4 ms·

I'm curious what you think counts as "framing in terms of mental health." Or more interestingly, if you think this article constitutes "framing in terms of ment

I'm curious what you think counts as "framing in terms of mental health." Or more interestingly, if you think this article constitutes "framing in terms of mental health," I'm curious what you wouldn't consider as such. This article does use words related to mental states, like "comforting" and "relaxing." But that's pretty difficult to avoid in most writing of non-trivial length.

alabastervlog 1y ago
The name they've decided to give these, "emergency" chickens, knitting them for hurricane survivors. It's all a step up from just "we like these and they're nice" and into "these are Helpful with a capital H". My point is exactly that that kind of thing reads like a joking exaggeration, but this sort of approach to things is really common now and I truly have trouble telling when people are joking or being serious about it. Most of it reads like joking to me, but I don't know. It's also been going on long enough that it's making me wonder even more, since, judged as a joke, it was played out and over-done years ago.
- tokai 1y ago
  There's lots of research showing stuffed animals can reduce stress even in adults. There is no joke here.
  - alabastervlog 1y ago
    You're weirdly concerned about how much I'm reacting, which is pretty minimally. Like, I can't imagine how I could have raised this while reacting any less. But yes, I also saw your other post and got your message that you're bothered I brought this up at all. [EDIT] Ah, ninja-edited this paragraph into irrelevance! :-) Maybe you need a chicken. [EDIT] But perhaps we all need chickens? But thank you for helping me understand this. The framing is 100% serious, I guess.
- s1artibartfast 1y ago
  I would say that it is 99% joke, but the 1% is important in validating, justifying, and elevating the concept in the current culture.
- tshaddox 1y ago
  I think you're pretty clearly experiencing a false positive on your "major cultural problem" detector. The chickens are cute and comforting, no doubt, and people are referring to them as "emotional support chickens" and "emergency chickens" as a tongue-in-cheek hyperbole. Note how the chickens are given names like "Hennifer Lopez" and "Lindsey LoHEN." You even say that it reads like a joking exaggeration, but apparently your confirmation bias is strong enough to override that observation?
s1artibartfast 1y ago
I would say the topic framed in terms of mental health. For one, the chicken itself is called an "emotional support chicken" - this itself is indicative of cultural currency. The idea and purpose of a knit chicken can be framed in many ways. It can be simply fun, creative, or artistic. In this case the purpose is psychologically palliative opposed to recreational. It is medicalized. You see this elsewhere. A day off work to rest, relax, and enjoy isn't just vacation (which also implies these concepts), but a mental health day. One of the leading stories in the article is about delivering them to survivors of Hurricane Helene - an interesting linguistic choice in its own right (Helene impacted roughly 2 million people, killing about 200. It had a 99.995% survival rate). I suspect most people make these chickens simply for fun and decoration.
- tshaddox 1y ago
  Your comment is seething with confirmation bias. You're seeing things only because you're looking for them. You conflate "health" with the word "palliative," when the latter specifically refers specifically to serious health problems. I go to the gym for my physical health and my mental health, but that doesn't imply that skipping one gym session would lead to a serious physical or mental health problem. Same goes for "mental health days." There's nothing sensational about referring to one's health. And yes, we always refer to people who survive natural disasters as "survivors." Google "survivors of hurricane helene" and you'll find countless articles with headlines like "Survivors Describe Their Frightening Experiences," "4 Ways to Help Hurricane Helene Survivors," "Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million," etc.
  - s1artibartfast 1y ago
    >And yes, we always refer to people who survive natural disasters as "survivors." Google "survivors of hurricane helene" and you'll find countless articles with headlines like "Survivors Describe Their Frightening Experiences," "4 Ways to Help Hurricane Helene Survivors," "Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million," etc. Yes, I agree, which is why I used it as an example. You are confirming that the observation is not bias! Im not claiming that the article is exceptional in this regard. I think it is precisely the framing and focus on health and safety which is interesting!

alabastervlog 1y ago

The name they've decided to give these, "emergency" chickens, knitting them for hurricane survivors. It's all a step up from just "we like these and they're nice" and into "these are Helpful with a capital H". My point is exactly that that kind of thing reads like a joking exaggeration, but this sort of approach to things is really common now and I truly have trouble telling when people are joking or being serious about it. Most of it reads like joking to me, but I don't know. It's also been going on long enough that it's making me wonder even more, since, judged as a joke, it was played out and over-done years ago.

tokai 1y ago
There's lots of research showing stuffed animals can reduce stress even in adults. There is no joke here.
- alabastervlog 1y ago
  You're weirdly concerned about how much I'm reacting, which is pretty minimally. Like, I can't imagine how I could have raised this while reacting any less. But yes, I also saw your other post and got your message that you're bothered I brought this up at all. [EDIT] Ah, ninja-edited this paragraph into irrelevance! :-) Maybe you need a chicken. [EDIT] But perhaps we all need chickens? But thank you for helping me understand this. The framing is 100% serious, I guess.
s1artibartfast 1y ago
I would say that it is 99% joke, but the 1% is important in validating, justifying, and elevating the concept in the current culture.
tshaddox 1y ago
I think you're pretty clearly experiencing a false positive on your "major cultural problem" detector. The chickens are cute and comforting, no doubt, and people are referring to them as "emotional support chickens" and "emergency chickens" as a tongue-in-cheek hyperbole. Note how the chickens are given names like "Hennifer Lopez" and "Lindsey LoHEN." You even say that it reads like a joking exaggeration, but apparently your confirmation bias is strong enough to override that observation?

s1artibartfast 1y ago

I would say the topic framed in terms of mental health. For one, the chicken itself is called an "emotional support chicken" - this itself is indicative of cultural currency. The idea and purpose of a knit chicken can be framed in many ways. It can be simply fun, creative, or artistic. In this case the purpose is psychologically palliative opposed to recreational. It is medicalized. You see this elsewhere. A day off work to rest, relax, and enjoy isn't just vacation (which also implies these concepts), but a mental health day. One of the leading stories in the article is about delivering them to survivors of Hurricane Helene - an interesting linguistic choice in its own right (Helene impacted roughly 2 million people, killing about 200. It had a 99.995% survival rate). I suspect most people make these chickens simply for fun and decoration.

tshaddox 1y ago
Your comment is seething with confirmation bias. You're seeing things only because you're looking for them. You conflate "health" with the word "palliative," when the latter specifically refers specifically to serious health problems. I go to the gym for my physical health and my mental health, but that doesn't imply that skipping one gym session would lead to a serious physical or mental health problem. Same goes for "mental health days." There's nothing sensational about referring to one's health. And yes, we always refer to people who survive natural disasters as "survivors." Google "survivors of hurricane helene" and you'll find countless articles with headlines like "Survivors Describe Their Frightening Experiences," "4 Ways to Help Hurricane Helene Survivors," "Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million," etc.
- s1artibartfast 1y ago
  >And yes, we always refer to people who survive natural disasters as "survivors." Google "survivors of hurricane helene" and you'll find countless articles with headlines like "Survivors Describe Their Frightening Experiences," "4 Ways to Help Hurricane Helene Survivors," "Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million," etc. Yes, I agree, which is why I used it as an example. You are confirming that the observation is not bias! Im not claiming that the article is exceptional in this regard. I think it is precisely the framing and focus on health and safety which is interesting!