A Swedish man has been granted disability benefits due to an "addiction" to heavy metal music. Playing in two bands, including Silverland, he also attended nearly 300 concerts last year.
Tullgren says he has always had difficulty holding down a job, mainly because he is absent most of the time.Psychologists decided Tullgren's obsession is nothing less than an addiction, which puts him in a difficult situation in the labour market. Tullgren said he has been fighting for recognition for a long time.
Many occupational psychologists in Sweden, however, are totally baffled by the decision. "If somebody has a gambling addiction, we don't send them down to the racetrack. We try to cure the addiction," [said] deputy employment director Henrietta Stein.
Benefits include part of his salary as a dishwasher, and accomodation from his boss to play loud music. Rock on!
Comments
To get supported by the power, how ironic. :)
Posted by: Sandra | June 22, 2007 12:53 AM
In my recent little period of non-clinical instability, I am finding myself unable to keep from listening to HM once again. My teenaged self rejoices. My current self thinks it's a little grotesque.
But perhaps I need to let the teenager have the reins. I mean, if a compulsion to listen to Funny Money's "By the Balls" twenty times a day isn't a disability, then what my wife is likely to do to me after the twenty-first playing is!
Who knew there was money in the deal?
Posted by: Metro | June 22, 2007 5:43 PM
This is good news for all of the Beavis and Buttheads out there. We should work to preserve their heritage and way of life... yes, even with disability checks if need be.
Posted by: Jil In Pattaya | June 22, 2007 9:56 PM
This is probably not as ridiculous as it sounds. Addictions come in many forms. As do stupid comments, apparently.
However, as Henrietta Stein noted, an addiction is not a disability, but an illness, and it should be treated accordingly. In that respect the decision is indeed rather unusual.
Posted by: Fischer | June 23, 2007 12:13 PM
Actually, as a Swede who actually read the original reports of this, I can tell you that it is in fact exactly as ridiculous as it sounds.
Even if you accept that heavy metal can be an addiction, you generally don't treat addiction with acceptance.
I wonder what heavy metal de-tox might be like... I'm thinking one week of dressing only in pink, fluffy clothes, listening to Pat Boone, and drinking only hot cocoa.
Posted by: Johan | June 23, 2007 2:51 PM
YES!!! I hope this decision opens the floodgates! As a serious metalhead in my 30's, I am proud! Finally, all of us grown-up metal addicts can come out of the closet and proudly wear our favorite band t-shirts to work! And no, I'm not kidding; I'm tired of metal being written off as some teenage boy's kick, why do those of us who are working older people have to "grow up?" Why is it perfectly OK and acceptable for my co-workers to torture me with their Barry White and Sting CD's, while I can't play my metal CD's out loud? Eh?
Posted by: Kat | June 24, 2007 12:06 AM
dude. yes. you're my new hero. i would KILL to be paid to listen to heavy metal all day!
Posted by: roy lester | December 17, 2007 1:35 PM