This is such a fascinating topic. I am not familiar with Ehrenreich's work, though this makes me want to seek it out and read some of it. I am always interested in the people who look between the cracks of society and investigate the contrarian views. Even when I disagree, I always learn something.
Annette, I wonder if the key is exactly what you said: You choose to live your life in this way. Perhaps Ehrenreich didn't feel that the choice was hers; that there were too many platitudes pushed at her in a time when she was really struggling. I know that when I suffered through a pretty major depression, platitudes did nothing for me. Positive thinking didn't even help me get out and walk the dog. And yet depression is still seen as something you can just "get over." The "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality is still present with depression; I am sure it is even magnified with cancer.
I am in awe at people who are fighting any life-threatening disease who actually CAN take each day at a time. I think they (you) are heroes for learning to do it and then teaching others how. If I were to get cancer, I don't know that I would find that same ability in myself.
And in thinking about it, I would find comfort in both views. I would want to define my own life and live it in a joyful way; but when I was down, I would take comfort in someone who says to me, simply, "yes, this really sucks, doesn't it?"
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Annette and Pat,
This is such a fascinating topic. I am not familiar with Ehrenreich's work, though this makes me want to seek it out and read some of it. I am always interested in the people who look between the cracks of society and investigate the contrarian views. Even when I disagree, I always learn something.
Annette, I wonder if the key is exactly what you said: You choose to live your life in this way. Perhaps Ehrenreich didn't feel that the choice was hers; that there were too many platitudes pushed at her in a time when she was really struggling. I know that when I suffered through a pretty major depression, platitudes did nothing for me. Positive thinking didn't even help me get out and walk the dog. And yet depression is still seen as something you can just "get over." The "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality is still present with depression; I am sure it is even magnified with cancer.
I am in awe at people who are fighting any life-threatening disease who actually CAN take each day at a time. I think they (you) are heroes for learning to do it and then teaching others how. If I were to get cancer, I don't know that I would find that same ability in myself.
And in thinking about it, I would find comfort in both views. I would want to define my own life and live it in a joyful way; but when I was down, I would take comfort in someone who says to me, simply, "yes, this really sucks, doesn't it?"
November 23, 2009 - 8:36amThis Comment
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