Proverbs For Paranoids And The Culturally Schizophrenic

Mental Illness. Grolier’s. 27 January 1994.

SCHIZOPHRENIA

Ideas and feelings are isolated from one another; a patient may speak

incoherently, for example, or express frightening or sad ideas in a happy manner.

Contrary to some popular accounts, however, schizophrenics do not have a “split

personality” in the sense of different personalities on different occasions; the rare

syndrome of multiple personality is actually a variety of NEUROSIS.

The symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions, hallucinations, thought

disorders, loss of boundaries between self and nonself, blunted or

inappropriate emotional expression, socially inappropriate behavior, loss of social

interests, and deterioration in areas of functioning such as social relations,

work, and self-care.

Delusions: A patient may believe that he or she is an important historical

personality, or is being persecuted by others, or has died, or that a machine

controls his or her thoughts.

Hallucinations are false sensory experiences. Most schizophrenic hallucinations

are auditory, but some are visual or olfactory. The content is often grandiose,

hypochondriacal (“I think I have stomach cancer” — Taxi Driver), or religious.

Some hallucinatory voices speak of matters related to the patient's emotional

problems or delusional concerns; others transmit apparently irrelevant messages.

Schizophrenic thought disorder may include a general lowering of intellectual

efficiency, a free-associative rambling from one topic to another, a loss of

the distinction between figurative and literal usages of words (Borges, Tlön

Uqbar: poetic objects), reduced ability to think abstractly, invention of new words

(called neologisms), and idiosyncratic misuse of common words.

Schizophrenic episodes have been correlated with increased levels of the

NEUROTRANSMITTER dopamine, especially in the brain’s left hemisphere, and

with lowered glucose metabolism in the brain’s frontal lobes and basal ganglia.

Some investigators suspect that a slow-acting virus is responsible.

Its subtypes include paranoid schizophrenia, in which delusions are prominent

(believing oneself to be historically significant [“I think of words that could alter

history.” — Hinckley]); catatonic schizophrenia, characterized by silent

immobility for weeks or months (usually followed by a frenzy of agitation)

(Borgmann’s national state of sullenness, and Hinckley’s “long depression and

despair”); and hebephrenic (disorganized) schizophrenia, characterized by

intellectual disorganization, chaotic language (most postmodern, self-aware texts;

Hinckley’s “mind doesn’t mind” rant; ), silliness, and absurd ideas that often

concern deterioration of the patient’s body (“I think I have stomach cancer” —

Taxi Driver). In practice, most patients have some symptoms consistent with each

of these categories.

Since the late 1950s schizophrenia has been treated primarily with antipsychotic

medications--phenothiazines, butyrophenones, and thioxanthenes--which block the

action of dopamine in the brain. They do not cure schizophrenia, but they reduce

the symptoms.

PARANOIA

Paranoia, in psychology, is a state of mind characterized by delusions of

grandeur or by an unfounded belief that one is being persecuted by others, or

both.

Those with chronic cases tend to form rigid belief systems, often misinterpret the

behavior of others as confirming their delusional views, and exhibit a great deal of

anger and hatred (as Hinckley and Bickle obviously did with their “someday a real

rain will come” mentality).

Some theorists suggest, however, that paranoid individuals project onto others

attributes that they dislike in themselves.

Social isolation — whether by choice or circumstance — seems to exacerbate

paranoia.

Delusional (paranoid) disorder is the term used to describe acute paranoia

cases of a month or less in duration, which may be brought about by other

emotional problems.

Paranoia is also a characteristic of a subtype of SCHIZOPHRENIA known as

paranoid schizophrenia. In addition to having the symptoms described above,

persons with paranoid schizophrenia have frequent auditory hallucinations (“Are

you talking to me? Well, who are you talking to?”) that reinforce their delusions.

Paranoia can originate in a toxic psychosis from marijuana or cocaine. Cocaine,

the big drug of the 1980s, separated the individual from a reality, or enhanced it,

and then terrified a nation who feared the crime the drug precipitated.

