Doctors enjoy grouping signs and symptoms and they apply it in their daily lives. I personally whenever notice a group of personality characteristics which are associated with a specific type of people, I tend to come up with a title and affix it with the word 'syndrome'. Now, you can look at this from another angle and call it stereotyping, but I think it is a reflection of an ultra-sensitive observation..
Let's take an example. One of the syndromes I came up with, and I really think it exists is the 'small man syndrome' and just to note that I am solely indicating the stature. This, as the name says it, is exclusive to short men, (sorry I really do not mean to insult anyone, but I'd appreciate if you see the humor side of it). From a number of encounters, I have realised that short men tend to be ego-centred, have strong superiority complex (once successful), always date taller and attractive women, drive larger than life cars. One should not fall into the mistake of generalising here, but once I notice a short man who has these characteristics..I'd refer to him as suffering from the 'short man syndrome'..
anyway, let me not get carried away and give more examples. If you allow me to get scientific now. A mental health expert named Roger Henderson have discovered what he calls 'Money Sickness syndrome' (MSS). He has noticed that people who are under financial strain share a multitude of symptoms which he thought they'd be better off grouped under one title. You see, these things are very common in the UK since the National Health Service (NHS) is eager to justify sick-leaves by pigeon-holing people with the most outrageous diseases. Anyway, the gentleman claims that 43% of the population suffer from MSS and that it affects people from all income levels. If you just check out the link and read the list of symptoms, you'll figure out that the fella is just talking about feelings people go through when they have something they stress about. It's so funny that some want to come up with fancy names for their misfortunes..oh well..c'est la vie...
3 comments:
what you call 'small man syndrome' I refer to as the qazam overcompensation complex. I admitt, your term sounds more 'polite', might consider stickin to that instead.
I've come across so many guys who suffer from this and always feel like screaming out " YES YOU ARE VERTICALLY CHALLENGED, DEAL WITH IT. NO ONE THINKS ITS A HANDICAP OR THAT YO'RE INADEQUATE EXCEPT FOR YOURSELF!!
your complex seems too cruel..but that is so like you Jan6a :P
I think the small man syndrome is an adequate expression of their inadequacies (no insult is intended)
1. a short man costs less when you're gonna treat him with a set of textile ('7am) for dishdashaing etc.
2. he won't notice the dirty shelves that you can never be bothered to wipe.
3. Its easy to hide things from him (just shove em on top of the fridge.
4. Sending him off to sleep on the sofa is a less cause of guilt as he'll fit no doubt.
5. looks up when talking to you, but of course with you being up there.
6. you'll always use his height a mean by which you could add points of support to your argument should you ever run out of them.
7. you can always use him to push in queues (make sure his tash is shaven though).
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