Hyper Kid? Give Em a Pill

            For those of us that spend much of our free time watching television, rather than spending spare time doing more productive activities, it seems like there is a pill or drug for every possible condition we may posses. It seems like the commercials that advertise these products have been increasing over the past decade. It was the memories of these commercials that made me want to write my blog post on erectile dysfunction, but due to it not being really a mental issue I had to abandon the plan and turn to another well publicized conditions. This would be the condition of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This blog is not discrediting that some do suffer form ADD/ADHD, but rather takes an approach that it is over-diagnosed and over-medicated. Growing up as a child of the 1990’s ADD/ADHD was not a stranger to the classroom. It become largely diagnosed in the mid 1990s and continues to today, when kids are often off task or not wanting to sit still and partake in lessons. Back then, these kids were known as “hyper”, but now they are seen as “sick”, and in this culture of pharmaceuticals there is a pill that can make them all better.

Taken From http://whosright.com/poll/could-adhd-be-genetic

The DSM-IV criteria for ADHD states that “symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity have been present for at least six months to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for the development level”. It includes that they may have trouble staying focused on tasks, dislikes things that take lots of mental effort, is forgetful, is disorganized, fidgets in seat, and may blurt out answers. Personally, I do not see these as characteristics that are outside of typical childhood behavior. Also, the “development level” that these children are being measured to is nothing more than a social construction of how the children of a particular age should act. It is even seen in a class reading that the younger students in a grade are 60 percent more likely to bediagnosed with ADD/ADHD than the oldest students in a grade. It also addresses that due to these guidelines the younger children may be being over-diagnosed. The common treatment for ADD/ADHD is to prescribe these “sick” children with a psychostimulate drug, such as Ritalin or Adderall. It functions by blocking the transmission of dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain, very similar to the effects of methamphetamine and cocaine. These drugs have also contributed to a wide spread abuse of proscription drugs. These kinds of drugs can actually alter the brain, and how it develops. This is especially true for children, who still have developing brains.

Taken From http://www.soberlanding.com/category/prescription-drug-addiction

The use of media to advertise these pharmaceutical drugs can also cause parents and other adults, such as teacher, coaches, etc., to self diagnose children as having ADD/ADHD, even though they lack the proper training. The doctors they subsequently take them to may even stand to profit from the pharmaceutical companies for prescribing their product. Other countries, such as Canada, have taken approaches to limit prescription drug advertising on television; much the same way that tobacco companies are not allowed to advertise in the US. Even celebrities such as Adam Levine are used in a ADHD advertisements made by Shire Pharmaceuticals. The parents believe that these cure all drugs will fix their “sick” children. If these drugs are not completely working luckily there is a new drug to take in addition to the stimulant drug they are likely already prescribed. “Your child’s stimulant medicine may be helping, but some ADHD symptoms can still get in the way,” is stated on the website for Intuniv. Now children can take several pills to cure their “illness”. With advertisements like this it is hard to not think the pharmaceutical companies are wanting to make a profit off a new segment of the market and are taking us for a ride. This argument is even the focus of Common Radius Films’ Generation Rx. Can one really blame a child for not wanting to be stuck in a classroom to learn for six hours a day, especially with an increased focus on standardized testing? It’s also the children that don’t fit into the socially constructed ideals of what a student should be that are targeted. It is all about conforming and fitting into the mold.

Taken From http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20441463,00.html

The children that don’t fit in this mold are often thought of as having something wrong with them and a fix is searched for, and for some the result if medication. It is these children that live outside the box that make the great changes in society. These include great thinkers like Da Vince, Einstein, and Aristotle. The use of these medications could be killing off the next generation of great thinkers by quite literally rewiring their brains. One subject that cannot be ignored is that some children do require additional help and supervision, but with much of the society having both parents working (if even still together) they may not be able to provide the additional time for their children, and turn to medication for help. One must be sure to not think that ADD/ADHD is not only in children, but is also diagnosed to many adults and they also get medication to “cure” them.

