[Marxism] interesting but long article on R. D. Laing

[Gary MacLennan <gary.maclennan1@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am inclined to think these days that Laing represented the bad side of the
60s - the irrational, ignorant, self-satisfied & arrogant libertarian
impulse.

I used to teach his book "Sanity madness and the family": and I blush now to
think of all the stupid crap I pontificated on about the myth of  mental
illness.  I got most of it from Laing's  and Szasz' books.  Still since
those days like the Ancient Mariner I have penance done and more will do.

Clip:  "RD Laing frequently asserted that mental illness was rooted in the
family, yet he treated his own family abominably. He abandoned his first
five children and left them in penury. He went on to father five more
children with three different women, had innumerable affairs, was subject to
violent drunken rages and became obsessed with his own fame. Yet he treated
patients with extraordinary compassion and empathy, qualities he denied his
own family."  Available at
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article6058901.ece
.

regards

Gary
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