I figured yesterday’s piece would illicit some response, if for no other reason then the politically incorrect title (“Men are Dumb, Women are Crazy”). I was not incorrect.
Within a few hours after its posting, I received a call from a friend. She was calling to share that she was presently taking time off and in the midst of a 30 day treatment for mental health issues. Ironically, my article did not offend her. She found it humorous, but you could imagine my initial discomfort at, even clearly tongue in cheek, labeling women crazy.
I had been complete unaware of her condition or history with its struggles, and appreciated her sharing parts of her journey with me. The fact that she recognized she needed help and pursued it on her own, I thought was a great step in the right direction. I have known others with mental health issues and have great empathy for their struggles.
I would actually go out on a limb and say that nearly everyone (who is not devoid of emotions and empathy) has at some point suffered depression or other forms of mental issues that even if temporary and not clinically diagnosed, were very real. I do not make light of people with actual mental health issues. Sometimes they are undiagnosed and unrealized in a clinical sense. The news of Kanye’s West hospitalization was met with sympathy as well as skepticism and straight jokes.
The timing of the hospitalization, and the not so coincidental fact that he potentially stands to personally lose tens of million if insurance does not cover a diagnosed illness or injury related to his cancelling of his own tour, has much to do with the skepticism. His continual erratic…I meant artistic…behavior lead to much of the jokes.
If he is genuinely suffering from mental health issues, he is deserving of our empathy. The timing was questionable, but the reality is that none of us will ever truly know. He has been released from the hospital and unless he continues longer term care, the skepticism of the convenience are fair.
For those that genuinely have mental health issues, we all must be empathic and supportive of their struggles. They are real and deserved to be recognized as such. Which brings me back to the acceptability of jokingly being able to call people crazy. Being politically correct is a job…and I work for myself for a reason. I refuse to be PC just for the sake of being PC. If people cannot take a CLEAR joke then F them… That said, I would never intentionally offend someone for the sake of a laugh. If I am saying something in general your offence is lessened (and clearly there are numerous exceptions to that statement), but if I were to call someone crazy directly and it turns out that they were suffering form mental health issues, I would clearly apologize and tailor comments to be more sensitive to the conditions.
I cannot tell someone to be offended just as they cannot really tell me when I can or cannot be offensive. I joke… I am clearly not always PC, but I never intentionally offend. If something is brought to my attention, I am always open to hear an intelligent differing of opinions particularly on subjects I just may not be properly informed about. It’s all part of the balancing act that encompasses life.
#kanye, #kanyewest, #mentalhealth, #crazy, #sane, #sensitivity, #politicallycorrect, #politicallyincorrect, #jokes, #Kardashians
