The way I see it, the "Combine" Cheif Broom refers to is his imaginary system of wires, gears, and pulleys that the ward, particularly Nurse Ratched, uses to "harvest" the patients-make them vulnerable and controlled. All of the patients on the ward except for McMurphy are somewhat subdued and have been emasculated by Nurse Ratched. They cannot stand up to Nurse Ratched and would follow her orders to the letter if not for McMurphy. He is outwardly bold, proud, and has a lot of chutzpah. He uses this to defend himself against and/or even undermine the Combine and Nurse Ratched. However, I think McMurphy's nature draws more attention to him than other patients. He's not under the Combine's sphere of influence but he cannot withstand much more. He's committed to the ward and has no choice but to endure as long as he can. It's only a matter of time before he gives up.
Every institution is not a Combine in the way Cheif Broom sees it. Schools and prisons across the country are not trying to "harvest" and "gather" people so they can control them. In some cases it may appear that way or the effects are similar, but the intention of the institution is not to control the individuals as Nurse Ratched does. The intent or plan of many institutions is to benefit those who populate them, mainly schools, hospitals, and mental institutions. Jails are more like the Combine than any other institution in that there is some controlling and subduing, but not to the extent as in the psych ward. At the very least jails are saving the criminals from themselves.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
That's What They Want You to Think
The extreme rules and boundaries set in place in the psych ward must seem a bit outrageous to us, citizens of the "land of the free". But that's what they want you to think (the school system, that is). However, there are several similarities in the ways in which the school and the psych ward are run. First and foremost, there are many, many sets of rules that be must followed. In school it's no iPods, no cell phones, no talking over one another, don't swear, get to class on time, etc. In Nurse Ratched's psych ward it's don't be aggressive, take your medicine, and basically do whatever I (Nurse Ratched) say. The rules are not exactly parallel, but they have the same results.
Rules are the main tool that Nurse Ratched and the school system use to keep control and order. By making a certain list of actions punishable, naturally the students or patients won't do them over and over again. Eventually, like a dog that is taught not to sit on the furniture or a baby who is being potty-trained, the person understands the rule and sees that the benefit of breaking the rule is no longer worth the risk. Therefore, they stop breaking the rule altogether and order is restored or kept. By doing this the leaders can, almost literally, control their inferiors. In Nurse Ratched's case it is much more literal-she has the ability to do to her patients whatever she sees as fit. The principals and teachers in the school have a similar power, but not to the degree that Nurse Ratched does. They can control say, when you go to the bathroom or what you're going to do in class that day. In school, the student does not have any say in their activities that day, unless he/she has a study. And even then there are limitations.
Another tool that both school and the psych ward use is a routine or everyday, constant schedule. This allows for little freedom by the patients and students, which creates more order and less chaos and confusion. If the school day were, just for the sake of argument, a 6-hour block and Mr. Welch came on the speakerphone and made announcements as to when each class finished, or all the blocks were different lengths, or two classes met in the same day, or the length of the school day changed, there would be chaos and unruliness. Nothing could be accomplished because everyone would be out of control. So, in order to keep control, a routine and daily schedule are established. Less freedom in the daily lives of the students and patients means more power and control for the principals and Nurse Ratched.
The school seems to be a psych ward of lesser degree-everything that occurs in the psych ward occurs in the schools, but not on as a large scale. The consequences and offences are smaller, with equally smaller consequences. They are very similar in the way that they are run and operated.
Rules are the main tool that Nurse Ratched and the school system use to keep control and order. By making a certain list of actions punishable, naturally the students or patients won't do them over and over again. Eventually, like a dog that is taught not to sit on the furniture or a baby who is being potty-trained, the person understands the rule and sees that the benefit of breaking the rule is no longer worth the risk. Therefore, they stop breaking the rule altogether and order is restored or kept. By doing this the leaders can, almost literally, control their inferiors. In Nurse Ratched's case it is much more literal-she has the ability to do to her patients whatever she sees as fit. The principals and teachers in the school have a similar power, but not to the degree that Nurse Ratched does. They can control say, when you go to the bathroom or what you're going to do in class that day. In school, the student does not have any say in their activities that day, unless he/she has a study. And even then there are limitations.
Another tool that both school and the psych ward use is a routine or everyday, constant schedule. This allows for little freedom by the patients and students, which creates more order and less chaos and confusion. If the school day were, just for the sake of argument, a 6-hour block and Mr. Welch came on the speakerphone and made announcements as to when each class finished, or all the blocks were different lengths, or two classes met in the same day, or the length of the school day changed, there would be chaos and unruliness. Nothing could be accomplished because everyone would be out of control. So, in order to keep control, a routine and daily schedule are established. Less freedom in the daily lives of the students and patients means more power and control for the principals and Nurse Ratched.
The school seems to be a psych ward of lesser degree-everything that occurs in the psych ward occurs in the schools, but not on as a large scale. The consequences and offences are smaller, with equally smaller consequences. They are very similar in the way that they are run and operated.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Time and Time Again
Medicine and surgery have always been a topic of discussion. Being able to cure illnesses and save those who have been injured or maimed has always been and always will be a desired ability. Hundreds, maybe thousands of professions have developed in the area of medicine, from researchers to developers to doctors. In modern medicine, risks and sacrifices have been made in order to further advance the technology and various medical procedures. These little bumps on the road are often controversial and can lose the best interest of the patient. The interest of the patient is the primary objective of anyone in the medical field, and today's doctors do not always make the right decision that will most benefit the patient.
A doctor may lose his patients best interest when he becomes too focused on a goal or objective that requires an immense amount of work to reach. Enveloped by this goal, the doctor or scientist loses sight of what is right in front of him: the patient, the sick person. The only actual example of this circumstance is Walter Freeman, the Lobotomist. Being driven to achieve is normally an extremely good virtue, and it is normal in the journey to success that some things are lost and others are gained. But when that one thing is the well-being of a patient, it can be catastrophic.
Walter Freeman wanted to be a revolutionary of the medical field. Unfortunately, his way of doing so involved making a risky and not always successful procedure commonplace and famous. The lobotomy did change some lives for the better, but many other lives it destroyed or tarnished. Freeman was the doctor that made the unnecessary sacrifices and received deserved criticism for it. He proves that the doctor does not always have the patient's best interests in mind. Though unfortunate, this will always be the case.
A doctor may lose his patients best interest when he becomes too focused on a goal or objective that requires an immense amount of work to reach. Enveloped by this goal, the doctor or scientist loses sight of what is right in front of him: the patient, the sick person. The only actual example of this circumstance is Walter Freeman, the Lobotomist. Being driven to achieve is normally an extremely good virtue, and it is normal in the journey to success that some things are lost and others are gained. But when that one thing is the well-being of a patient, it can be catastrophic.
Walter Freeman wanted to be a revolutionary of the medical field. Unfortunately, his way of doing so involved making a risky and not always successful procedure commonplace and famous. The lobotomy did change some lives for the better, but many other lives it destroyed or tarnished. Freeman was the doctor that made the unnecessary sacrifices and received deserved criticism for it. He proves that the doctor does not always have the patient's best interests in mind. Though unfortunate, this will always be the case.
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