#032: Cultural Anthropologist Roy Grinker On Capitalism, Brain Science vs Supernaturalism, and The Neurodiversity Movement

In this episode we interview Roy Grinker, cultural anthropologist and author of Nobody's Normal: How Culture Created the Stigma of Mental Illness. His book is broken into three sections: capitalism, wars, and the mind and body.

Grinker explains that the transition from feudalism to capitalism in Europe created the conditions that gave rise to doctors observing "unproductive deviants" within asylums for the first time in history, leading to categorization of different forms of mental suffering based on "clinical observation" and the cultural invention of psychiatry. World Wars I and II had some of the most profound impacts on the development and later global exportation of the DSM and the cultural and ideological assumptions contained within it and the treatment concepts it espouses. Are rates of autism spectrum disorder higher in South Korea? Can a supportive culture "treat" mental problems better than individualistic diagnostic/treatment modalities? What better explains hallucinations and reduces stigma for those who experience them: brain science or supernaturalism? And what's so important about the neurodiversity movement?

More on Grinker:
https://anthropology.columbian.gwu.edu/roy-richard-grinker

Grinker's book:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671116/nobodys-normal-by-roy-richard-grinker/

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ATTENTION! This is a Boring Dystopia/Obligatory 'don't sue us' message: This podcast provides numerous different perspectives and criticisms of the mental health space, however, it should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your medical professional with regards to any health decisions or management.