One of the most outrageous results of postmodern thinking is that, in an environment in which there are ultimately no standards of right and wrong, dysfunction ultimately defines normalcy. Nowhere is this phenomenon more evident than in the widespread adoption of the mental disorder known as
feminism.
Yes, I meant that. Feminism is not a "political movement," nor is it a "philosophical orientation," nor is it a "struggle for equality." Feminism is a
mental disorder. Or perhaps it is a black hole into which all mental disorders feed....
It is undeniable that feminism actually shares many of the characteristics of numerous mental disorders. It features departure from reality and delusions ("Women can do whatever men can do, so go ahead and lower admissions standards to law school, medical school, and the military so that we can get busy doing it!"; "Super Bowl Sunday is the most dangerous day of the year for women") which are diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. It has the "pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent" that is a diagnostic criteria of Paranoid Personality Disorder ("Patriarchy requires violence or the subliminal threat of violence in order to maintain itself.... The most dangerous situation for a woman is not an unknown man... but a husband or lover in the isolation of their own home." Gloria Steinem). And of course, central to feminism is the self-loathing and penis envy of Gender Identity Disorders (The DSM-IV says, "Adults with Gender Identity Disorder are preoccupied with their wish to live as a member of the other sex. This preoccupation may be manifested as an intense desire to adopt the
social role of the other sex... "[emphasis added].).
But several writers have gone beyond the rather obvious observation that feminists seem to display symptoms of a mental disorder to assert that feminism itself is a mental disorder all its own.
Carey Roberts, in a June 7, 2006 article on ifeminists.com titled "
Is Feminism a Mental Disorder?", argues that feminism is a "seething cauldron of delusion, phobia, and paranoia." Feminism, to Roberts, has "morphed... into [a] high-octane mass hysteria" as demonstrated by the delusional "domestic violence" hysteria, or, as Roberts renames it: FIPH - feminism induced phobic hysteria.
As has been repeatedly chronicled in the hallowed pages of
Objectify Chicks!, "domestic violence" is somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek concept even under the best of circumstances, inasmuch as the demented hysterics of feminist hate-mongering seems incapable of distinguishing between actual physical violence and a woman merely not getting her way: both of these, in feminist dogma, are equally "
domestic violence." When a woman says "no" to a man, she is "independent" and "strong" and is "standing up for her rights." Whereas when a man says "no" to a woman he is an "abuser" who is guilty of "domestic violence." Insert eye-rolling icon here....
But even so, Roberts captures the delusional flights of fancy prominent in feminist emoting on "domestic violence," the primary issue, Roberts asserts, that is capable of propelling "luna-chicks into a wailing convulsion of breast-beating and hair-pulling."
Roberts notes that a recent scholarly article locates severe partner violence with the female partner at a rate more than twice that with the male partner (4.6% to 2.1%). Of course, this flies in the face of the common feminist hack that goes: "Though women also engage in physical violence, severe violence is the sole domain of the much stronger and much more evil male partner!" Insert heavy breathing soundtrack here....
And while "domestic violence" is painted in the media (and in the X-rated masochistic dreams of feminists) as the exclusive domain of the male, the fact is that when men are involved in anything that appears to be actual "violence," they are generally responding to an attack by a woman. When only ONE party was involved in an act of violence, Roberts states (referring to the research of one Murray Straus), female-only violence is TWICE as common as male-only violence. And this statistic holds true for 32 nations around the world. Insert wide-eyed look of surprise icon here....
So the entire "domestic violence" hysteria, no matter from which angle it is viewed, simply points to a departure from reality that is so severe that, if it is an unwilling departure, is indicative of a severe psychosis. But if "domestic violence" hysteria is a willing departure from reality, it points to a dishonesty and manipulation of the ignorant masses so extreme as to place feminism as a movement in the same propaganda stream as that indwelt by Goebbels himself.
Dale O'Leary, author of
The Gender Agenda: Redefining Equality, has written an article titled "
Radical Feminism as a Psychological Disorder." O'Leary states that the feminism typified by an orientation that is "anti-life, anti-family, deconstructionist, [and] neo-Marxist" is composed of those who "are seriously psychologically troubled."
