Richard D. Wolff

My compliments to a very good show. In a book on Borderline personality disorder by Jerold J. Kreisman, MD, and Hal Straus, a chapter is dedicated to explaining the increase of mental instability not only through individual experiences from childhood upbringing in individual family environments which may be dysfunctional but also from experiences outside the family when exposed to society or daily social life outside the home. They state that we are being exposed to the causes of these symptoms on a public or social scale, that these causes have become a growing part of our environment and that our mental states are already affected to a measurable percentage. Quote, “A third theoretical category, which focuses on environmental and sociocultural factors, such as our fast-paced, fragmented societal structure, destruction of the nuclear family, increased divorce rates, increased reliance on nonparental day care, greater geographical mobility, and changing patterns of gender roles, is also important (see chapter 4). Though empirical research on these environmental elements is limited, some professionals speculate that these factors would tend to increase the prevalence of BPD.”… The book describes this in much greater detail as it also recognizes the influence of our present economic state on our mental wellbeing which you discuss,,, As I would say again, the capitalistic element of aggressive greed which strives in uncontrolled market driven economics is also at work in political, legislative and government practices which are undoing the threads of traditional family culture, under the illusion of greater independence, freedom, self empowerment, etc. etc. (the carrot or golden cow). The sum product of the last 5 decades is becoming self evident. Again I am reminded of another famous quote "States are as the men (and woman) are; They take on humane character. — from Plato’s Republic.

In a you tube video on “The Zero Hour” you discuss the limitations of letter (or number) grades. I am in a graduate clinical psychology pgrm that gives written evaluations. But there is a crucial element missing here: the absence of discussion!!!
Here is just another loophole for maintaining rigidity and crushing originality. Therefore, “evaluations” by themselves are insufficient criteria for student education.