Bleuler’s schizophrenic short story, “The Blossoming Time of Horticulture”

At the time of the new moon venus stands in the Augutsky of Egypt and lights up

with its light rays the merchant-travel-harbours of Suez, Cairon, and Alexandria. In

this historically famous Caliphcity is the museum of Assyrian statues from

Macedonia. Besides pisang, also corn, oats, clover, and barley grow there.

Bananas, figs, lemons, oranges, and olives. Olive oil is an Arabian liquer sauce

which the Afghans, Blackamoors, and Moslemites use for ostrich breeding.

(Cutting, 1985, 309)

Look for similar effort from Beckett.

Doctor: How long have you been in this hospital?

Patient: 29 years.

Doc: What’s the matter with you?

Pat: Pneumonia.

Doc: That’s a long time to have had pneumonia.

Pat: I caught it from a thermometer at Guy’s Hospital. The thermometer

said that everyone of the age of 20 would get either the flu or

pneumonia and I got pneumonia.

Doc: In my view, thermometers only measure temperature. They don’t

actually specify what illness people have.

Pat: Well you better go back and look up your medical books.

JOHN HINCKLEY, JR

John Hinckley to Jodie Foster, on postcard: “One day you and I will occupy the

White House and the peasants will drool with envy.” (USN & WR, 5/17/82, 15).

Delusions of grandeur.

Hinckley came from wealthy family. As teen, spent free time listening to music in

his room. At college, invented a girl friend so parents would send him more money

(“Her name is Betsy. I am sorry I can tell you no more, due to the nature of my

work for the government” — Taxi Driver). As he withdrew further into his own

world, Hinckley identified himself with characters in songs and movies,

(blurring of self and non-self) modelling himself after the character Travis Bickle,

who rescues a 12 yr old prostitute in Taxi Driver. Hinckley began to collect guns

(“Then there was change” when Travis buys gun from Easy Andy). Becomes

obsessed with Jodie Foster, the actress (as Bickle becomes obsessed with Iris).

Long depression and despair (sullenness, catatonia, “The days move on with

regularity, each one as same as the next”) during recess from college. Hatches

grand scheme to meet Jodi, then a Yale undergraduate. Hinckley told parents he

needed $3600 to enroll in a writing course. Gets money, goes to Yale, meets Jodie,

who politely brushes him off. After several rebuffs, Hinckley withdrew, collected

guns, and started target practice (as did Travis). Began stalking President Carter

(as Travis did Palatine) and spent time looking for prostitutes who needed help in

NY (as did Travis). Stalking represents imagined connection between famous

people — Carter and Foster, and later Reagan.

Returned home to Colorado for sessions with psychiatrist John J Hopper. Doc also

was treating Hinckley’s parents. On New Year’s Eve 1980, Hinckley recorded a

message later made public at his trial. “It’s gonna be insanity if I even make it

through the first few days. Anything I do in 1981 would be solely for Jodie Foster’s

sake. And I mean that sincerely. I wanna make some kind of statement or

something on her behalf. All I want her to know is that I love her. I don’t want

to hurt her or anything. I can’t hurt anybody, really. I’m a coward, really”

(Newsweek, 5/24/82, 56-61). “Coward” sentiment points to further conception of

self as futile, powerless, but he models himself after Bickle, who not only “stood

up,” but also was made a hero of, and whose character is the subject of a major

motion picture.

Hinckley also identifies with Mark David Chapman, who killed Lennon. Hinckley:

“Inside this mind of mine I commit first-page murder. I think of words that

could alter history....This mind of mine doesn’t mind much of anything unless it

comes to mind that I am out of my mind.” (Delusion of self as important historical

personality.) This statement also features a Strawberry Fields rhythm that would

seem to identify Hinckley, at least surficially, with Lennon.