Taken From http://ritalinsideeffects.net/

There is a reoccurring theme of what is considered deviant is a social construction. It has been stated in the blog posts before this one as well as here. Not fitting into the ideas and molds for how one should act is how someone becomes deviant. Unfortunately there are many ways for school children to not fit in and become deviant. Acting a specific way could get one diagnosed and not only labeled as deviant but also as “sick”. Through advertisements about this “sickness” people become worried about their children and more and more take them to a doctor to get diagnosed and prescribed a drug to “fix” them, and the doctors also might get a kick back from the pharmaceutical companies in one form or another. The effects of these drugs then can actually alter the development of a child’s brain and turn them into a different person than if they had never taken these drugs. Again, this post is not to say that some people legitimately have ADD/ADHD and need help, but that it is over publicized and over diagnosed so that drug companies can make a profit off of parents’ fear that their might be something wrong with their children, and that drugs are the only way to make them better.

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Generation Rx Film Review

What is the main thesis of this film?

What appears to be the main thesis of the film is that the prescription drug companies have created an epidemic of ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and depression in school aged children, and that medication is the only answer. This is done only to gain a profit for the drug companies at a disregard for the effects, both short and long term, that they may have on the children.

Taken From http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about1937535.html

What were the main arguments in support of the thesis?

The main arguments that were in support of this thesis were that there has been an increasing amount of children that have been diagnosed with the aforementioned conditions and received psycho stimulant drugs to help treat their conditions. These drugs alter the brain and can cause a developing brain to develop in a different way than it normally would. On top of this, there is some evidence that the FDA not only failed to acknowledge dangerous side effects, but many people in the FDA also stood to benefit from profits made by these drugs.

How does the thesis of this film relate to the course?

This thesis relates to the theme of the class by showing that almost everything we know or believe is the result of a social construction. This not only addresses how certain actions that many used to attribute to great thinker that made great breakthroughs in many fields of study have become deviant illnesses, like described in “The Frowners”, but also the accepted treatments can vary by time, place, and context. 

Taken From http://dabacon.org/pontiff/?p=6084

Which arguments/points did you find the most convincing?

What I found most convincing was the effects that the drugs can have on still developing brains. I took bio psychopharmacology last year and learned how substances can actually change a brain, and this happening to a still growing brain can have very extreme effects. These changes can then have very dangerous side effects of violence towards others or towards one’s self.

Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?

It was hard to find something that I did not see as convincing in this film, but it does seem to focus a decent amount of time in the beginning of the film towards school shootings. The film seemed to really attribute these actions to the side effects of the prescription drugs these kids were taking. This is a bit of a different approach than what was talked about with masculinity in class, and Michael Kimmel’s “What Triggers School Shootings?” with it being a result to boys having their status of masculinity being challenged.

Research Study:

If I was to conduct a study based off of some of the facts that were presented in this film, I would want to study how the definitions of ADHD vary between the US and other western nations. I would want to see which countries have the broadest definition for what behaviors constitute having the disorder. I would then want to compare the countries with the broadest and narrowest definitions with the amount of the diagnosed populations that are receiving medication. This would be done in an attempt to see if people’s diagnosis is based on receiving a profit from prescribed medications.

Tough Guise Film Review

What is the main thesis of this film?

What seemed to be the thesis of the film “Tough Guise” is that men use violence and aggression as a way to support their masculinity in society. Also, that over time the image that is seen as being masculine has changed. They used the example of the G.I. Joe action figure to show how they have become much more buff and muscular over the past fifty or so years.

Taken From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139643/

What are the main arguments in support of the thesis?

The main arguments in support of the thesis had to be how the image of masculinity has changed. It can be summed up in how the images of wrestlers, guns, and even children’s toys have increased in size over time. Guns have become larger in movies, and action movies have become more violent in a way to show that anger and aggression is an appropriate way to settle issues.

Taken From http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/2007_11.html

Taken From http://cooeystoybox.blogspot.com/2010/04/gi-joe-rumble-in-jungle.html

How does the thesis of the film relate to the course?

The thesis of this film is related to the course because it shows how the acceptable social norms are socially constructed and can have very large effects on the society. Also, gender identities are social norms that can change over time, and there are sanctions for not following the gender norms.

Which arguments/point did you find the most convincing?

The argument that I found the most convincing was that the image of masculinity has become much more violent over the last fifty-sixty years. This was supported with the provided evidence of how professional wrestlers have become much buffer, as well as action figures such as G.I. Joe. This has created an unobtainable image of masculinity, and that the frustration that comes from not obtaining this image can also result in violence. This very publically can include suicides and school shootings. This could very much be explained by James Gilligan’s “Shame, Guilt, and Violence”, and Michael Kimmel’s “What Triggers School Shootings?”

