motorcyclemeditation.com

Extra zest to the motorcycle ride today, just been on the telephone about a tax bill. Some functionary clearly been on some course on how to manage callers, the objective being to deflect any substantive discussion but still to appear reasonable. The technique for doing so, assess the type of caller, probably selecting from four quadrants, behave accordingly. Just like they practiced on the course doing role plays.

Here on the motorcycle, sun shining, birds no doubt singing though inaudible through engine noise and helmet and earplugs, relishing the pleasure of not fitting into any quadrants. A reason for motorcycling.

Recently came across quite interesting words, been mulling them. An enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates markedly from the expectations of the culture of the individual who exhibits it. An okayish description of the motorcyclist, if a bit limp. Except that it aint about motorcyclists, it’s the formal psychiatric definition of personality disorder.

Oh what joy to come across such arrant idiocy. The cringing conformity both within the words and in the people creating them. The wondrous earnestness. The distinctive tone of professionals barricading themselves behind sensible sounding constructs. Sensible sounding but actually vacuous. Kick this hubcap and the whole wheel falls off.

The cars around the motorcycle, stuck in characteristic logjam. An enduring pattern of experience that deviates not at all from expectations. The motorcycle cruising sweetly past.

The eminent confederacy of psychiatric experts not stopping there, either. The words giving license to create lists of symptoms and behaviours, tick more than six of these eight boxes and you’ve got the disorder. Antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent, take your pick. This stuff filtering down to every numbskull official and every halfwit organization that organizes training courses for them.

Burning along on the motorcycle, chuckling at the farce. Wonder what label got applied to me this morning. Borderline irritableness disorder, hopefully.