Until We Start Hearing About The "Reason For" Joe Biden's Stutter

I knew Dr Post. He also thought that psychiatrists had a duty to warn the public about the erratic behavior of public officials. The “Goldwater Rule” is archaic and should be removed by the APA. https://t.co/qWUvEMbQz4

— Jonathan Reiner (@JReinerMD) July 18, 2021

...or Bill Clinton's "satyriasis." Or maybe Hillary's "frigidity."

I would remind the audience both latter terms originated in psychiatry, and then escaped into general parlance.  Does it really matter if neither term is in the DSM anymore?  (Or aren't they?  I have no idea.)

The last thing we need is psychiatrists warning us about public figures.  It's grossly unprofessional and quite irresponsible.  True, attorneys should keep their mouths shut about pending legal cases (you don't know the facts, circumstances, or the law the case is being argued on), but at least attorneys don't (supposedly) influence the judge's decision.

Besides, this reminds me of the story of Lazarus:

There was this rich man, who wore clothing fit for a king and who dined lavishly every day.  This poor man, named Lazarus, languished at his gate, all covered with sores.  He longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table.  Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.  It so happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the heavenly messengers to be with Abraham.  The rich man died too, and was buried.

From Hades, where he was being tortured, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off and Lazarus with him.  He called out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me!  Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in torment in these flames.'

But Abraham said, 'My child, remember that you had good fortune in your lifetime, and Lazarus had it bad.  Now he is being comforted here, and you are in torment.  And besides all this, a great chasm has been set between us and you, so that even those who want to cross over from there to you cannot, and no one can cross over them that side to yours.'

But he said, 'Father, I beg you then, send him to my father's house--after all, I have five brothers--so he can warn them not to wind up in this place of torture.'

But Abraham says, 'They have Moses and the prophets; why don't they listen to them?'

'But they won't do that, father Abraham,' he said.  'However, if someone appears to them from the dead, they'll have a change of heart.'

(Abraham) said to him, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if someone were to rise from the dead.'

--Luke 16:19-31, SV

It's the last line that's the lesson there.  Twitter was afire with armchair psychiatrists (were they even qualified?  None of them had examined Trump, to be sure) declaring all manner of pscyhological problems present in the 45th President.  Did it make a difference?  Did anybody notice?  Does anybody listen to them now as they say "I told you so!"?

John got his version of that story right, by the way (the influence of Luke on John is another story for another day).  In his telling Lazarus is not a character in a parable, but a friend of Jesus'.  Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead a few days before Passover.  They still crucify Jesus before Passover is ended.

"They won't be convinced if someone were to rise from the dead."

Shorter version:  stop looking for the "silver bullet" that will make everyone think the way you do, or at least kill bad ideas.  Bad ideas are bulletproof.  Nobody wants to think the way you do.  Most of them don't even want to agree with you on what day it is.  Go and please the world.