The cartoon above was drawn by Mike Lake. Mike has a mental illness and this drawing was one of the ways he expressed his feelings toward society and how they look at other people with mental illness. Mike posted the image to WhyHope.com, which he made to talk about the issues of discrimination and hate that those with mental illness deal with regularly. His comment on the cartoon is as follows: "This cartoon also shows why it is easier to write about these issues than to talk about them."
This picture makes many statements about the stigma that those with mental illnesses deal with. The picture shows something of a bullying attitude from society toward those with mental illness. The words of society suggest that there are multiple stereotypes associated with mental illness. It could also suggest that when one label is applied, many more can be associated with the same person. The caption makes one final jab; "we are not hurting the mentally ill. They are crazy!"
Do you think society has been unfair to those with mental illnesses? What do you think the cartoon says about how those with illnesses feel? Why does Mike claim it is easier to draw the issue than actually talk about it? What does the caption say about society's guilt or lack thereof?
Below is the link to the picture, followed by analysis.
http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Mental+health+and+social+stigma
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I believe it is wrong to make any sweeping statements of the "fairness" of society's treatment of those with mental illnesses. The interactions between those with mental illnesses have changed through time and effect the historical perspective of "fairness" . The public policy of "eugenics" instituted in the united states at the turn of the 20th century is seen as the antithesis of fairness of treatment of those mental illness. Forced sterilizations for those with mental disabilities were common in the United States were common in the 1920's and 30's and laws about sterilization remained on the books in some parts of the US until the 1970's. The Nazi public eugenics program expanded on these actions by creating euthanasia programs.
ReplyDeleteAn example of this public policy can be in this poster. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/United_States_eugenics_advocacy_poster.jpg
Since the 1940's the united states has rid itself of these eugenics programs, and made it public policy to help those with disabilities, cumulating in the American Disability act which through many ways seeks to make Americans with disabilities equal with those without impairment. What Mr. Lake has experienced where parts of society has labeled him "sick... dangerous ... a criminal" come from the line of eugenics thinking. I am saddened to hear that Mr. Lake had these experiences and this is his thoughts of "society". In my personal experiences, scouting and church, I have seen how those with disabilities and those who do not can find common ground.
An example of a program that I know works with those with disabilities.
http://www.peacegahanna.org/friendship-connections
This photo and the words that Mike Lake says about why he drew it are really sad. I do think that society doesn't realize the extent to mental illness sometimes. Although I wouldn't say that society as a whole has no sensitivity to them, I would agree that many individuals who don't deal with mental illness in their lives don't really know how to treat people who do. Some people may not even realize that they are stigmatizing mentally ill people. For example, although this is more for mentally challenged, people say "Your're retarded." This comment here is stigmatizing the mentally challenged. I also thought it was interesting how this pointed out that it was easier for him to draw his emotions than say them. This to me kind of shows that society is not very accepting to hear about how others feel based on how they are treated.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dana and believe that society as a whole is not sensitive/ treat people with a mental illness unfair. I think society has been unfair to those with mental illnesses because they are placed in a group that is looked down upon. I feel society does not accept people with mental illnesses, but as a whole we are moving in the right direction. Most people do not want to associated with them or give them a change because of their illness.
ReplyDeleteThis cartoon is very simple and plan. This could be looked at as being done so the group stigmatized can understand it. I feel this cartoon shows that society is not guilty and most of the time I feel people do not realize they could be hurting someone's feelings.
I think the society has been unfair to those with mental illnesses. Not all of them are morbid all the time, but the society just treats them in the same way. In this picture, the stigmatized group, people who have mental illnesses, are depicted as a emaciated man, and he curls his mouth, seems like the author is trying to show his discontentment to what the “society” is saying while he dare not debate with him. Also, the “mentally ill” people has him arms and fists tightly around him body, but through the position of him arms the author is trying to depict he is protecting himself but dare not hurt others. The “mentally ill” people is lower than “society”, so Mike uses this to give a feeling of commanding and being commanded, because in our daily life people with larger rights can have a seat in higher position. In contrast with the unwilling facial expression of “mentally ill” people, “society” has a big smile in his face as if there is nothing unfair. He points the other one with one finger, and this gesture is usually considered rather contumelious. In this way, the theme of revealing the feeling of people with mental illness can be delivered than straightforwardly talking about it.
