I really appreciated this article and the nuanced take on mental health practices. Certainty can delude those with the best intentions in any profession, having wide ramifications for those seeking professional services. Thank you for writing this, Ilana!
If I'm living in Homeric Greece, I might very well believe I'm the son of Zeus. Also, that if someone insults me, a spear might be a good way to handle the situation. If I'm in 1938 Tokyo, I am probably ok with the Emperor's divinity and the superiority of the Japanese race. Works well inside those cultures, but nutty in 2023 New Jersey.
A helpful therapist might simply point out that the patient's view on George Floyd is held by other Americans, but runs across a political fault line and maybe isn't acceptable to the patient's friends. As there are many others in the same culture with similar beliefs, the opinion is not a unique delusion.
Maybe it's useful to think more broadly when considering what beliefs are delusional. Doesn't solve every problem, but it's a good step.
I really appreciated this article and the nuanced take on mental health practices. Certainty can delude those with the best intentions in any profession, having wide ramifications for those seeking professional services. Thank you for writing this, Ilana!
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-problem-with-implicit-bias-training/
Wow, you're posing a pretty deep question.
If I'm living in Homeric Greece, I might very well believe I'm the son of Zeus. Also, that if someone insults me, a spear might be a good way to handle the situation. If I'm in 1938 Tokyo, I am probably ok with the Emperor's divinity and the superiority of the Japanese race. Works well inside those cultures, but nutty in 2023 New Jersey.
A helpful therapist might simply point out that the patient's view on George Floyd is held by other Americans, but runs across a political fault line and maybe isn't acceptable to the patient's friends. As there are many others in the same culture with similar beliefs, the opinion is not a unique delusion.
Maybe it's useful to think more broadly when considering what beliefs are delusional. Doesn't solve every problem, but it's a good step.
We do indeed have multiple "realities" in America. We all could use intellectual humility and charity as we strive to understand each other.