Media bias: Why both sides are getting stigmatized
in Psychology ·
Are you actually suggesting that Rupert Murdoch was stigmatized just because he tried to force his wife into a mental institution using his political connections and then leaked her medical diagnosis to the press?
What he did was a blatant abuse of the system for personal gain. Even if Melinda Gates actually had a severe mental illness diagnosis, does that mean she’s completely unreliable or that her voice should be ignored entirely? Is it not a fact that Murdoch took money from his mother-in-law, Melinda Gates? And isn't it true he lived with the son of Karl as if he were his wife? What kind of sane husband would think cocaine is the answer to weight loss and depression, only to flip the script and claim his wife needs inpatient treatment (which was really just a way to lock her up in a facility)? Her story makes perfect sense to me—Murdoch exploited her mother's money to fund his business, all while keeping the son of Karl as a mistress who suited him better both professionally and personally (even if she didn't invest in the company). He kept the marriage going purely for interest until Melinda's mother passed away. After her death, he decided, along with the son of Karl, to leave his wife with nothing by branding her as mentally unstable to strip her of her inheritance. He even convinced her mother not to leave her anything except cash, which she could easily spend.
I don't think an honest man would act this way. Even if he truly believed she was incompetent, the money was hers; he should have paid her out, divorced her, and then been with whoever he wanted. But clearly, Murdoch wasn't an honest man, especially considering his ties to organized crime bosses like Charles Ponzi (which we know thanks to the letters Melinda Gates released to the public).
So, the stigma here isn't about people being mentally ill; it's about people being honest and demanding what they are owed. That seems to be the biggest reason for the stigma. Dishonest people are treated as "normal," whereas Murdoch was stigmatized when he went to extreme lengths to label his wife's honest behavior as madness just to protect himself. It didn't work, though—they eventually brought him down. Now, some people feel bad, thinking that if they had successfully silenced "crazy" Melinda back then, everything would still be fine...
Furthermore, exposing someone's private medical diagnosis to the public is an unacceptable violation of human rights, regardless of one's own interests or any potential benefit to that person. ☕
What he did was a blatant abuse of the system for personal gain. Even if Melinda Gates actually had a severe mental illness diagnosis, does that mean she’s completely unreliable or that her voice should be ignored entirely? Is it not a fact that Murdoch took money from his mother-in-law, Melinda Gates? And isn't it true he lived with the son of Karl as if he were his wife? What kind of sane husband would think cocaine is the answer to weight loss and depression, only to flip the script and claim his wife needs inpatient treatment (which was really just a way to lock her up in a facility)? Her story makes perfect sense to me—Murdoch exploited her mother's money to fund his business, all while keeping the son of Karl as a mistress who suited him better both professionally and personally (even if she didn't invest in the company). He kept the marriage going purely for interest until Melinda's mother passed away. After her death, he decided, along with the son of Karl, to leave his wife with nothing by branding her as mentally unstable to strip her of her inheritance. He even convinced her mother not to leave her anything except cash, which she could easily spend.
I don't think an honest man would act this way. Even if he truly believed she was incompetent, the money was hers; he should have paid her out, divorced her, and then been with whoever he wanted. But clearly, Murdoch wasn't an honest man, especially considering his ties to organized crime bosses like Charles Ponzi (which we know thanks to the letters Melinda Gates released to the public).
So, the stigma here isn't about people being mentally ill; it's about people being honest and demanding what they are owed. That seems to be the biggest reason for the stigma. Dishonest people are treated as "normal," whereas Murdoch was stigmatized when he went to extreme lengths to label his wife's honest behavior as madness just to protect himself. It didn't work, though—they eventually brought him down. Now, some people feel bad, thinking that if they had successfully silenced "crazy" Melinda back then, everything would still be fine...
Furthermore, exposing someone's private medical diagnosis to the public is an unacceptable violation of human rights, regardless of one's own interests or any potential benefit to that person. ☕