Taken From http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-04-13-columbine-myths_N.htm

Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?

What I found the least convincing actually came from the fact that the film is a bit out of date. In the 13 years since the film was made the image of masculinity continues to change and evolve. I believe that the ideal image of masculinity has actually started to go back the other way, with muscles and size not mattering as much. This may coincide with a greater acceptance of types of lifestyles that has happened since the film was made. Possibly also through the media using what would be considered previously unmanly men in more and more comedic roles.

Research Study:

If I were to conduct a study I would want to interview high school students on what makes a man a man. I would want to interview both male and female students, and compare what they said to what was said by what appeared to be high school aged kids in the movie. I would want to see in the definition has appeared to change.

Murderball Film Review

What is the main thesis of this film?

To me, the thesis of this film was that those that are quadriplegic are able to do many if not just about all of the same things that those out of a wheelchair can do, but that they might require some alternative way to accomplish a task. Pretty much it is proving that they are not useless; like it is sometimes portrayed.

Taken From http://www.dosomething.org/actnow/actionguide/host-a-screening-film-murderball

What are the main arguments in support of the thesis?

The main arguments that I found in support of this thesis was showing how physically disabled people are able to compete in the Paralympics, as well as how some of the sports are actually full contact sports such as wheelchair rugby.

How does the thesis of this film relate to the course?

Taken From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralympic_Games

The thesis of “Murderball” is related to the course because it is fighting against the preconceived notion that comes along with being disabled. It also relates to how people are often only seeing people as able or disabled, but in wheelchair rugby there is a point system that qualifies how many certain players may be on the court at one time depending on their physical ability level.

Which arguments/point did you find the most convincing?

What I found that most convincing was how the main characters within the film have been able to find ways to accomplish pretty much all of the tasks that fully able people are able to do. They are able to drive, cook, have sex, and pull pranks. It almost makes one take what they have for granted. It even show that people with disabilities are all kinds just like everyone else; they can be nice or assholes, which is very much in support about what was being said by bitchmedia about the good cripple and the supercrip.

Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?

What I found the least convincing was not actually in the film, but it came from the discussion in class after the film. It pretty much came up that many people in wheelchairs don’t want to walk again. I may have just taken it the wrong way, or am having a hard time believing it, but I think 99% if given the opportunity to be fully able again would take that option. I think its largely that they came to accept that they likely were never going to be fully able again and in turn have just found way to cope with it.

Research Study:

If I were to conduct a research study I would want to interview quadriplegics of all groups, classes, etc. and see if they would want to walk again given the chance without risks. I want to see if they really would not want to change their life, or have possibly accepted the lifestyle out of necessity.

F*cking n00b!!!!!!!!!!!

            Language is one of the primary parts that make up a culture, and like culture it can change and evolve over time; this is also very true in subcultures. The chosen word to focus on in this blog post was the term “noob”, also commonly spelled “n00b”. This term is likely understood by many of the younger generations that have some experience with the gaming community of the US, and has had its own development over the last fifty some years.

Taken From http://www.hark.com/collections/gggdtwhwrx-noob

            The meaning of this term has is widely understood and has been developed among the gamer subculture in Internet based computer games over the last decade. It has largely been derived from the term “newbie”, which originated in the mid twentieth century to describe a “newcomer, new person to an existing situation”. The term noob is similar to newbie in meaning, but often implies a larger degree of incompetence or stupidity. The development and change of this term over time is reflective of what Daniel Moynihan put forward as “American society has increased beyond the levels the community can “afford to recognize” and that, accordingly, we have been redefining deviancy” (Thio et al. pg. 15). A newbie is a person that would be able to advance and become well versed in whichever task they are new to. A noob is largely considered a person that is stupid/ incompetent, and unwilling to put in the time and effort to becomebetter or more proficient. It has however been difficult to be able to find a single indication for a noob’s ability to improve.