March 1981, Hinckley booted from house. Boards bus for New Haven, with

stopover in DC. One plan was to hijack a plane and demand Jodie Foster as

ransom (would be in role with authority, no longer anonynmous and inept).

Another was to commit mass murder at Yale (mirroring scene at close of Taxi

Driver but with well-educated upper-class, rather than street scum as with Travis.

While in DC, found it easy to get to Pres Reagan. Final letter to Jodie Foster: “I will

admit to you that the reason I’m going ahead with this attempt now is because I just

can’t wait any longer to impress you. I’ve got to do something to make you

understand.” (Same feeling of impotence in the face of overwhelming world as

Travis, together with imagined connection between self and Jodie.)

March 30, 1981. Shoots Reagan, later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Taxi Driver

“I sent flowers but with no luck. The smell of the flowers only made me sicker. The

headaches got worse. I think I got stomach cancer. I shouldn’t complain

though. You’re only as healthy as you feel. You’re only as healthy as you feel.”

“I realize now how much she is just like the others. Cold and distant. There are

many people like that. Women for sure. They’re like a union.”

“I just wanna go out and you know like really...really...really do

something...I wanna go out and really...I really wanna...I got some bad ideas in my

head — I — I.” (47:58)

“Days move on with regularity, one day as same as the next.” Change comes

when Travis buys a gun from Easy Andy, a traveling salesman (55 min.). .44

magnum. Sits in porn theater pointing imaginary gun at screen.

“You talking to me? Well I’m the only one here...” (1:07) Auditory

Hallucination.

“Listen you fuckers, you screwheads, here’s a man who would not take it anymore...

Here is a man who stood up...” (1:08) Stood up and made self powerful, effective.

Stood up to be counted and named as the newspapers validate his identity.

At end, Travis first points empty gun to neck, then holds bloody hand to head, pulls

trigger, as he had with imaginary gun in movie theater. Suggests that even after

fulfilling his obsession, he is dissatisfied with life and (perhaps) hate self.

Gravity’s Rainbow — Thomas Pynchon

Proverbs for paranoids.

1. You may never touch the Master, but you can tickle his creatures (237).

2. The innocence of the creatures is in inverse proportion to the immortality of

the Master (241).

3. If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry

about answers.

4. You hide, they seek.

5. Paranoids are not paranoids because they’re paranoid, but because they

keep putting themselves, fucking idiots, deliberately into paranoid situations.

Paranoid Systems of History (238)

“Why are you folks helping me like this?”

“Who knows? We have to play the patterns. There must be a pattern you’re in,

right now.” (257).

Crossing the Postmodern Divide — Borgmann (1992)

“The nation’s mood is sullen” (6). Relate to catatonic schizophrenia.

Hinckley began catatonic (long periods of depression) then snapped into action by

attempting to kill President and change history. Travis stalked but did not kill

Palatine, like Hamlet watching his uncle pray.

American Fear — Utne Reader.

No Place Like Home — David Guterson. Harper’s Magazine. 11/92.

Developments built to secure people from real world pain and fear. Simulacrum of

a real place. Danger exists because it is only an image of protection. “People want

safety from threats both real and imagined.” (Paranoia). Even Eden — designed by

God — had its serpents.

Outline for Proverbs for Paranoids

Introduce paranoia as modern psychosis. People engaged in system. Delusions of

grandeur, feelings of persecution. Rigid belief system of America as the world’s

policeman and of McCarthyism.

Paranoia also closely linked to crime levels. People seek to escape. Also, drugs

such as cocaine cause toxic psychosis, and also is responsible for much of the crime

people fear so much. Cocaine is such a paranoid, you don’t even have to take it to

be made paranoid by it.

Paranoia is often a subset of schizophrenia, a more complicated psychosis whose

symptoms include catatonia, disordered or chaotic thought processes

(hebephrenia), and paranoia. Schizophrenia is not equivalent to multiple

personality disorder. That rare illness is a separate neurosis.