Economic and planetary collapse: Is it a therapeutic issue?

[groovedaddy]

Economic and planetary collapse: Is it a therapeutic issue?
by Kathy McMahon, Psy.D.

Panglossian Disorders and Their Subtypes

Panglossian Disorder: “The neurotic tendency toward extreme optimism in the face of likely cultural and planetary collapse.”

Temporal Subtypes:
Scarlet O’Hara-ism- “I’ll just have to think about that tomorrow.” A strategy of denial that allows the person to temporally compartmentalize the feared event(s).
Futurism: “Sure, that will happen, but it will occur after all of us are long dead.” A belief that something that might happen in the distant future is no concern in the present.
Y2K features : “They said everything would collapse with 2000, and it didn’t.” A belief that any prior concern about societal problems that didn’t occur demonstrates the impossibility of any others happening in the future.

Angry Subtypes:
Rhett-Butlerist Features - “Peak Oil? Planetary Collapse? Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Aggressive denial of information not in keeping with one’s world view.
Kill the Messenger Redirection : “Why are you telling me this? What kind of sicko focuses on these kinds of facts? You need help!” The belief that those who bring bad news are doing it for malevolent reasons.

Narcissistic Subtypes:
Rigid Cheney-ism: “The American Way of Life is non-negotiable.” The belief that any undesirable change can be avoided by a sheer act of will.
Survivalistic features : “Hey, if the rest of the world is doomed, I don’t worry about it, because I’ve got mine.” A belief that personal preparation is adequate.

Religious Subtypes:
Religiousity : “God/The Planet/Mother Nature loves humans. He/She/It would never permit massive die-off.” Or “If that happens, I just put my faith in my Savior.”
Neoliberal Econo-manic Tendencies : “The market will sort it out.” A belief that market forces control all--- including geological realities.
Nascarian Features : “People love their automobiles. A solution will have to be found to keep us driving.”

More: http://www.energybulletin.net/37091.html

[laruemtt]

1. i know several people

i'm going to send this to. not that they'll listen, but it'll be therapeutic for me!

[pscot]

2. Those all focus on some degree of denial

The ones I find most interesting are those that express a sort of anticipatory glee. As in "The U.S. is on the verge of economic collapse. Yeah, baby!" Or the schadenfreude that sometimes accompanies predictions of wholesale die-off of our feckless selves. The person expressing the sentiment seems to feel that they will somehow survive the catastrophe (as in the case of the rapture), or that their own situation is so dire that the leveling effect of disaster will at least bring everyone else down to their pitiful state.