July 08, 2007
Acquired Green Delusional Syndrome
I've been having so much fun lately posting snarky posts about the left and Democrats in general, I've neglected my contribution to the field of mental health recently. Oh, my clients are doing well with their therapy, but I've not contributed much to the knowledge of mental health in the recent past and because of that I've put on my thinking cap and done a little research into the field. Following DSM IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (of Mental Disorders) Forth Edition - Text Revision) one has a diagnosis and then criteria that meet that diagnosis. There are of course other factors that affect the making of the diagnosis, so I'll post those as well albeit briefly. So, for your reading pleasure I present:
300.9 Acquired Green Delusional Syndrome (AGDS)**.
Diagnostic Features: The essential feature of Acquired Green Delusional Syndrome is a belief, learned from others and not based on one's own research or knowledge that global warming is a fact, that rock concerts burning huge amounts of fuel, using massive kilowatts of electrical power and attended by a few but supported by many, that using ethanol is a energy saving device and that replacing all electrical bulbs with CFLs will make a significant difference in the global climate.
Associated Features and Disorders: Associated features of this disorder may include eco-terroristic acts, an overwhelming sense of the importance of consensus in science and a belief that folk with sub-doctoral educational status have as much knowledge about what is happening as those that have made a lifetime study of the field, especially when many (most) of those who disagree with GW can be and are categorized as "wingnuts."
Specific Culture and Gender Features: The disorder seems to be more prevalent in those from more industrialized cultures, those with more money than common sense, politicians with an ulterior motive, and celebrities who believe that their ideas are more important than the ideas of the folk that made them celebrities in the first place. Sex differences do not seem to be as much a factor as does being educated in public schools and universities or being under the influence of liberal leaning professors and teachers.
Prevalence: Twenty five years ago, this disorder was far overshadowed by "Its A New Ice Age Delusional Syndrome" which has since been eclipsed by AGDS. The numbers individuals with symptoms of AGDS were increasing exponentially until recently when former greenies and members of the Church of Global Warming began questioning the basis of the belief system. It is expected that within 25 years, the syndrome will be antiquated and or obsolete with only a very rare number of adherents and those looking back will wonder how on earth any one with a room temperature IQ or higher could possibly have believed that stuff.
Differential Diagnosis: There are no existing described disorders close to AGDS. The closest disorder is now considered to be obsolete (see above mentioned Its A New Ice Age Delusional Syndrome).
This diagnosis requires any 4 of the following criteria during any six consecutive months since the publication of "Earth In The Balance."
- A belief when not smoking dope or other mind altering chemicals that all the glaciers are going to melt and cause a world wide rising of the ocean of 20 to 40 feet.
- A belief that Owlgore is a prophet and has the real skinny on the climate discounting that Owlgore was a politician, a dropped out divinity student and didn't complete law school but does sound earnest in spite of the fact that he has no scientific training what-so-ever.
- Has come to believe, despite training in science and the scientific method that "consensus" means the same thing as proof.
- The duration of the disturbance appears to last until "The Next Big Thing" comes along and diverts attention away from Green issues or Global Warming
- The consistent use of terms such as "wingnuts," "deniers," and "tools" when describing those who do not accept this new belief system.
- Expressions of faulty understanding as expressions of fact such as "The earth has a fever."
- Expressions of misinterpreted science including but not limited to a comparison of the temperatures of Venus and Earth using the amount of CO2 as the sole criteria discounting the closeness of Venus to the sun and discounting a similar atmospheric content of CO2 of Mars (96% CO2 on Venus vs. 95% CO2 on Mars) yet a temperature differential of something on the order of over 700° F.
- Denial of the effects of atmospheric aerosols such as water vapor on climate as a force in global warming or cooling
- The disturbance is not better accounted for by an actual psychosis, membership in a religious cult (other than the Church of Global Warming) or a whack on the head by OwlGore.
