…and this is a 
I don't get email, and email I wish I didn't get
Category: Kooks
Posted on: November 29, 2008 7:20 PM, by PZ Myers
This isn't fair. Dawkins gets censored in Turkey, now Mike Haubrich gets a warning letter, and I get nothing other than invitations to debate Harun Yahya. I'm losing my mojo — I guess I'm not sufficiently scary to the Turks. Go ahead and say lots of rude things about these Turkish creationists in the comments — I'd like to catch up with everyone else.
In less amusing email news, as you all know, I get lots of drive-by abuse in my inbox, and it usually doesn't concern me at all. Lately, though, I've been getting regularly dumped on by a guy going by the name Bayridge Brooklyn. It's crazy stuff, and that's what concerns me most: this fellow has real and serious mental problems. And he's writing to me and about 30 other people every day.
Whenever and from wherever I turn on a TV that is broadcasting to me live I'm seen on the monitors in the TV studios or on the monitor of the live camera. This happens every single time I turn on the TV. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 2004.
It doesn't matter where the TV is being broadcast from - as long as it's live - as soon as I turn it on I'm seen on the monitors in the studios or on the cameras. Thus I've been transmitted live to studios or cameras in Australia, US, France, Spain, China, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Indonesia, Germany, Chile. All the newsreaders of the news programs from those countries that are broadcast live to Australia have been seeing me since 2004, as well as all the guests who appear live on their programs. Also all the regular Australian newsreaders and live TV presenters and their guests. They have all been seeing me since 2004. Anyone could see me if they were in one of the studios or in front of one of the cameras that's broadcasting live and I turned on that channel.
Then the criminals who control this technology started being friendly to me, so I began to treat this 2-WAY TV SURVEILLANCE as a joke and laughed and smiled and waved etc. at all the people, Newsreaders etc. who were seeing me on TV - ie. all the people in the TV Studios who were seeing me in my house. So they were mostly friendly, curious.
Then I started getting aggravated by the invasion of my and my family's privacy that this "TIVO-1984 TV" represented. Sometimes I got abusive or confrontational. That didn't help at all.
But then I realized that all they know is that I appear on the monitor - and that they don't necessarily know about all the DIRECTED ENERGY and NEUROLOGICAL WEAPONS torture and abuse that's being done to me. So I started holding up protest signs and signs telling them I was being tortured etc.. Now they know there's definitely some "funny business" going on - and they give me concerned looks etc. I don't know if any of them have taken any other steps to help me. Some are more sympathetic than others, some seem to be thinking along the lines of - "he must have done something to be put in that position". All the Australian journalists know that it's all completely out of the hands of the Australian Government because I have protested, abused, held up signs and messages to the Prime Minister, other Ministers, the Governor-General etc. when they have been live on TV - and they just have to sit there and take it.
In this way such people as Donald Rumsfeld, Christopher Hill, Nancy Pelosi, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, John Howard, Angela Merkel, Silvio Berlusconi, Richard Holbrooke, Hilary Clinton, Barak Obama, and many other politicians, officials, commentators, journalists and celebrities have seen me and are all potential witnesses to this technology and this aspect of my abuse.
That's only a small sample. He goes on and on for pages.
This sounds like classic schizophrenia to me. I'm only posting this in the hope that a) he'll think reading blogs means the author will be able to read his mind, so he'll turn off his computer; b) he will take the hint that he really needs to see a mental health care provider immediately; and c) that there will be some public record of the peculiar harrassment going on from Mr Brooklyn. Or, as he sometimes seems to refer to himself, as John Finch.
Comments
Posted by: rufustfirefly | November 29, 2008 7:29 PM
Yeah, he's good, but what about my man Lee L. Mercer Jr.?
http://www.mercerforpresident2008.com/home.html
I realize this could be fake, but I haven't found any evidence that it is fake. I hope the crazy son of a bitch is real.
Posted by: Moody834 | November 29, 2008 7:31 PM
Yikes.... Is he actually threatening you in his letter somewhere, or are you just this random person he thinks he needs to write to?
He obviously needs real help.
Posted by: Sastra | November 29, 2008 7:32 PM
Yes, this sounds like schizophrenia. This isn't "crazy" as in "eccentric." Nor is it funny. Poor guy.
