. Many of us, especially in the Mahayana tradition, take the Bodhisattva Vow to work toward the liberation of all sentient beings before seeking our own liberation. This is very post-rational value system — putting others before ourselves.
Throughout history, Buddhism has tended to remain aloof from political and social concerns. But in a global community, this is no longer feasible. When we vow to serve the liberation of all sentient beings, there are no exceptions. This is now being very clearly demonstrated by the Buddhist monks in Burma who are demonstrating against an oppressive and violent government.
Many would argue that this is not an appropriate behavior for Buddhist monks. And even their Thai neighbors have refused, so far, to support their efforts. But what can be more appropriate for Buddhist monks than working to free their fellow citizens from tyranny? How better to assist their fellow beings to be free of suffering than to help free them from an oppressive military junta that has blocked all efforts toward democracy?
A post-modernism Buddhism must recognize that we live in an interconnected world — that Buddhists can no longer stand idly by as oppression happens around them. Thich Nhat Hanh advocated an Engaged Buddhism, after having lived that approach for many years. There is no other responsible course of action.
As Tibetan Buddhism, in particular, moved into the West, many teachers failed to recognize that their new audience is so culturally different than their homeland in Tibet or India. While some Americans have been willing to adopt Tibetan traditions, such as prostrations and other archaic rituals, many more are not.
One of the few early teachers to recognize this cultural difference was Chogyam Trungpa. He brought a Westernized version of Tibetan Buddhism to American in the 1970s, the Shambhala tradition. He understood that Americans have different values and mindsets than Tibetans. It has been, sometimes derisively, called secular Buddhism. As such, it might be the first truly post-modern Buddhism, one devoid of rituals and traditions. [The lineage’s new leader, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, declared in 2,000 that Shambhala is a Buddhist path, not a secular path.]
In a similar vein, many Western Buddhists, and Americans in particular, do not follow a single tradition. We might practice Big Mind, as developed by Genpo Roshi — a combination of Zen practice and Voice Dialogue, a development from modern psychology. We might also practice mindfulness and Tonglen, as described by Pema Chodron in her many wonderful books. Many American Buddhists have come to the Dharma from other religions, and consequently may still believe in God, however non-anthropomorphic that belief might be.
If Buddhism in America is to survive and prosper — and I have no doubt that it will — we need to be less concerned with bringing in mythic rituals than with being open to the ways Buddhism can evolve to serve people in our current culture. And we also need to accept that our Buddhist values inform every area of our lives, including politics.
Even the Dalai Lama is willing to reject traditional beliefs if current science proves them wrong. We too need to be able to release pre-modern traditions to allow Buddhism to evolve with the current understanding of the world — our post-modern world.
*William Harryman is a writer/editor, personal trainer, consultant, and expert on Buddhist philosophy-psychology. Mr. Harryman’s blog, Integral Options Cafe, is one of the web’s most definitive resources on topics related integral theory, psychology, and human values. Based on my contacts with William, I can attest to the fact that his actions are completely consistent with the life principles he espouses on his blog. We would like to thank him for this opportunity to share his insights with our AU student community. Visit the Integral Options Cafe to learn more about the life and work of William Harryman. Thanks William!
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