COMMUNITY MEETING AND DOPING

As a Psychiatrist and belonging to a very liberal group of psychiatrists, our Community Meetings were very interesting and real life experiences.  I was and wasn´t looking forward for the Community Meetings.  It was like playing “Crucifixion of Jesus.”  The Community Meetings were run by patients and they addressed the problem they were having in the Hospital.  It was the Carnival of Umberto Eco; a necessary procedure to continue working.

“This definition of comic leads us to the idea of carnival. How do we succeed in finding situations in which we are not concerned by the rules? Naturally enough, by establishing an upside-down world in which fish fly and birds swim, rabbits chase hunters and fools are crowned. At this point we feel free, first for sadistic reasons, second by because we are liberated from the fear imposed by the existence of the rule. Comic pleasure means enjoying the murder of the father, provided that others, less human than ourselves, commit the crime.” (1984; p2.)

“We feel relieved from our own sorrow concerning Snow White’s fate precisely because of the laughable pain of the dwarves. Our tension for the tragedy is mitigated by the ridiculization of the majesty of sorrow through the ridiculization of the zoomorphic little men. They are the mask through which we can pass over in laughter the difficulty of living.” (1984; p.2) Similarly, carnival is that mask.”

http://veniceandthecarnival.wordpress.com/2012/04/13/carnival-umberto-eco/

Since I started with the Community Meetings I understood the reason of their existence.  It was also a way of evaluating how to proceed to have some work done; meaning how to make patients to take responsibility for themselves.  Sometimes, it was the only way to start a communication with patients by having this Community Carnival.  Everybody from staff was “attacked” by patients at certain point.  We needed to “play safe” in an out of the hospital to avoid being “attacked” by patients.  We avoided by all means to be crucified by the Community Meeting.  I SEE THE CARNIVAL IN THIS DOPING SCANDAL.

Now it is the turn for Rasmussen.  He wants to continue being involved in cycling.  What else could he do?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/31/danish-michael-rasmussen-doping-years

Maître Fous is a good documentary.  Related to the subject of Carnival.