Do Psychiatrists Live on the Same Planet as the Rest of US

[Werewolf]

I was listening to a radio talk show on the way home from the movies today and it happened to be a radio shrink. The discussion revolved around various personality disorders. The show's moderator asked about self worth and the shrink said:

Everyone is unqualifiably worthy just by existing.

and all I could think was WHAT? She made a categorical statement and the context and tone of the statement was undeniably that everyone has value.

Do shrinks believe that the scum of the earth, that child rapists, crack dealers, serial killers etc have worth? If so why?

They may have had worth when they were children, still innocent and the darkness hadn't taken them yet but later - NO WAY!

What the hell is wrong with the Psychiatric profession?

[The Rabbi]

As the son of one psychiatrist and brother of another I can tell you that most shrinks are probably sicker than the people they treat.
That said, I will point out you are dealing with a radio psychiatrist.  I will also say that I agree with the sentiment.  But I look at the potential that a person has for good.  Some people ignore that potential and spiral into destructive habits.  It is their choice, sad as it is.

[Perd Hapley]

Not an argument, just an explanation.

A lot of people would agree that all humans have value.  Certain religious and philosophical traditions assign "worth" to human beings simply because they are human beings.  Some of these go so far as to say that we are all gods or part of the Godhead.  The Christian tradition (and I think the Jewish would be similar) says that we are all created in the image of God, thus we are to revere that, no matter how cruelly some "image-bearers" behave to others.  That's one reason for the injuction against cruel and unusual punishment, the Golden Rule, etc.   

But the shrink was really talking about self-esteem, which is a slightly different thing.  I believe human beings have value, but that doesn't mean you're the greatest thing since sliced bread.  You've gotta earn self-esteem.   

Now for my personal point of view.

Bear in mind that being created in God's image isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card.  I wouldn't torture a child rapist, but I'd at least want him locked up for the rest of his days.   

[mountainclmbr]

I work on some projects with "computer security professionals" who actually have a degree in psychology. They have no idea how things actually work, but seem to make their living from shutting down progress. No sign-off unless they understand the security features. And it takes twice the time to explain as it took to do the whole design.  Yechhh! They live on Yuranus.

[Winston Smith]

Makes sense to me.

Given that every human being is by default sexier and more deadly than anything else on the food chain and the MANY extinct species, we are worthy. We're alive, right?

Maybe she was talking about very basic evolutionary, pragmatic philosophy.

What makes us think we can eat other animals? Because we're worthy. What makes us think we are worth the air we breath? Because we are. To think otherwise... is actually pretty depressing... that beings aren't worthy to live, outside of being killed in the attempt to harm other beings for no reason.

It's kind of a muddy street. <-- I like that metaphor... even though I think I just made it up.

[Loucks]

It's all just noise, as far as I can tell. "Worthy" is almost as nonsensical as "fair" and "evil." I guess semantics isn't really examined anymore outside of the local Philosophy department.

[Firethorn]

I wouldn't forget that the psychologist is trying to perform corrective work on people who are despressed, suicidal, etc...

They need to reinforce their self worth so they'll take care of themselves, but are given limited information, over a group media.  Widespread platitudes are about all they have.

edit:  Basically, then is not the time to get into 'except for any child molesters out there, you can DIAF'.

[Perd Hapley]

To think otherwise... is actually pretty depressing... that beings aren't worthy to live, outside of being killed in the attempt to harm other beings for no reason.

Yes.  To think otherwise would be to count people as worthless unless they demonstrate some benefit to the rest of society.  In that case, we'd just kill all the handicapped and the elderly - they get in the way.

[Werewolf]

To think otherwise... is actually pretty depressing... that beings aren't worthy to live, outside of being killed in the attempt to harm other beings for no reason.

Yes.  To think otherwise would be to count people as worthless unless they demonstrate some benefit to the rest of society. 

...Or at least demonstrate that they are not a threat or cause no harm.

[BakerMikeRomeo]

Everyone is unqualifiably worthy just by existing.

I agree with that sentiment, actually, now that I think about it. It's always wrong to murder, steal from, or oppress an innocent person, which means that they must have some baseline "worth" just because they're alive. To get any more worth than that (or to get rid of what you've already got) takes some work.

~GnSx