Media Analysis #3-Van Gogh June 9, 2008
Posted by fs2004 in Uncategorized.trackback
There is an entire article on “Vincent van Gogh’s Medical Condition.” This article focuses primarily on Van Gogh’s poor mental state. Among many physical disorders, the article also states that Van Gogh had both bipolar disorder and epilepsy. (I’m not entirely sure iff epilepsy is considered a mental disorder)
This article has been produced by common Wikipedia editors like myself in order to inform readers. The article is written as an encyclopedia article, so there is very little stigmatizing. The article says that the bipolar disorder diagnosis ”fits well with the well documented periods of intense activity interspersed with periods of exhaustion and possible depression.” There is no sort of propaganda in the article.
On another note, the song “Vincent” by Don McLean creates a strong stigma supporting Van Gogh’s talent, despite the disibilaties the painter had to overcome. Mclean wrote the song all about Van Gogh and his works. Praise is given in the song for many of Van Gogh’s paintings. The song was produced for Don McLean as a form of personal expression. Stigmas are created that actually praise the works of Van Gogh, noting how beautiful the paintings are that came from Van Gogh’s positive periods of bipolar disorder. The lyrics “The world was never meant for one as beautiful as you” certainly suggest how wonderful Van Gogh was as a painter. This stigma and similar references praising Van Gogh’s works throught the song are likely to have a positive effect on the listener. People who hear this song will hopefully realize that something positive and beautiful can come out of a mental disorder, despite the obvious negative aspects.
Did you write that one? Try slipping a reference to Gedde Lee in there next time. Seriously, you made some good points. One misunderstanding: ’stigma’ is used exclusively to describe the attaching of shame or negativity. There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ stigma. What I think you’re getting at, though, is the oversimplification of mental illness, the caricaturing of a serious problem as something that’s somehow enobling. Call it a romanticization of mental illness; the portrait of the artist as a psychotic young man. That, in its own way, can be as damaging as a true stigma, but that’s a separate topic.