Let's vote for a Psychology subforum!

John Walker74 · 2003-07-04T04:26:38+00:00

Alright, folks... Cut the fluff, stop dancing around the issue, and just give me your honest take! ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF AN ADDITIONAL SUB-FORUM FOR PSYCHOLOGY? …

Edward Robinson6 Newcomer

7 messages
joined Jan 2003

#21 · Jul 4, 2003

Man, the variety on this subforum is wild... it’s easily one of the most active spots here.
It gets hit way more often than the philosophy section, maybe like 3 or 4 times as much.
🙂(this is some kind of new🙂 )

John Walker74 Active MemberOP

104 messages
joined Jul 2003

#22 · Jul 4, 2003

Bradley Fisher20🙂

stormywolf2, you’ve finally narrowed your focus, I guess, but at least you’ve actually said what you meant for once.
I really shouldn't have expected anything more from you, even if I’ll admit I was holding out a little bit of hope.

What specific kind of psychological expertise are we even talking about here?

-Is the Health Forum supposed to house cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, ENT specialists, AND dentists?

Are people seriously going to post there just because they need a filling or an ear exam?

🙂😁😁

There are certain topics people want to dive into that sit right on the edge of philosophy, yet every single time someone tries to bring them up in the Philosophy section, we run headfirst into the same old wall... you know, the one filled with comments like "get lost, idiot" or "you're so stupid," which is exactly how 1+1=? so brilliantly put it.......

Let those who actually care make the decision for THEMSELVES.

For the record, I am definitely neither a spokesperson for the group nor some self-appointed expert handing out definitive psychological advice.

Right now, we have two proposals on the table:

-(proposal 1)--either create a psychology sub-forum

-(proposal 2)--or (which seems much more practical!) expand the existing Philosophy forum under a broader name that covers fields closely linked to it, like psychology.

So, go ahead and vote.......

ironbadger31 Active Member

79 messages
joined Jan 2008

#23 · Jul 4, 2003

John Walker74 said:-(Option 1)-->maybe just start a psychology subforum

-(Option 2)-->or (which feels way more doable!) just expand the current philosophy section to include stuff like psychology that overlaps anyway

So, cast your votes.......

Please, don't go with that second option if you value your sanity!😉 Generally speaking, I think forums work best when there's a clear distinction between different subjects. If it were up to me—for example, I’d probably even break down philosophy itself into something like this:

General Philosophy
Philosophy and Religion
Political Philosophy
Metaphysics and Epistemology
Ethics
Philosophy of Science
Aesthetics
Logic

But you? You'd just dump everything into one single subforum!😕 Think about it!😉

ironbadger31 Active Member

79 messages
joined Jan 2008

#24 · Jul 4, 2003

I mean, just so we don't get all mixed up—though even this distinction might be a bit much—but honestly, I should probably stop before you guys start thinking I've completely lost my marbles😁

stormywolf2 Member

22 messages
joined Jun 2003

#25 · Jul 4, 2003

ironbadger31 said:I mean, if that thing actually opens up, stormywolf2 would basically have to be the moderator!😉 I don't even know how the spammers would manage to survive then.😁

Ironbadger, don't even start with me... because I'm on every single one of those "essential" forums out there, and I'm strictly just here to talk!
M.

stormywolf2 Member

22 messages
joined Jun 2003

#26 · Jul 4, 2003

ironbadger31 said:Maybe it wouldn't be totally fatal 😁 for people looking for advice, but honestly, there's no need.
There aren't even enough qualified folks here to run a subforum like that (maybe Tufir and a couple others, if you want to count them). It’d just turn into a massive spam fest, kind of like how the philosophy section is slowly turning into one.

I mean, just picture this barbarian horde of crackpots flooding in with their half-baked "jokes" trying to play psychologist. They'll just end up messing with the people who actually know what they're talking about. Look, if you've got psychological issues, go see a therapist!😉

Preach!🙂
What did I do to deserve such an award!? 👍
M.

stormywolf2 Member

22 messages
joined Jun 2003

#27 · Jul 4, 2003

John Walker74 said:stormywolf2, you really backed yourself into a corner there, but hey, at least you finally said what was on your mind.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much more from you, though—I'll admit—I actually had a little hope.

Come on, John Walker74, don't tell me you're really such a naive little psychologist!
All I did was point out how dangerous a forum like this can get. That's it, sweetheart. I've seen enough in my time dealing with medical info circles and online discourse to know how this plays out.
So just let your hope rest, okay? Even if it's your last shred of it, it won't die out just because some psychology forum never gets launched. Your hope's gonna stay alive, because I'll be lurking in the background keeping it on life support myself.!🙂
Later!
M.

