Philosophy A New Way To Be Mad By Carl Elliot - Essay Example

Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), also known as Amputee Identity Disorder or Apotemnophilia (from Greek "to cut off", and "love of is the overwhelming desire to amputate one or more healthy limbs or other parts of the body. Sometimes its sufferers take it upon themselves to amputate their own limbs and/or penis. Although it most commonly refers to people who wish to amputate limbs, the term BIID also applies to those who wish to alter their bodily integrity in general (Wikipedia). As a normal human being one strives to be self sufficient. It is more of a vice than virtue to take assistance from someone. If you ask any amputee about the thing he would like to have in this world, his answer would be to get his/her amputated part back. Therefore, the development of a psychological condition in which one intends to become "incomplete" from "complete" is difficult to understand. The essence of condition which leads to disintegration from an integrated and superior stage is what is hard to believe. The classification of this condition is difficult as no thorough research has been done in this regard. We know that such a condition may develop in childhood but normally the symptoms can only come to forefront when the individuals reach a stage at which they can take decision about amputating themselves. This huge unobserved/ unrecorded gap which is present from the childhood till the stage of an ability to act is a huge obstacle in classification of this condition. Therefore, leaving us with many unanswered important questions, like whether it is developed circumstantially or genetically and with some earlier treatment it can be treated or not, resultantly improbability of accurate classification. With the lack of data and research available there can be many psychological "theories" which can be brought forward. Mark Dillof M.A. has given some interesting insight on the issue in his essay "When the less feels like more". He mentions that these disorders can be categorized as perverse self-negation. According to this theory, man normally loves power and control. In case this love of power/control has no external outlet it turns inward and become self destructive. This theory is closely related to Nietzsche's philosophy about morality. In the second essay of "Genealogy of Morals" Nietzsche delve into the development of bad conscience. He mentions that when a man (slave/common man) is deprived of manifesting his "will to power" towards the others (masters/influential people) his energies are turned against himself inwardly and "the instinct of cruelty turns back after it can no longer discharge itself externally." Therefore, it is that cruelty generated in the conditions of helplessness which causes the state of apotemnophilia. Coupled with above, the generation of feeling of self pity and pity from others can be another reason of such behavior. As a normal healthy person is expected to help, the apotemnophiliac from inside is not inclined to do that. Now in normal circumstances he will be looked down upon not helping someone. However, by creating a self generated disability he is not only avoiding the situation of helping others but also generating permanent circumstances in which he is thought to be deserving a preferential treatment. However, what ever the theories are we must understand that the condition of these individuals is not a new phenomenon, but according to few it seem to be on rise. Whether this observation is true or not is debatable. Because we are living in a far more connected world than what it was before. To ascertain that whether the phenomenon is on the rise in recent past is really not possible as the record of our eras' "less interactive" past is not available. However it can be conveniently said that it is prevalent in the prosperous society as compared to a backward one. It is because in prosperous societies more individuals are on "self actualization" stage and thus are more prone to feel their inability to express their energies outwardly, resultantly leading to Nietzsche's "bad conscience". Moreover, present day media will play an important part in dealing with the issue. If the media fails to act and report responsibly the undisputed result would be the increase in the "wannabe amputees" i.e. becoming contagious desire (as mentioned by Elliot). Reasons are simple and complex at the same time, which are:- 1. The reporting of media might incite individuals who want to gain attention by joining the ones who really are affected by this disorder. 2. The reporting if glorified might tilt the thinking of some healthy adventurous persons towards this disorder for just an experiment and eventually falling in the state permanently. 3. There might be certain individuals who are hesitant in speaking about such feelings and are passing a normal life by overcoming it. When they are exposed to so many persons like them and discussions in media, their dormant feelings might come to forefront again (All three reasons indicate clearly that how contagious this desire can be). The societies /cultures that have more religious orientation will normally not be subjected to it. All the major religions in the world grade the normality of a human being as a blessing of God. If an individual is grown up in such surroundings than the concept to take his normality as a blessing of God is ingrained in him to an extent that it is highly unlikely that he would go for such an action even if he turns his "bad conscience" on him. We may draw a parallel with gender identity disorder and Apotemnophilia. Gender identity is an individual's self-conception as being male or female, as distinguished from actual biological sex. Now if there is a disorder in this self-conception that is to say a male thinks or feels himself as female or vice versa it is termed as gender identity disorder. The similarity is that both are the inner feeling of an individual which is contrary to the actual facts on ground. In both cases the result is the annihilation of the present state by creating a new set of circumstances to live in. If the Nietzsche's theory and Dill's analysis are to be taken as reference points than we must say that if the occupied energy within the individuals, which turn against them when did not given an outer way, is directed or channeled towards the outer world the predicament of these "wannabe amputees" can be solved. However, this disorder has far more dangerous repercussions than what "gender identity disorder" or queer community had. We must be very cautious and deliberate to address this issue. Such a community cannot be taken at parity with others' like homosexuals etc for the reason that other disorders does not make people dependant where as acting on such disorders make a society of dependent individuals. The most important step at this stage is that we should thwart any attempt to equate other "disorders" with Apotemnophilia for having a healthy society. Read More