Since he mostly seems worried about his personal safety and privacy -- and since he's apparently in Australia -- I wouldn't be concerned that there's any threat. It sounds like there are people around him who are "conerned" and "sympathetic." I'm going to guess that he's already seen some professionals. This doesn't look like borderline is-he/isn't-he material.
Posted by: TSC | November 29, 2008 7:34 PM
I think Mr. Finch is actually Yahya. You'll have plenty of opportunity to stir controversy. Have faith and the Lord will provide the right moment.
Posted by: Newfie | November 29, 2008 7:34 PM
The human brain can produce some strange things when the wiring goes astray. Things like burning bushes, and omnipotent entities telling you about talking snakes and to do various things. Maybe this "Truman Show" person should write book? He definitely needs medical help.
Posted by: Toddahhhh | November 29, 2008 7:34 PM
Maybe your standards are too high, you should work on getting banned in one of the stans before setting your sights on Turkey. I hear Malaysia is pretty irrational and intolerant, just a thought. :)
Posted by: Jimminy Christmas | November 29, 2008 7:35 PM
I'm going to take a wild guess that he stopped taking his meds sometime around 2004.
Posted by: skepsci | November 29, 2008 7:37 PM
Can we please not mock the mentally ill on this blog? If any of you have paranoid or mentally ill relatives, you will know that it's no laughing matter.
Posted by: Wowbagger | November 29, 2008 7:39 PM
We Australians tend to export our most offensive people to the US, where they're welcomed by the religious community - Ken Ham, for example.
Maybe this guy could find a home in Kentucky or one of the other bible-belt states - though I'd hate to see what would happen when someone with the sort of problems this guy has ended up somewhere where he'd have free and easy access to guns.
Posted by: Kel | November 29, 2008 7:41 PM
Looks like someone took John Brogden off his meds.
Posted by: Blake Stacey | November 29, 2008 7:45 PM
Mental illness is far from a laughing matter, so I won't make light of it. Instead, I'll note that even I get invitations to interview Oktar/Yahya. You really need to work harder, P-Zed.
Posted by: Annie | November 29, 2008 7:55 PM
PZ:
This is quite below you. It's not kind, compassionate or ethical. Please remove the offending bits. If you have any genuine concern for the individual, contact him directly with your observations and concerns and perhaps a resource for him to connect with. If not, then at least do not humiliate him.
Otherwise, you're no different than the hell and brimfire spouting theists.
Posted by: ggab | November 29, 2008 7:57 PM
On the subject of Yahya
I just e-mailed Richard Dawkins to see if he'd sign my copy of "Atlas of Creation".
Hopefully he thinks the idea is as funny as I do.
PZ you need to try a little harder to get banned in Turkey so I can have you sign it too.
On Thursday, I may try to get Ken Miller to sign my "Unlocking The Mystery Of Life" dvd. I got it free at the UK mock trial(propaganda fest)a while back.
Posted by: Ken from Oregon | November 29, 2008 7:58 PM
Sounds very similar to the son of a close friend. He eventually put a gun to his head. No laughing matter.
Posted by: raven | November 29, 2008 7:59 PM
1% of the US population is psychotic, mostly schizophrenia. Do the math, that is 3 million people.
Yeah, he is SZ. Classic textbook case. I'll bet he is a joy to live with.
My friend had one guy who believed satan had won and taken over the world. Everyone around him had been replaced by demons that looked exactly like normal people including his relatives. He isn't getting out unless he starts taking his meds again.
Untreated SZ's tend to have short lives. X locked himself out of his house in a residential neighborhood one winter night. It was cold but not extremely so, 30's F. Found hypothermic and dead the next morning on his doorstep.
Posted by: QrazyQat | November 29, 2008 8:02 PM
I guess I'm not sufficiently scary to the Turks.
I've met you; you look to much like a guy who'd love wolfing down those yummy Turkish pizzas (meat pitas to them). That's way too friendly. Dawkins is English; they figure he'd complain about their not putting corn niblets on it or something, or no Watney's Red Barrel.
Posted by: Murray | November 29, 2008 8:04 PM
Definite delusion and possibly some hallucinations going on here. Certainly pychosis. Possibly schizophrenia, but it could be something else. Poor guy - these thoughts probably consume him.