Maria Barnes Active Member

105 messages
joined Dec 2005

#28 · Jul 5, 2003

John Walker74 said:No comment needed. You can all use those precious brain cells of yours to weigh the value of having a psychology forum here..

I disagree. A comment and an explanation are always necessary. Besides, we’re sticklers for the rules here. If things are as obvious as you claim, then writing an explanation should be easy. List ten interesting topics you'd want to start over there. Then we'll open the forum immediately.

Psychology or psychiatry? 😉

Paul Campbell3 Regular

259 messages
joined Feb 2004

#29 · Jul 5, 2003

Here’s my two cents on the matter.👍

Justin Gonzalez87 Active Member

78 messages
joined May 2005

#30 · Jul 5, 2003

Maria Barnes said:Give me ten interesting topics to kick things off—then we can launch the experimental forum immediately.

How does one actually move past a childhood phobia?
The psychology of success—a complex topic.
How does one actually build self-confidence? It's a perennial question—one that usually warrants more than just a quick answer.
How do we shake off that paralyzing sense of shame—especially while we’re still out there actually doing the things we're embarrassed by?😁 )
5. A positive take.
6. Depression—a heavy subject, to be sure.
7. Psychological support—a necessary topic.

🙂 That’s seven in two minutes—there you have it.😁
If I have to stop and think about it—I’ll just knock out another ten pushups.
Come on...😉

Richard Howard2 Active Member

128 messages
joined Dec 2002

#31 · Jul 5, 2003

Psychology technically falls under the umbrella of Science, but given how much interest there is in the field, I'm actually in favor of separating it—much like the way we handled Philosophy.

George Roberts Member

10 messages
joined May 2007

#32 · Jul 5, 2003

I definitely support👍

Arthur Martinez7 Active Member

202 messages
joined Dec 2005

#33 · Jul 5, 2003

Justin Gonzalez87 said:1. How do you overcome childhood phobias?
2. The psychology of success.
3. Building self-confidence.
4. How to let go of the shame that holds us back (especially when we can still go out and do all the things we're ashamed of)😁
5. Positive thinking.
6. Depression.
7. Seeking psychological help.

🙂 There you have it—seven topics in two minutes.😁
If I really sat down and thought about it, I could probably come up with ten more.
Let's get to it...😉

My area of expertise. 😁

The "problems" listed here mostly fall under the umbrella of pop-psychology nonsense. You could walk right into an Algorithm bookstore and buy two or three self-help books on every single one of these subjects...

If this kind of subforum is going to exist, it might be better off tucked under the Science section, though even then, it doesn't have much to do with actual Science.

However, if the goal is to tackle serious psychological issues, then you have my full support. 👍

Bradley Fisher20 Active Member

142 messages
joined May 2005

#34 · Jul 5, 2003

Arthur Martinez7 said:That's my field. 😁

All these so-called "issues" are just pop-psych nonsense you could walk over to an Algorithm store and buy two or three self-help books for...

If we're having a subforum like this, it should probably just stay under Science, even though it barely has anything to do with Science anyway.

But if it's gonna tackle actual, serious psychology topics, then I'm all for it. 👍

What an absolute moron 😲 man, what kind of arguments are those? Self-help books? If that's your logic, you might as well just shut down the whole damn forum 😵.

I still feel like the only real issue here—regardless of the fact that there’s a massive selection of similar, super popular genres and basically the same subject matter, just maybe under a bad title—is that naming a forum this way might be too strict. It might actually scare off the crowd we want to attract.

But hey, if there isn't a better name out there, then whatever, screw it.

Justin Gonzalez87 Active Member

78 messages
joined May 2005

#35 · Jul 5, 2003

Arthur Martinez7 said:These supposed "issues" are just pop-psychology nonsense—the kind you could solve by walking down to a local Barnes & Noble and picking up a couple of self-help books...

Bravo, Professor.👋 👋

So, in your view, if I started a thread about depression—saying I was hitting rock bottom and asking the experts here for some actual guidance—your professional advice would be to wander into a bookstore and buy a paperback.
It’s probably for the best I’m not depressed; I'd hate to see what the "experts" would do to someone who actually was.🙄
You might be right—maybe we shouldn't even have this forum.👍

Arthur Martinez7 Active Member

202 messages
joined Dec 2005

#36 · Jul 5, 2003

Bradley Fisher20 said:What an absolute moron you are,😲 man, where on earth are you getting these arguments? Self-help books? If we’re going by that logic, you might as well just shut down this entire forum right now.😵.

It seems someone gave you a lesson in being an idiot this morning,🙂.

