Psych Speak is meant to be an informal notebook in a diary format which will be revised on a yearly basis in January and the previous year’s version will then be shifted to the categories section / homepage. Until then, scroll down to read tid bits from my take on all things from this year’s ‘life’.
20/05/2012 Satyamev Jayate – Insight pills for the male dominated society we live in.
When will men respect women for who they are rather than what they can give them? Hats off to the Satyamev Jayate show. More than a warning to those girls about to get married and their well meaning parents. So many girls like K* who suffered her husbands’ physical and emotional abuse till the end all in the name of money he wanted from her doting father and like N* who committed suicide after receiving continuous texts from her would be husband calling her fat and ugly. No one has the right to make any other feel inferior. Sadder still that these incidents could have been avoided if the girls had only talked about it while they could. We must BREAK THE SILENCE.
Many ask me regularly about the psyche behind the abuse of women. There isn’t just one theory that fits all. But the alpha male approach and its underlying power play along with the unwritten traditions of the society we all live in play an important role in determining the mental mindset. It is even more ironic that it is the females who unwittingly determine this mindset by presenting themselves as weak and ultra submissive models in front of their sons and next by rationalizing their sons’ behaviour to their daughters-in’law by saying that this is something all females go through so why is she complaining?
There are so many circumstances in which a woman chooses to stay silent, or hopes for things to get better or believes in the power of love as a cure – all, or worries about her ailing parents and what they will feel if they find out, worries about log kya kahein gey, or worries about the future of her children etc. The examples and reasons are endless. Still, silence isn’t the solution and we must understand that, as it drowns one in despair. We all need to feel loved and cared for, and if this care doesn’t come from the partner than there has to be another outlet of some kind or the result will be a mental breakdown. Sharing may not save everything and be the panacea for all issues but it is better to have the feeling of some support, catharsis and understanding than none at all.
As psychologists we counsel such females daily and I know that it takes real courage for the females to come forth with these stories on the public forum. May this show help sanity prevail.
26/01/2012 On Human Embryo Research and the Food Industry
I just came across an article posted by a friend and the title was enough to cause a sense of revulsion, not to mention concern at exactly what we may be consuming in the name of food. A second look caused me to think again, not with revulsion but rather with what we do in the name of science. http://gawker.com/5879254/which-companies-are-using-aborted-human-fetuses-in-their-food .
Apparently,the title here is misleading and the content mollified my reaction – slightly. The listed food companies are reportedly working with other companies using embryonic stem cell research to develop artificial products and flavours. An old concept re-packaged as new. Reminds me of a cheese someone gave us from USA and even after 3 months not one bit of it had gone stale. Real cheese wouldnt even last for half the time. And I’m not saying that this in any way makes it alright to use human embroynic stem cells for artificial products. Goes against the very laws of nature. God knows what we are eating these days. No wonder carcinogens attack our system so easily and people seem to be developing cancer almost as much as influenza. One of the benefits of living in the third world (as many I have spoken to put it) may in the end be that we can still eat desi eggs and get fertilizer sprayed but still relatively fresh food most of the time. As for the progress we make in the name of science, only God knows how it may lead to our own downfall if used without thinking. Some races in the past inherited ‘abnormality’ due to ignorance – lead poisoning as a result of eating in lead plates. We, the knowledgeable, will either nuke our existence out of the earth or poison ourselves six feet under.
very well expressed! ur a great writer..need to get writing tips from u. very profound expression indeed!
Kiran,
In my opinion, ou should give preference to writing about something on behavioral changes taking place in our mindset owing to worsening economic, security and other daily basis issues.
Thanks for the suggestion. I do write on behavioural changes off n on as I get time (though its rather informal – on forums etc so I don’t put it up on my blog). I’ll keep that in mind for future.
Kiran you have done a great job and your poetry is worth reading. Allah Bless you
Thanks a lot Ayesha
. Im glad you enjoyed it. Do have a look at the video link provided here as well. The sound quality isn’t very good but its adds a new dimension to it.
very interesting Kiran, beautifully written the psycho social behavior of our masses.
i want your institute addres at karachi
Institute of Professional Psychology, PNS Shifa Hospital. Near Cantt. Station. and Phase II. Phone number: 99204889 and 99205065.
hahahaha … I’d say the mother needs it more than the child. I like !
… IO’s fun reading your blog =)
you are not only a good teacher but an exellent writer aswell. your blog is really thought provoking and we are proud to have you as our teachet. i am sure that it will be a great learning experience. God bless you.