Amerika

An update is underway for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM, which defines the emotional problems for which doctors prescribe drugs and insurance companies pay the treatment bills. Psychiatrists working on the new edition were required to sign a strict confidentiality agreement.

Critics contend that the American Psychiatric Assn. should allow outside observers to review the scientific debate behind new and revised diagnoses.

LA Times

Say a man is “insane.”

What if “insane” were redefined to mean “anti-social”? A useful control mechanism.

Tell me this, psychologists: despite a century of psychology, we seem to be more neurotic than before. What are the great successes of psychology?

Oh… convincing people that something other than their decisions and attention span is to blame for their failings.

You mean it makes us lazy.

Well, no wonder they’re redefining things… they’re probably just covering their tracks.