           
             The term has moved more into the mainstream through mass media. One of the most prominent examples of mainstream used of noob was from a comerical about Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. It featured Sam Worthington teaching the noob (Jonah Hill) how to play the game properly. From the research that was conducted on how the gaming community responds to the use of noob, those called noob will often admit to being new to the game and needing help at times, or falsely accused and respond in a very defensive manner. The more experienced people within the video game community often are just frustrated by those that they feel are not up to their level, but it can also be seen that many acknowledge “everyone is a noob at one point”.

           
            In relating the use of noob to in class reading, the most obvious theory that comes to mind would be Howard Becker’s “Labeling Theory”. A person that has been labeled as a noob may cause the person to accept that label and turn to illegitimate ways or cheats to become better at the game. This creates the self-fulfiling prophecy that Becker was hinting towards.

           This also relates to John Braithwaite’s Shaming Theory. In the gaming community a noob may encounter some negative sanctions. While in “normal” society it can take the shape of disapproving looks and gestures, or being the subject of gossip. In the gaming community people tend to take advantage of the anonymity of online gaming, where one is often only known to others as their gamer tag; they unleash verbal tirades full of poor grammar, misspellings, and profanity. What can often assist a noob is the fact that it is often not obvious if one is one at the start of a game/match, but is often identified by a mistake that is believed would not be made by a more experienced player. A noob can also lose the status of noob in a game by pulling of a game changing or impressive move/maneuver. Then the community of player in the game may praise the gamer, and through this praise returns him/her as part of the collective properly playing the game.

            Many different groups and subgroups have language and insults that are specific to their community. Noon or n00b are perfect examples of how this is true within the gaming community. It has evolved from having a different meaning when it was in the form of newbie, to what it means today. It is destined to eventually fade or transform into a different word as the gaming culture, as well as mainstream society, continues to change and evolve.

Works Cited

1.    Moynihan, D. (1993). Defining Deviancy Down. “Readings in Deviant Behavior: Sixth Edition.” (Pgs 15-17). Pearson Education Inc.

2.    Becker, H. (1963). Labeling Theory. “Readings in Deviant Behavior: Sixth Edition.” (Pgs 39-41). Pearson Education Inc.

3.    Braithwaite, J (1989). Shaming Theory. “Reading in Deviant Behavior: Sixth Edition.” (Pgs 33-35). Person Education Inc.

 


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Middle Sexes Film Review

What is the main thesis of this film?

To me the thesis of this film was that transsexual behaviors are natural and normal, and that it can be socially accepted to have more than a binary system for gender/sex.

What were the main arguments in support of the thesis?

The main arguments that I found in support of the films thesis was the statistically and scientifically sexual diversity of more than just male and female is a very common thing. It can even vary but what a specific society’s culture values in terms of sex.

How does the thesis of this film relate to the course?

The thesis of this film relates to the course by showing that sex and sexuality variance is a common thing that has become deviant due to social constructions. Many of these social constructions were communicated by Leslie Feinberg in Transgender Warriors. Also, Ashley Love wrote in her blog how transsexual people have been labeled in line with what Becker stated in his Labeling Theory, even among a community that many tend to think of as united with common views and values.

Which arguments/points did you find the most convincing?

Three things that were presented in the film that I found most convincing was that 1 in 100 are born with ambiguous genitals, genitals and brains develop at different times and can go in different directions, and that the Indian and Thai culture has a widely accepted third sex.

Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?

Several points that I noticed in the film that I think didn't work in its favor was such a focus on Southeast Asia with many of the culture having religious principles that supported their behavior, along with the lack of women to men transsexuals.

Research Study:

What I seemed to really notice was the film focusing on transgender women, not transgender men. I would want to do research to see the types of crimes that have transgender men have been the victims of and compare the violent crime rates between the two along with other statistical date of the two groups.

Dental Deviance

            Deviance is something that everyone encounters in his or her everyday life. It can range from criminal behaviors to something that may only receive a strange look if the activity is noticed. Deviant acts usually have formal or informal sanction that attempt to correct the deviant behavior. How people view and interpreted these actions is purely socially constructed. This can cause what is considered deviant to vary greatly between time and location. For example it is normal to see a person wearing shorts and a tank top walking around a shopping center on a July afternoon, but it becomes deviant on a January morning. Even varying from the social norms for gender can be quite deviant. Most everyone violates some social norm on a regular basis, for this I am no exception.

