This may appear to be very heavy reading but?? It has several points
to it, of which I would be pleased to discuss further with you.
Self consciousness, it has long been considered that this is innate
it would follow therefore that attitudes accompany our innate self
consciousness due to our automated behaviour to a situation. For
example, at maturity we look to the opposite gender! Generally
speaking this drive is both innate and an attitude based upon the
implementation of monogamous attitudes from parents, media and
society. Religion with its implications that "self' is our soul is
questionable based on our religious in doctoring and the society we
live in yet can also be used to create attitudes.
`What's this to do with epilepsy'?
In modernistic terms it is argued that self consciousness, attitudes
and our innate self is dualistic, that is to say they are one of the
same. It is as important though to accept that due to an attitude
(triggers for seizures) we all have behavioural responses, some good
some bad and these can lead us to have an emotional deficit. To fit
into our society we have to learn how to behave, alter our attitude!
In doing this it can take people out of there comfort zones leaving
them uncomfortable, nervous or even vulnerable and more prone to
fits.
Attitudes and self consciousness are innate/ media and society based
constraints that are imposed upon individuals as they grow and
develop from child hood through adolescence into adulthood where, the
links and chains of opinions are enforced upon the next generation.
This is why it is vital that we and our nearest and dearest
understand and give us a wide burth.
A prime example of this can be seen in the modem child of today,
there are few who are aware of the constraints of familiarity and or
respect to there elders. This "mind set" is a complete change from
thirty years ago clearly indicating that "attitudes" towards teaching
respect (to create an attitude) has changed. It is apparent that, in
this instance child rearing is not innate, it has to be taught but,
when a child is in danger it is a self conscious innate response to
protect it. So, it is that same attitude that we all need to adopt to
ease the pressures on both the epileptic and the family/friends.
I introduced this essay by referring to attitudes/ triggers and how
they accompany our innate self consciousness due to our automated
behaviour to a situation. Hence, the starting point for this topical
research is as old as researchable recorded history, from the mass
attitudinal hysteria towards the Jews before the Second World War to
the good will drive to save the planet. These are all attitudes which
when reaching a point of hysteria can affect self consciousness and
can become an inherent attribute for the innate self "US" AND OUR
SELF CONFIDANCE, (I wont go out just in case---).
The concept of Social psychology of self could be summed up by
Solomon Asch (1956) where his studies into "normal" (what is socially
and culturally acceptable) groups, there social influence and places
they are at will result in a form of conformity. This however is a
resulting opinion of a minority (US) not a majority and over looks
the individual. It is this attitude that affects self consciousness
and is the frustrating difficulty, helping people to help us help
ourselves?
As "We" the human race are from many differences a starting point for
this researchable history into attitudes and self consciousness is
through the eyes of religion- self-soul and the inherent parental/
cultural dis/approval of behaviour. Is society to be held accountable
for these behavioural attitudes or society for en doctoring the
young. Either way both are based on a common ground/need, that being
cohesion based upon a fear factor.
Contrary to this social influence on behaviour and to re enforce the
point raised earlier With regards to the frustrating difficulty in
researching social psychology of self we have a strange species
called the individual/non conformist. (An example of such was
reviewed by us he he)
In a drive to research self and attitude "Unfolding discourse
analysis" in post modernism has been researched by (McGuire, 1985, p.
239) raising the concept that "attitudes are locating objects of
thought on dimensions of judgement and placing it in a hierarchy
(phenomenological narratives). Equally Potter and Wetherell in there
research are more interested in how people talk (cognitive
processes). This turn to language research though is seen as a model
of contained, rational and stable individual processes. For now, in
short phenomenological narratives are pictoral descriptions, used as
a method to converse with `society', this method is used
unconsciously due to hemispheric damage (a side of the brain). For
epileptics who aquired or were born with the disadvantage the
cognitive processes are more intact. This is partially why `we' are
al different, that and the fact that the pills we have to take change
our personality