** Not Associated with The American Psychiatric Association In any way.
*heh* I thought AGDS was "Algore Delusional Syndrome"...
Hmmm... perhaps the malady was simply noted as Algore's personality disorder(s) was found to be a generalized phenom among certain "reality-based fantasists"?
Posted by David at July 8, 2007 12:13 PM
Twenty five years ago, this disorder was far overshadowed by "Its A New Ice Age Delusional Syndrome" which has since been eclipsed by AGDS.
Yup. Back when I was in college, I heard all the time from Ph.D. profs that we were heading for a new ice age.
We were also constantly assailed with the importance of controlling population by limiting the number of children to a maximum of 2 per couple. Funny how we don't hear about population control when it comes to illegal invaders. Hmmmm....
Greenies are utopians and the-sky-is-falling idjits, both at the same time. By now, I suppose that I should know better than to expect logical thinking from Leftists.
Posted by Always On Watch at July 8, 2007 02:31 PM
This is great GM!
Acquired Green Delusional Syndrome isa great way to describe it.
Posted by Wild Thing at July 8, 2007 02:35 PM
check everyone at LiveEarth then!..ha!
Posted by Angel at July 8, 2007 03:03 PM
Loved it! Thanks to the HG network and Live Earth, I'm working on the New Bamboo (Shower) Curtain Craze. I'll be posting a link to this syndrome in my next blog posting!!!
Posted by Faultline USA at July 8, 2007 03:23 PM
They keep dressing the gorilla in a different suit, but it`s the same old gorilla!!
Thanks, GM!
Posted by Tim Birdnow at July 8, 2007 03:58 PM
I can see how our population explosion will hurt us considering the land mass of Texas is enough for every person in this country to have a half acre to himself.
The other delusion is that one can offset GW by purchasing offsets. Why don't we just plant more trees and be done with it?
Great post GM, you earned that nickel!
Posted by Big Dog at July 8, 2007 04:05 PM
Of course, lets not forget the impending tragedy of acid rain, that nobody has mentioned in the last ten years.
The last time the ocean levels came up significantly was the ice age. I guess consensus types forgot that ice has greater displacement than liquid water. If the ice melts, ocean levels will drop.
It is land masses that rise and subside.
Posted by earl west at July 8, 2007 04:22 PM
Wow....I know someone (that comments here once in a while) that has this disease.
Porkie Yorkie hear him cry
The Earth will flood and we'll all die
And when the flood does not appear
Yorkie looks like a horses rear.
Posted by Kender at July 8, 2007 04:55 PM
Look, just because some people claim that the sky is falling doesn't mean that the sky isn't falling... ;)
Posted by Ogre at July 8, 2007 05:28 PM
Acquired Green Delusional Syndrome Hmmmm - -
Al
Gore
Damaged
Science
When's the book come out!! Great chapter for one.
Posted by chrys at July 8, 2007 06:06 PM
Great stuff! Thanks for the laugh. Might I suggest another diagnostic criterion? BDS. Seems to be a high correlation, though maybe or maybe not causation.
Posted by Chris at July 9, 2007 01:06 AM
I've just posted that link to this article on my blog post "Going Green Could Enslave Us All" at
http://faultlineusa.blogspot.com/2007/07/going-green-could-enslave-us-all.html
Posted by Faultline USA at July 9, 2007 10:03 AM
Before I could renew my car tag, I had to pay $600 to have the car "fixed" because it emitted about ten parts per million too much of something or other. If we multiplied this times ALL the cars for which we spend ridiculous amounts to cure extremely small issues, then we have a huge waste. I hope everyone appreciates my sacrifice so that none of my car's miniscule emissions floats your way. Lousy government.
Posted by Woody at July 9, 2007 11:23 AM
P.S. I'll be d***ed if I put flourescent bulbs in my car headlights to make some greenie happy.
Posted by Woody at July 9, 2007 11:25 AM