            Growing up my childhood was fairly in line with the norms of an American family. My parents have stayed married and we had an upper middle class house in a bit more of the rural area of Vancouver. My parents both worked as teachers and I had two older brothers. In the fall I would play club soccer with a group of friends. My brothers and I all attended the elementary school where my mother taught, and I graduated from the same school district. Those younger days it was pretty easy to get along with others, but in middle school kids start to notice and point out differences. While I personally follow a lot of the norms of society by being a white heterosexual male, there is one observable part of me that I do consider to be deviant.

What I consider to be deviant is my body size. What is almost always considered a deviant body size is being overweight. For me it is being slim for my height. I am 5’11” and according to the US National Center for Health Statistics a male my age should weigh around 171 pounds (See the table here). I personally weight around 135lbs. Some people may not see this as all that deviant but it is often one of the master statuses that I am associated with. When someone is trying to identify me to a coworker I am pretty much always identified as “the skinny one”. The largest impact of my master status is being thin is often considered not masculine because men in our society are supposed to be large and muscular. When I was younger many people would comment that I needed to eat more because I was so thin, when I just naturally have a fast metabolism.

Taken From http://savvyhealth.blogspot.com/2011/02/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_24.html

This is a good example of Howard Becker’s Labeling Theory. In short Becker’s theory states that people are labeled according to social norms and are treated as a reflection of the label they are given. For example, if a person was to be labeled a thief and at party something goes missing, most people will automatically expect the “thief” to be the one responsible for taking the item, and even if it is discovered that they were not the one responsible, most of the others will not feel all that bad for suspecting the person that had been labeled. I am often considered physically less able than many of my peers by being labeled as “skinny”.

While I did focus much of the first part of this post on why I am considered deviant in one way, the fact is that I am really not that deviant except for my body size. Like previously stated I am a white heterosexual male, which had an upper middle class upbringing and finished high school. I also largely support myself with my own income and have a white girlfriend and a dog. Overall I am fairly in line with the social norms of the US. According to Travis Hirschi’s Control Theory, this may be due to the fact that I have been attached to many of these social norms and non-deviant behavior throughout my upbringing.

For class we were told to write about violating these aforementioned social norms. We had to either continually act or dress in a deviant fashion, or commit a deviant act three times. For this assignment I chose to preform a task that hopefully most people preform on a daily basis, but in a fairly private setting. This task is brushing your teeth. I saw this as not extremely deviant act, but one that would seem a bit out of place and lead to some reactions from people.

Taken From http://titusdentistry.com/2011/04/toothbrush-101/

I preformed my public tooth brushing on the WSU Vancouver campus on February 3, 2012. I spread the three times throughout my day on campus with the first brushing occurred around 10:30 am, with the second around 2:40 and third around 4:10 pm. I would start at one of the drinking fountains in a hallway and brush while I walked across the quad to another building.

What I noticed was actually quite a lack of a reaction from any of the observers. The only reaction that I noticed was that people would look up for a quick second to register what I was doing, and then they would quickly look away and avoid looking at me again. This avoiding eye contact is somewhat in line with John Baithwaite’s Shaming Theory in that people will preform some action of disapproval upon the person committing the deviant act to show that action is not acceptable. I was actually surprised that no one even asked me what I was doing, but I did feel that I shouldn’t have been brushing my teeth the way I was. This goes to show that I thought what I was doing was wrong and I was fighting the path of least resistance to follow social norms by preforming a task that is not commonly done in public.

In the end I can say that I am all that much of a deviant individual. The only way that I really consider myself to be a socially deviant individual is for my body size. Through having to act deviant for class and the how I felt about the act really supports that what Becker was saying in his work, “Outsiders-Defining Deviance” that rules we live by represent informal agreements, such as tooth brushing should take place in a private setting of ones bathroom or at most the semi private setting of a public restroom. Deviance is something that everyone encounters more or less everyday, and most people are also deviant in some way at least part of the time.

Works Cited

1.             Becker, H. (1963). Outsiders, Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. (Pgs 1-18). The Free Press.

2.             Hirschi, T. (1969). Control Theory. “Readings in Deviant Behavior: Sixth Edition.” (Pgs 30-32). Pearson Education Inc.

3.             Braithwaite, J. (1989). Shaming Theory. “Reading in Deviant Behavior: Sixth Edition.” (Pgs 33-35). Person Education Inc.

 

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