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Deletewe think it is the good point that mental illness are not morbid the time, but some people tend to treat them as the same way.this picture drew by Lake who suffers from mental illness which presented what he though about society's negtive interaction with him. in the picture is seem to stereotype the mental illness people as sick, dangerous,criminal. "we don't want you" society isolate them. why this happend to mental illness people which results from damage of brain? a organ. why is different from disease like cancer and other disease?
I think when he says that it's easier to draw these situations rather than to discuss them he's pointing out yet another stigma toward the mentally ill. This being, no one really cares what they have to say. I feel society doesn't want to listen to what they have to say, because they're mentally ill they don't know what they're talking about or understand the issue they're trying to confront. This also could be pointing out that this is the only way they know how to communicate with others who don't share their handicap or illness to make them understand how they see society and the effects it has on mentally ill.
ReplyDeleteI also do think society has been unfair to the mentally ill and also to the handicapped. As we discussed in class on tuesday, our society isn't accommodating to the handicapped, and I can't begin to image the frustration and stress they feel toward society and even maybe themselves for having the handicap they do, when it's obviously not their fault.
In his drawing, Mike Lake uses negative comments as well as negative attitudes to show how society mistreats people with mental illnesses.
ReplyDeleteHe also talks about the three faces of life:
“There is what people expect you to be,
there is what you want to be,
and what you must be to survive.
(Mental health support tends to fail because it ignores these three faces of life.)”
If mental health support fails because they ignore these three faces of life, then it appears that they do not think of the mentally ill as anything at all. The picture that Mike has drawn supports this claim in that he felt as if the mentally ill are not wanted and is a scapegoat to society. The caption indicates that society is trying to justify their stigma towards the mentally ill by stating “they are not hurting the mentally ill, they are crazy!” It is apparent in Mike’s drawing that society’s attitude is having a negative effect in their well being as the person representing the mentally ill is seen emotional.
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Deletethe three faces just come back the point "norm", is there really "norm". the mental health support always just want to adjust the disorder, but didn't not consider about what the mental illness people's feeling. why just let them live the life they really feel comfortable.
I believe this picture is a perfect example of how society perceives the "mentally ill" or the "mentally challenged". Society tends to not care about mentally challenged person's thoughts or opinions. Society seems to think that people with mental illnesses should be put in a different category, but when really, they're just like you and me.
ReplyDeleteIt's extremely wrong to downgrade a person because they have a mental illness. It's sad to think that this is only way that one with a mental illness (like Mike) can communicate to the world since others don't want to hear what he has to say. I believe this drawing will help people realize that people overlook how much the mentally challenged are stigmatized
What is "mentally ill?" In recent days people are considered mentally ill if they act deviant or out of the "norm." Also, many people have linked mentally ill with someone having a low IQ. People who are considered mentally ill are not dumb or crazy. They are able perform task that "normal" people do, but just in a different way. For an example autistic people are considered socially awkward and unintelligent because they don't communicate with others. In most cases they have a form of communication but since it's not the standard form of communication they are categorized as dumb. They are not able to communicate their intelligence verbally or through sign language, another accepted form of communication, so they are automatically label as having a low IQ. They have their own form of communication but since the majority of society doesn't speak it, it is not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteThey way the person is label society is bigger then the person labeled mental illness is interesting. It symbolizes how the society is the norm and there are many people in that category and very few in the category of mental illness. It also is a depiction on how the society excludes and stigmatizes people because they do not fit into the large population called the "norm."
I believe when Mike Lake says, "we are not hurting the mentally ill, they are crazy!" he is hinting on the notion that "normal" people don't think mentally ill people can comprehend the world around them, and therefor don't mind on how they are treated.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to determine how mentally ill people are feeling/thinking, especially if they are in a vegetative state. When communication is a problem, it is easy to see how both parties can become frustrated and upset.
I think society has been unfair to those with mental illnesses, and I think this is an accurate portrayal of how a majority of society reacts to individuals that are classified as mentally ill. I think the cartoon depicts that people, like Mike, feel like they are treated as less than human for something that is generally out of their own control. Though I don’t really have any experience to back this assumption up with since I myself have never really encountered someone with a mental illness on a personal level, I have however seen that almost anyone that is stigmatized wishes that they could be seen for what they are capable of not judge based on what they cannot do or cannot change. I believe that for Mike drawing may be an easier way to express his feelings about the issue rather than talking, because through this picture he can relate all his feelings and points without someone necessarily knowing that he himself suffers from a mental illness. I think the caption shows the reality of the way society looks upon those with mental illnesses, as a whole we don’t really see them as equals rather people that we either ignore or try to fix through medicine or institutions.
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