The reality is that most discussions eventually hit a wall or devolve into nothing more than pure nonsense. That goes for your "serious" threads—which nobody even bothers to reply to—as well as your experimental forum and the moderation, which have all been, frankly, a complete disaster...

So, I suppose your opinion is absolutely vital if our goal is to ensure the psychology subforum falls apart completely.😁

Arthur Martinez7 Active Member

202 messages
joined Dec 2005

#37 · Jul 5, 2003

Justin Gonzalez87 said:Way to go, Professor.👋 👋

So, if I were to start a thread on 'depression' and explain how I'm completely lost, hoping the experts on this forum might offer some guidance, your "expert" advice would just be to walk over to an Algorithm bookstore and pick up a paperback?
Thank goodness I’m not actually depressed, otherwise the "professionals" here would probably tear me apart.🙄
You know what, you're right—maybe this forum shouldn't even exist.👍

Alright, alright... perhaps I was being a bit too harsh.

Depression is a serious matter (after all, it is a clinical illness), but other issues like shame, the psychology of success, or positive thinking—those aren't really things that clinical Science deals with. You find that stuff on the Oprah show, where everyone holds hands and sings about how wonderful they feel now that they've had a breakthrough...

Please, take into account the timing of when I wrote my previous post. Of course, there would be room for those kinds of discussions here, but what actually prompted my response was seeing how people view psychology as some sort of magic trick—like you can just chant a few words and receive instant, ready-made advice in under three minutes.

To truly work with someone, you need time to get to know them; you need psychodiagnostics and a whole host of other procedures. Attempting to "solve" someone's problems when you don't even know them would be nothing short of charlatanism. Offering advice to a stranger without knowing their full story? That would simply be foolish. Why would I do that?

Sophia Brown91 Member

13 messages
joined Jun 2003

#38 · Jul 5, 2003

Arthur Martinez7...let's not confuse apples with oranges here. I'm just as fed up as you are with those fake psychologists raking in millions in the States by peddling nonsense to housewives on the Oprah show.
But psychologists actually deal with all the issues mentioned. What exactly do you think all those mental health clinics popping up all over the US are for?
Clinical depression—the only thing you've actually conceded to professionals—eventually gets treated by psychiatrists, since they're the only ones authorized to prescribe medication.
Psychologists at universities worldwide conduct actual research into all these areas; things like positive thinking and shyness aren't just inventions from self-help authors.

There's plenty to debate in psychology. Maybe not enough for a dedicated forum, but there's certainly material.

Bradley Fisher20 Active Member

142 messages
joined May 2005

#39 · Jul 5, 2003

Looks like everything’s fine. I’m gonna keep dropping these psychology posts over in the Philosophy section. Thank God the mods don't mind.

We're talking rage, anger, malice, happiness, freedom, laziness, power, focus, stuff like that. Honestly, though, the whole "love of wisdom" concept is what actually helps us pin down these issues... which makes self-help way easier too.

Arthur Martinez7, whatever, man. The experimental forum was easily the peak of this entire site. I bet it's pretty tough for you to deal with results like these, huh? Why don't you just head over to Philosophy? We'll figure out the root of your problem in no time 🙂.

Arthur Martinez7 Active Member

202 messages
joined Dec 2005

#40 · Jul 5, 2003

Little Earthquake said:Arthur Martinez7... let's not confuse apples and oranges here. I am also quite bitter regarding those pseudo-psychologists in the USA who rake in millions of dollars peddling nonsense to housewives on the Oprah show.
However, psychologists absolutely deal with all the aforementioned issues. What exactly do you think all those counseling centers popping up all over the States are for?
Clinical depression—the only condition you’ve actually conceded is a psychological matter—is ultimately treated by psychiatrists, simply because they are the only ones with the authority to prescribe medication.
Psychologists at universities worldwide conduct extensive research into all these areas; things like positive thinking, shyness, and everything else mentioned aren't just fabrications dreamt up by self-help authors.

There is plenty to debate within the field of psychology. Perhaps not enough to sustain an entire dedicated forum, but there is certainly material to work with.

Well, I have already admitted that my wording was clumsy. I am not suggesting that psychology doesn't address these problems; rather, I intended to express my opinion (and clearly did so rather awkwardly) that such discussions are often conducted using those quasi-psychological methods seen on the Oprah show...

The mere fact that Bradley Fisher20 and Meta12 have latched onto these topics speaks volumes.

But in the end, I must concede that one could perhaps open a sub-forum even for these kinds of topics and approaches, just so Bradley Fisher20 can indulge in his usual seriousness.

Let's vote for a Psychology subforum!

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