O'Leary's thesis as to the origins of this type of feminism is that, because both sexes (as children) need to develop a healthy relationship with both male and female parents in order to have a wholly integrated personality, that the absence of such healthy relationships - especially when such an absence stretches two generations back (i.e., to domineering, critical, and abusive women as both mother and grandmother, with the corresponding lack of a firm, devoted, and lovingly authoritative father and grandfather) - produce daughters who are paranoid about men who exist in their proper roles (i.e., as the ultimate authority in both the family and society) and who have maladaptive behavior and thought patterns that ultimately result in chaotic relationships with men which are controlled by the woman's anger rather than the male's stability and love.
O'Leary seems to genuinely believe the old saw that
behind every great man stands a good woman, as she locates the lack of male virtue in the corresponding lack of strong wives "who [ought to be] able to motivate him and draw out his potential virtue." And she notes that character malformations of anger and resentment in women result in a mother's betrayal of her daughter when she "transfers her [own] anger [against] her husband and communicates it to her daughter [by teaching] her daughters that ordinary male behavior is abuse...."
Feminism enters into the already-damaged psyches of these women warped by anger, resentment, and emotional instability and persuades them to exchange their strategy of low-level chaos (passive/aggressive behavior against men) for high-level chaos (actually aggressive behavior - and this could be in the form of physical violence, false allegations, adultery, etc.). This is the feminist's baptism, as feminism christens this escalation as the moment in which a woman has her "consciousness raised."
This is, of course, a strategy for not only an escalation of the female-caused tension between the sexes, but is an assurance that the feminist will never be healed of the warped thinking and maladaptive behavior patterns which mold her twisted psyche. For if the original fractured psyche was caused by an incomplete bonding with and respect for male authority, then the escalation and encouragement of constant, active hostility toward the male will not only prevent the healing of the original character malformation, but will continue the moral and psychological twisting of the character into even greater perversions. Prescribing rebellion against "the Patriarchy" as a cure for feminist neurosis is akin to prescribing whiskey in increasing volume as a cure for the alcoholic.
O'Leary then concludes, feminists "will pull down every societal support for families, for motherhood, and for love, in order to create an impossible dream of a gender-neutral world. The only answer is forgiveness. I have seen it over and over again, if a woman caught up in Radical Feminist ideology, a woman spouting Radical Feminist nonsense, can be shown how to forgive, and is willing to forgive, the disorder is healed."
Charles E. Corry, Ph.D., in his article "
Why Radical Feminists Concern Us" begins by noting the schizophrenic nature of feminism - it is, at its root, a departure from reality. He states, "Feminist theory is an unstable dialectic. Truth, justice, logic, history, scientific evidence, repeatable results, reproducible research, observations of natural phenomenon, all these are simply words to radical feminists. Words that they believe are designed to cover up a monstrous oppression of women under the masks of religion, marriage, and motherhood that cloak the patriarchal family." Psychologists call this need to have reality match your preconceived notions regardless of the evidence "fantasy thinking." More down-to-earth folk call it "building castles in the air."
Therefore, says, Corry, "The only acceptable theories are those that give power to women." Of course, the question remains - once women are "empowered," what will they do with all that power? On my morning walks with my Chow, she occasionally takes off after a passing car, barking with incredible ferocity. I sometimes mildly rebuke her with the question, "What are you gonna do if you catch that car?" Feminists are left in the same predicament - because since feminism is an ideology capable only of deconstruction, chaos, and destruction, then it follows that feminists with the kind of "empowerment" encouraged by their ideology are capable only of tearing down - not rescuing, building up, or making whole.
And here is where the slope gets exceedingly slippery. If the world's problem is "patriarchy," what are the two most obvious instances of the exercise of male authority? Why, the family and society, of course. What, then, must be destroyed?
Corry quotes the aforementioned Dale O'Leary: Feminists "became convinced that the previous Marxist revolutions had failed because they had failed to
target the family." And Corry himself states, "Make no mistake, we are engaged in an epic battle between two incompatible idologies with fundamentally different views of the rights of the individual and the power of the state, with the
future of civilization at stake." Emphasis added. So feminism is not about equality - it is rather about warfare; a continuing, bitter battle to the death in which the enemy is the family and society. Only when the family is completely destroyed, and society with it, will feminism have accomplished its goals.
