It's Not Just In Your Head #032: Cultural Anthropologist Roy Grinker On Capitalism, Brain Science vs Supernaturalism, and The Neurodiversity Movement
Mar 8, 2021
Roy Grinker, a cultural anthropologist and author of "Nobody's Normal," dives into the fascinating links between capitalism, mental health, and stigma. He discusses how the rise of capitalism created new norms for mental illness categorization and the cultural implications of the DSM. Grinker also explores autism rates in South Korea versus Western diagnoses, emphasizing the importance of supportive cultures in mental health treatment. The conversation highlights the neurodiversity movement and advocates for a holistic understanding of identity and mental health.
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Human Behavior Is Socially Constructed
- Cultural anthropology studies how societies create meaning and shows that behaviors are not hardwired.
- Roy Grinker argues that if we constructed social norms, we can change them.
Capitalism Shaped Psychiatric Categories
- Capitalism created an ideal of productivity that grouped 'unproductive' people in asylums and enabled new categories of mental suffering.
- Grinker says capitalism didn't invent disorders but shaped how society conceptualized and classified them.
DSM Is Historical And Changeable
- The DSM is both scientific consensus and a cultural, historical document that changes over time.
- Grinker notes diagnoses shift (e.g., Asperger's) based on usefulness and social context, not only new science.
