Mad to Be Normal (2017) directed by Robert Mullan and written by Robert Mullan and Tracy Moreton.

Posted by celticman on Mon, 15 Jan 2024

Mad to Be Normal is great fun. David Tennant plays gallus as fuck, Scottish, psychiatrist, R.D.Laing. Familiar territory for Tennant. His first major TV role was Campbell Bain in the BBC Scotland drama series Takin' Over the Asylum (1994). Here he’s got a promotion to a leading figure in sixties counterculture and the accent to match an iconic figure that delights in taking the pish.

The film also stars Elisabeth Moss, Gabriel Byrne, Michael Gambon, David Bamber, Olivia Poulet and Trevor White in swinging-sixties London.

Laing didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk. His unconventional ideas, (most of which I agreed with when younger, but recognised as mostly nonsense as I grew older) publications, and involvement in the counterculture movement left a lasting mark on the field of psychiatry. His sanctuary, Kingsley Hall in London (1965-70), became a symbol of experimental and controversial approaches to mental health.

Laing, Case study. Julie. ‘I wasn’t mothered. I was smothered. Julie saw her as a black sun, blocking out all light’.

Interviewer to Laing: ‘Why did you say, mothers make their children schizophrenic?’

‘I get angry when people misquote me. I didn’t say all mothers make their children schizophrenic. I didn’t say all families are bad. Despite what those fuckers say.

‘Which fuckers?’

Notes.

"The Divided Self" (1960): Explores the concept of schizophrenia and the impact of social environment on mental health.

"Sanity, Madness and the Family" (1964): Co-authored with Aaron Esterson, it examines the dynamics of family relationships and their influence on mental illness.

"The Politics of Experience" (1967): Offers philosophical reflections on mental illness and societal norms.

While Laing's publications garnered attention within intellectual circles, they did not translate into commercial success. However, they profoundly influenced the psychiatric community and the counterculture movement.

Counterculture Connection:

R.D. Laing found himself aligned with the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. His anti-establishment views on psychiatry resonated with the spirit of rebellion and scepticism toward traditional institutions that characterised the counterculture.

Key Figures in the Counterculture Movement:

Allen Ginsberg: The iconic poet and writer, known for his influential poem "Howl," was a central figure in the Beat Generation and the counterculture movement.

Ken Kesey: Author of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Kesey's work challenged traditional views on mental health and authority.

Timothy Leary: A psychologist and advocate of psychedelic substances, Leary famously promoted the use of LSD, becoming a key figure in the counterculture movement.

Kingsley Hall: A Sanctuary or Controversy?

Laing's Kingsley Hall, a residential community in East London, became a hub for his experimental therapeutic practices. The portrayal of Kingsley Hall differed between left-wing and right-wing media:

Aspect Left-Wing Media Representation Right-Wing Media Representation

Experimental Approach Celebrated as a bold and progressive attempt to redefine psychiatry Criticized as reckless and dangerous, questioning its legitimacy

Community Living Model Applauded for fostering a sense of communal living and understanding Criticized for deviating from conventional psychiatric methods

Anti-Establishment Views Embraced as a challenge to oppressive institutional practices Condemned as undermining established medical norms

R.D. Laing's contributions to psychiatry, his alignment with the counterculture movement, and the controversial experiment at Kingsley Hall remain subjects of debate. While his ideas had a lasting impact on mental health discourse, both admiration and skepticism marks the legacy of Kingsley Hall, reflecting the complex interplay between alternative approaches to psychiatry and societal norms.

Key Figures:

R.D. Laing (1927-1989),

Aaron Esterson,

Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997),

Ken Kesey (1935-2001),

Timothy Leary (1920-1996).

Timothy Leary (1920-1996),

Notable Advocacy: Promotion of psychedelic substances, including LSD.

Erving Goffman (1922-1982), "The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life" (1956), “Asylums” (1961).

Thomas Szasz (1920-2012), "The Myth of Mental Illness" (1961).

Places:

Kingsley Hall in London (1965-1970).

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