And of course, a cursory consultation of the DSM-IV-TR, the diagnostic manual of professional psychology and psychiatry, reveals in the diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder such character traits as "a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others... [including] failure to conform to social norms..., deceitfulness..., irritability and aggressiveness..., reckless disregard for the safety of self and others, consistent irresponsibility... [this trait I consider to be the "holy grail" of feminism - the goal toward which feminism as a political philosophy is intended to move all women who imbibe of its teachings], [and] lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another."
Further, "These individuals may blame their victims for being foolish, helpless, or deserving their fate; they may minimize the harmful consequences of their actions; or they may simply indicate complete indifference.... Individuals with Antisocial Personality Disorder frequently lack empathy and tend to be callous, cynical, and contemptuous of the feelings, rights, and sufferings of others. They may have an inflated and arrogant self-appraisal.... These individuals may also be irresponsible and exploitative in their sexual relationships. They may have a history of many sexual partners and may never have sustained a monogamous relationship. They may be irresponsible as parents...."
Could a more cogent evaluation of feminism have been written if feminism were the conscious object of that evaluation? Does not feminism justify its mistreatment of men with a hearty "they deserve it" for the perceived slights of 200 years ago? Is anything more callous, cynical, and contemptuous of the feelings, rights, and sufferings of others than the woman who will carve a living child out of her womb or slanderously have a spouse imprisoned for mere convenience's sake? Is more arrogance possible than that contained in the glib assertion, "Women can do whatever men can do! - while simultaneously having standards lowered across the board so that women can qualify? Is anything on earth more exploitative of sexual relationships than the woman who uses the family law system to marry and then divorce - divorcing both herself from a man and a man from his wealth? And many sexual partners - is any comment needed?
And don't even get me started on Gender Identity Disorder, "A strong and persistent cross-gender identification... strong and persistent preferences for cross-sex roles... intense desires to participate in stereotpyical pasttimes of the other sex... preoccupation with getting rid of prmary and secondary sex characteristics leading to impairment in social and other important areas of function..." etc. etc.
Feminism is incapable of building. It is incapable of making a positive contribution to society because it is, at its root, anti-social. This is a significant principle from many different perspectives. From the political perspective, rest assured that there will never come a day when feminism will actually achieve its goals and will turn to build a better world from the strong foundation of its positive accomplishments. Feminism is ideologically unstable, emotionally erratic, and morally perverted. It is motivated by hate, bitterness, and anger - and as such, when its final "patriarchal" target is subdued it will have nothing to do but turn on itself. Hatred victorious, after all, is not hatred quelled. The same hate that might be successful (if it were ever to be so) in defeating the mythical patriarchy would not be quelled from further expression, but rather stirred to greater vehemence.
From an emotional perspective, feminists must allow themselves a willing suspension of logic and must willfully divorce themselves from truth in order to believe in feminism. This willful indulgence in fantasy thinking, paranoia, and schizophrenic replacement of reality with nonreality can only afflict the mental health of those who indulge in it, and can only undermine the stability of a society which tolerates such indulgences. Further, feminism, because it prescribes more of the disease (hate, anger, and bitterness) as a cure for the disease itself (resentment against men), will only result in a further twisting of the moral fabric of both individuals and societies which adopt its dogmas.
Feminism, though it is so common in our Western culture as to be as unnoticed as the furniture in one's own living room, is a mental disorder more deviant, more widespread, more unquestioned, and more dangerous than any ideology in all of human history. Feminism offers slander as justice, anger as wholeness, irrationality as common sense, logical incoherence as reason, the destruction of children and husbands as life, and slavery to the government as freedom. Feminism has proffered emotionalism as a principle of law, and the sacrifice of children and family as a necessity for personal fulfillment in the female. It is the very definition of personal and societal unhealth. To that extent, it may be the chosen vehicles of "progressives" to remold society, but one can honestly question as to whether its "progress" is of the nature of a psychological "regress"....
Without a doubt, feminism is a mental disorder all its own.
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