Here is that post from yesterday which was mistakenly posted on Reader Meet Author. My head must have been a little out of it...
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I've been reading a book about narcissism. In a lot of ways, I've really enjoyed the book, but the chapter I read last night has me feeling really put out.
In said chapter, the author shares her views about an obese client and her ideas about the clients attachment to her obesity. She makes the comment, at one point, that weight is easy to control with a sensible diet and exercise. And she later states her belief that this client will only be able to be psychologically healthy once she reaches her "normal" weight.
I should have been better prepared for the shock of these opinions, as she had said earlier about a lesbian client that her homosexuality was a behavior adapted from her early relationship with her mother. Her move into a heterosexual relationship was viewed as progress toward health. It was like 30 years of movement within the psychological community around homosexuality hadn't happened.
The struggle that I'm having is that the other positions she is holding seem to make sense. I've even recommended this book to a fellow blogger because it seems to have some really good info. But then there are these instances, and I'm left to wonder is she completely talking out of her ass, or is this just an anomoly...a case of misguided homophobia and fat hatred...and the rest of her theories are sound?
Ack!
Also, for some reason Blogger has my blog pegged as a "spam blog." WTF is that about? Am I posting too regularly? Do I not post enough pictures or links to YouTube? Luckily someone is going to have a look at my blog and hopefully rectify this matter. In the meantime, I'm just annoyed.
4 comments:
I skimmed the book last night and found her opinions on obesity to be 100% ridiculous. B had actually read the book also (as the son of a narcissistic mother) and he said that he thinks the author is incredibly narcissistic herself and that the book seemed to be all about her. Which is not to say that she doesn't have some interesting ideas. (She was dead on in characterizing a particular narcissist I hold dear to my heart and his relationship with his mother.)
I just think that she views the world from her shoes alone, with little room to look at things from other people's perspectives. Clearly she is neither obese nor homosexual and her theories are just theories... In my opinion, as well, she very clearly misses the mark. (She talks about an obese woman staying fat to protect herself from a "sensual" life. I didn't know you had to be thin to be sensual...!!)
love,
h
It doesn't sound like a book I'd like to read in its entirety. At best, I'd read excerpts. I just don't know how much I'd trust her based on those two positions. It doesn't mean that she doesn't have valid things to share elsewhere in the book, but I would be mentally filtering, finding things suspect.
Her theory on obesity completely ignores facts such as metabolism speed, and genetics which may predispose someone to be heavier than others. I eat quite a hefty amount and do not have too much difficulty staying fairly trim, and I know others who eat twice as much as I do and who are much thinner, and some who eat less and are much heavier. I guess if we think about it Freud did the same as far as just stating his own opinions without research, but he was on to somethings and completely wrong about others. I like Hyde's comment about sensuality! LOL!
A fascinating parallel process as a postscript. I just got done reading a portion of the book in which she describes being disillusioned by a meditation teacher and being unable to hold onto the idea that some of what he had to teach might be good, even if his ethics were sketchy. Fascinating.
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