Psychiatrists,Tai Chi, and Things Done Without Thinking

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Because of my kind of work, I have the chance to talk to different kinds of people and say things to examine their reactions. Sometimes it can be humorous, and sometimes it produces unexpected reactions.
Throught the course of these "experiments" I have noticed that there is stigma associated with psychiatrists and psychologists. People consider it to be offensive whenever counseled to visit one of these professionals, even when done with care and not maliciously.
Personally, I think that people should be better informed as to what they actually do. These two professions seek to help individuals with problems of the mind. This does not necessarily mean that the patient has some pathological condition, that are disconnected from reality, drug addicts, or chemically imbalanced, but rather, individuals with a need to overcome a problem, which they cannot do by themselves.
Psychologist and psychiatrist have had many years of training, and hence, they know techniques that may help individuals overcome their problems faster and more effectively. I have visited a psychologist before. I don't have any severe personality problems or mental conditions, and so when I recommend a visit, it's not done with the thought to offend, but to help.

Moving on to a different subject here, I had this "conversation" with an individual last night. I say "conversation" because I don't know how else to define it. I have noticed that every time I speak with this person, we follow the same pattern. I say something she does not agree with, she makes a bold (some times overbearing) statement; then I proceed to respond, and she closes herself with this rude and irritating self-righteous, you-don't-know-anything, or I-don't-care-about-your-words attitude. It's like that annoying person who throws the rock at you for no reason and then tries to run away. Anyway, we were watching this trivia TV show at my house, and there was a question that went somewhat like this "what practice has been seen as a mixture between oriental martial arts and ballet?" the answer was Tai Chi. Having practiced both at some point in my life, I disagreed outloud and said that I didn't think that there were evident elements of ballet in Tai Chi (big mistake on my part, given the people I had around me). The usually loud, rude, and irritating individual proceeded to fulfill her self-imposed mission to dispute anything and everything I say (and then close herself... the usual throw the rock and run away routine). So she said that I was wrong because she had some hippie professor who practiced Tai Chi in the mountains (a great source of evidence if you ask me...) and that Tai Chi was not a martial art and was so related to ballet. To attempt to make the story shorter, I tried to explain myself and my evidence, followed by stuff being thrown at my face, and we all ended angry (I guess it was mostly myself, since normally the rock throwers do their deed and run away).

Just for the record, Tai chi chuan is defined as an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. It dates from before the 1700's and it has an oriental Buddhist/Taoist/Confucionist origin. Ballet on the other hand, is a western fine art (not martial art) born in Italy in the the 15th century but raised in France in the late 1700's, early 1800's when it was popularized and further defined under the influence of Louis XIV. So, the ballet we now know is newer than Tai Chi. If the statement that Tai Chi is a mixture of martial arts and ballet were correct, it would require ballet to be older than Tai Chi, which is not, or have a similar origin, which they do not. Regardless of these theories, all you need to know that the statement is mostly incorrect is actually have practiced them.

Why does this bug me so much? It is not the fact that we were talking about Tai Chi, or that stuff was thrown at my face, or that I received a text later that night that bug me, but the fact that I was disrespected in the process by guests at my house. Respect is such a little thing, but it has a great influence. Is it too much to ask?

2 comments:

Brit said...

This is the very reason why I choose not to argue. especially not with you. I recognize that you have won every conversation that had any semblance of an arguement and everytime you have been right, or really convincing in your arguement. But I do feel like you were justified in your actions.

Myra Bybee said...

I agree with you about your psychologist/psychiatrist comments. There is nothing wrong with going to one. We all need help in changing our thinking habits. No matter how positive we think we are we all tend to get mixed up sometimes in our thoughts. I think everyone could benefit a little from going to one actually!

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