This is great. This isn't my area, but I used to read Mate a lot (I think he once had a column in the Globe and Mail) and even read at least one of his books. Maybe around early 2000s time frame. I thought his ideas made sense, and considered myself a fan, however more recently I have been to reconsider his ideas and assertions. I totally agree with your comments in this article. I especially appreciated your question to the panel of years ago about the risk to the moral fabric being torn. And as you say 'harm reduction' is a framing designed to shame anyone opposing its precepts, just like BLM. Harm reduction, as you say, is a seduction into poor thinking.
A few more thoughts - I personally attended AA ten years ago or so, as I had developed a mild drinking problem and wanted to explore it. After attending for maybe six months, it became clear to me that many of the people attending DID have genuine problems, that drove them to drink, although I don't know if I would call it 'trauma' per se. I my case, I would never say I have suffered any 'trauma' really, my issue was being older, single, and no real responsibility, with too much money and too much free time. And lack of meaning I suppose. Once you resolve that, the drinking stops. As a parent now, and keen observer of our dysfunctional Ontario school system and board, I see that the word and concept of 'trauma' is abused. Life is not fair, difficult and sometimes cruel (its also beautiful). Trauma may be real in some cases, but more often its now an excuse. Time to suck it up, buttercup. And get on with it.
Personal accountability is something that is rarely discussed anymore, and if it is, it's derided as being some kind of MAGA right wing concept. If you remove any sense of personal accountability and its adjuncts responsibility and agency, what is left. Well, I guess we see what is left. "Trauma" gets thrown around as the cause of pretty much everything, even if the "trauma" has never actually happened or happened, maybe, in the distant past. That's another form of discarding accountability and responsibility.
Excellent comment. I agree. The thing is, in my personal, family, and professional life, personal accountability and personal agency still reigns supreme, as it does for most people who are say, 'successful'. It can't be any other way. My kids are learning the skills of self discipline and personal responsibility at home, though maybe not so much in the Ottawa public school system. Although even there, my kids go to a decent public school and its not SO bad, yet. My question to you is this: Because I don't see this descent into moral relativism and promotion of an external locus of control in my personal life, where is it REALLY happening? I mean, I agree with you, and I see it anecdotally from time to time, I hear and read about it all the time, but in my personal sphere, personal responsibility mostly still matters. Can you please elaborate and give me your thoughts? Thanks!
I totally agree with you. In my family it's the same. My children are long out of school thankfully. I'll just give you my anecdotal familial perspective. Both of my daughters are in the trades. One is an electrician and one manages a construction company. It is almost impossible for both of them to get apprentices and junior entry level workers because no one (used as a generalization) wants to work. I'm talking about 18 to 25, say, age group. It's "too hard." Any job problems are someone else's fault. Any problems with work effort are someone else's fault. So bring your children up properly, my friend. Sounds like you are. I know I did. Now if we could only somehow get a brave politician to put the brakes on the golden goose that is "residential school trauma."
OK thank you. I get it. I think the prevalence of this mindset may vary from place to place, in terms of socioeconomic status. I don't expect any politicians to be brave. What I have figured out (I am 58) is that genuine leadership usually comes from the grass roots, and movements form to correct things, and politicians react. I agree with Breitbart that politics is downstream from culture, and if we want to run things around, we need to reform the culture and retake it from the vandals. I believe this is starting to happen. I joined FAIR recently and working with them locally to fight the woke madness. Good luck!
"But if addiction is instead viewed as a rational response to life circumstances brought about by the social determinants of health, then the problem is not so much the drugs, but the society that stigmatizes their users." Thanks so much, Anonymed, for this excellent article -- and thanks also to the commenters here who have further remarked on the abandonment of personal accountability.
<< [The claim says] Health and Indigenous organizations and community groups have “vocally opposed” the act because of concerns it will put people who use drugs under “extreme risk, especially given a dire lack of safe, legal places to use drugs” in B.C. >>
This is in-group myopia and entitlement at its most absurd. The claimants don’t (or aren’t willing to) acknowledge that the use of drugs ITSELF is what is putting users at risk. They expect society to bend over backwards to mitigate the risk on their behalf, but without inconveniencing them in any way.
Mate pretty much loathes Jordan Peterson. The "clean up your room" approach is about as much an opposite one could think of. I do think the "realm of the hungry ghosts" is an excellent even powerful phrase that could have a Zen-like jolt to pick up and put that first sock. Personal agency is kryptonite to pharma. A healthy person is a lost customer. How bout that for a T-shirt.
