A sad story. Is modern society driving a few to madness?

General discussions relating to the story.
pezar
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:41 pm

A sad story. Is modern society driving a few to madness?

Postby pezar » Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:28 am

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/04/4609015/dad-feels-anguish-disbelief-with.html

Linnea Lomax disappeared in June. Her decomposed body was found last week about two miles from the outpatient mental health clinic she snuck out of.

This whole story begs the question: are the pressures of modern society and a system that demands that youth be superhumanly "successful" driving a few kids insane? The Lomaxes were not "stage parents", forcing their kids to study (unlike the infamous "tiger moms"). But Linnea seems to have absorbed the milieu via osmosis, striving to be "perfect". She apparently couldn't live up to her own standards, and snapped under her self-imposed pressure. The shrinks may be baffled, but I'm not-she likely took on too much, more than she could ever hope to chew, and went nuts. The human mind can only handle so much stress before it gives way, and when one is one's own worst critic it's a million times worse. The sad thing is, being perfect doesn't guarantee success. So many who try end up turning to vices. Linnea didn't smoke, drink, do drugs, party, have a sexual relationship (or a string of them), didn't didn't didn't. She had no outlets for her frustration, she kept it bottled up until she went insane. When every outlet is denied, the mind eventually creates one. She likely, if she had lived, spent her days in a twilight of mental illness. Finally, relief from the pressure.

Wedelen64
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 1:20 pm

Re: A sad story. Is modern society driving a few to madness?

Postby Wedelen64 » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:01 pm

Pezar, your insight could not be more dead on! I have personally dealt with this in the last 2 months. Keeping things bottled up inside is a guarantee for mental illness. If a person has something bottled up inside and they have never shared it with anyone and they refuse to share it with anyone they are going to have mental problems arise from it. And as life throws more stress and problems at them along with this lingering issue it is a recipe for disaster. Then as the problem worsens they pull away from society and their friends and family and their world slowly darkens until they make the decision to end the pain forever and we are left to pick up the pieces. Thanks Pezar, your great insight has given me comfort!

fredmerlin
Posts: 68
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 10:12 am

Re: A sad story. Is modern society driving a few to madness?

Postby fredmerlin » Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:33 pm

I must respectivly disagree. Some people may have a predisposition to mental illness that drives them to selfdestruct. When one ALLOWS others, including 'modern society' to dictate, rule, doctrine their own personal lives, they question themselves. Thus succumbing to the pressures of modern society. I suppose we should define 'modern society'. Does it mean everyone has everything? All technology, all the time? In constant contact with people? Grasping for more than the very basics of life to live?

As we age, we often pull away from 'modern society'. We feel that the years past were simple, therefore 'better'. Whom among us hasen't had parents and grandparents raving about their 'simple days of youth'? That's the great irony today. Our parents and grandparents are into the technology. Staying 'younger', their illusion. Not really growing older and wiser. So many are hung up on their youth, that they don't ripen into their age for the younger generation to look up to. Seems the elders are in competition with, not guiding forces in young lives.

It can be very painful to be your our person these days. It can be a very exhilerating experience, however, IF one keeps looking inward, not outward for the JOY in life. That joy is so very basic, as Christopher McCandless found, IN NATURE. Where we all began, and where we all will end. The peace and quiet we all need to rejuvenate the soul.

mohsinj677
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:18 am

Re: A sad story. Is modern society driving a few to madness?

Postby mohsinj677 » Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:21 am

The sad thing is, being perfect doesn't guarantee success. So many who try end up turning to vices. Linnea didn't smoke, drink, do drugs, party, have a sexual relationship (or a string of them), didn't didn't didn't. She had no outlets for her frustration, she kept it bottled up until she went insane. When every outlet is denied, the mind eventually creates one. She likely, if she had lived, spent her days in a twilight of mental illness. Finally, relief from the pressure.
Mohsin


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