This is great. This isn't my area, but I used to read Mate a lot (I think he once had a column in the Globe and Mail) and even read at least one of his books. Maybe around early 2000s time frame. I thought his ideas made sense, and considered myself a fan, however more recently I have been to reconsider his ideas and assertions. I totally agree with your comments in this article. I especially appreciated your question to the panel of years ago about the risk to the moral fabric being torn. And as you say 'harm reduction' is a framing designed to shame anyone opposing its precepts, just like BLM. Harm reduction, as you say, is a seduction into poor thinking.
A few more thoughts - I personally attended AA ten years ago or so, as I had developed a mild drinking problem and wanted to explore it. After attending for maybe six months, it became clear to me that many of the people attending DID have genuine problems, that drove them to drink, although I don't know if I would call it 'trauma' per se. I my case, I would never say I have suffered any 'trauma' really, my issue was being older, single, and no real responsibility, with too much money and too much free time. And lack of meaning I suppose. Once you resolve that, the drinking stops. As a parent now, and keen observer of our dysfunctional Ontario school system and board, I see that the word and concept of 'trauma' is abused. Life is not fair, difficult and sometimes cruel (its also beautiful). Trauma may be real in some cases, but more often its now an excuse. Time to suck it up, buttercup. And get on with it.
Personal accountability is something that is rarely discussed anymore, and if it is, it's derided as being some kind of MAGA right wing concept. If you remove any sense of personal accountability and its adjuncts responsibility and agency, what is left. Well, I guess we see what is left. "Trauma" gets thrown around as the cause of pretty much everything, even if the "trauma" has never actually happened or happened, maybe, in the distant past. That's another form of discarding accountability and responsibility.
I totally agree with your comment. I think the so called, inter-generational "trauma" of residential school survivors is a perfect example.
Excellent comment. I agree. The thing is, in my personal, family, and professional life, personal accountability and personal agency still reigns supreme, as it does for most people who are say, 'successful'. It can't be any other way. My kids are learning the skills of self discipline and personal responsibility at home, though maybe not so much in the Ottawa public school system. Although even there, my kids go to a decent public school and its not SO bad, yet. My question to you is this: Because I don't see this descent into moral relativism and promotion of an external locus of control in my personal life, where is it REALLY happening? I mean, I agree with you, and I see it anecdotally from time to time, I hear and read about it all the time, but in my personal sphere, personal responsibility mostly still matters. Can you please elaborate and give me your thoughts? Thanks!
I totally agree with you. In my family it's the same. My children are long out of school thankfully. I'll just give you my anecdotal familial perspective. Both of my daughters are in the trades. One is an electrician and one manages a construction company. It is almost impossible for both of them to get apprentices and junior entry level workers because no one (used as a generalization) wants to work. I'm talking about 18 to 25, say, age group. It's "too hard." Any job problems are someone else's fault. Any problems with work effort are someone else's fault. So bring your children up properly, my friend. Sounds like you are. I know I did. Now if we could only somehow get a brave politician to put the brakes on the golden goose that is "residential school trauma."
OK thank you. I get it. I think the prevalence of this mindset may vary from place to place, in terms of socioeconomic status. I don't expect any politicians to be brave. What I have figured out (I am 58) is that genuine leadership usually comes from the grass roots, and movements form to correct things, and politicians react. I agree with Breitbart that politics is downstream from culture, and if we want to run things around, we need to reform the culture and retake it from the vandals. I believe this is starting to happen. I joined FAIR recently and working with them locally to fight the woke madness. Good luck!
what is FAIR?
There are chapters all over, its a growing movement. I am peripheral member of the Ottawa chapter.
https://www.fairforall.org/
"But if addiction is instead viewed as a rational response to life circumstances brought about by the social determinants of health, then the problem is not so much the drugs, but the society that stigmatizes their users." Thanks so much, Anonymed, for this excellent article -- and thanks also to the commenters here who have further remarked on the abandonment of personal accountability.
An example from yesterday: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/drug-users-have-legal-right-to-use-anywhere-says-bc-harm-reduction-nurses-lawsuit/ar-AA1jO0s7
<< [The claim says] Health and Indigenous organizations and community groups have “vocally opposed” the act because of concerns it will put people who use drugs under “extreme risk, especially given a dire lack of safe, legal places to use drugs” in B.C. >>
This is in-group myopia and entitlement at its most absurd. The claimants don’t (or aren’t willing to) acknowledge that the use of drugs ITSELF is what is putting users at risk. They expect society to bend over backwards to mitigate the risk on their behalf, but without inconveniencing them in any way.
Mate pretty much loathes Jordan Peterson. The "clean up your room" approach is about as much an opposite one could think of. I do think the "realm of the hungry ghosts" is an excellent even powerful phrase that could have a Zen-like jolt to pick up and put that first sock. Personal agency is kryptonite to pharma. A healthy person is a lost customer. How bout that for a T-shirt.