Posted by: Happy Trollop | November 29, 2008 8:07 PM
I agree with the schizophrenic assessment. My first (and, I like to think, "practice") husband was schizophrenic and from seven hellish years with him, I recognise some of the key foci of those with mental illness, predominantly that, for no reason whatsoever, total strangers are doing unbelievably intrusive things to the writer and that he's doing his best to cope with their torture.
It's sad to watch and read, of course, but my experience suggests that there's nothing you could say or do to convince this person that he's not really important enough to rate all the attention he believes he's getting. Certainly, my ex was never convinced, no matter how illogical his claims or how careful my counterargument.
In fact, in my current job (police), I speak with quite a few of the mentally ill every day, and this is typical of the rants they make to public servants. I know that you don't wish to engage this person, PZed, but even if you were to say, "OK. Let's agree for the moment that all this is happening. What would you like me to do about it?" the answer would most likely be "I dunno".
This writer probably believes that some of his many personal demons were exorcised by writing, and at this point you're probably best off either ditching the emails or blocking his address.
Posted by: Jimminy Christmas | November 29, 2008 8:07 PM
How, specifically, could PZ possibly help this guy? Is he supposed to fly to Australia, hunt the guy down, and forcibly drag the guy to a hospital based on some anonymous emails he received? If so, get to work Internet detectives!
Posted by: Mark | November 29, 2008 8:13 PM
I saw on the Net the other day where this kind of Truman syndrome schizophrenia is increasingly common.
It used to be that schizophrenics believed themselves to be under attack by Communist mind-control rays. Before that, it was the voice of God telling them to do this or that oddball thing. Before that it was believing themselves to be Napoleon, I suppose. Just goes to show that there are fads in *everything*.
It's easy enough to find a reference via Google: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2008/nov/25/television
Posted by: Jules | November 29, 2008 8:16 PM
It's really not a laughing matter. This poor man is horribly tormented inside and all of that scary stuff seems 100% real to him. His brain is creating those experiences and no amount of convincing will make him believe he is ill.
It's too bad you can't get all his identifying information, and alert health authorities or at least family members to his whereabouts. Without outside help, this poor man will never receive counsel and medication. No amount of convincing will do, it will take the bold intervention of family, social workers and/or the court. Sometimes these people alienate themselves. His family may be searching for him and unable to locate him.
He needs professional help, before he hurts himself or others. The next time he sees a coded message in the TV, it could tell him to burn down his apartment building. By writing to PZ and others, he's literally crying out for help. He just doesn't know the type of help he needs.
Those with loved ones who are mentally ill will understand this, the sick person feels the medication is another plot to harm them and they refuse to take it. In our friend's case, she had to get a doctor's help to get the proper meds for her mentally ill teenage son, crush them up and put them in his food for a couple of weeks until he normalized, and then when the voices were fewer, get him started in counseling and convince him to take medicine on his own accord. It was either that, or institutionalize and forcibly medicate by injection with a court order. This way was much gentler. Now he is doing very well on meds, finished high school, and holds a decent job. He still has problems, but it is much better than before. This is a huge change from being locked in his room, frantically rocking and writing coded messages he said the TV was sending him.
Posted by: Dersu Uzala | November 29, 2008 8:16 PM
There was an article in the newspaper about "Truman Show" syndrome. Found the link
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/truman-show-delusion-real-imagined
Posted by: mayhempix | November 29, 2008 8:19 PM
This is either a movie perfect case of schizophrenia,
or else someone's idea of one.
Posted by: Andrew | November 29, 2008 8:26 PM
This guy:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJv5bI9rJk
is known to live in Bay Ridge in Brooklyn and has been known on Youtube for a while. He displays a lot of worrying symptoms along with his religious mania. It might be the guy.
Posted by: Maureen Lycaon | November 29, 2008 8:37 PM
I could swear that I saw the AP article in the New York Times, but can't find it. It's appeared elsewhere, though, and this has the best format.
And I agree with several others: this isn't something to mock or laugh at. Hopefully the poor man will get the intervention he needs before anything terrible happens -- to him or to someone else.
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | November 29, 2008 8:42 PM
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I didn't think this would ever happen, but I cannot deny it: we have here a case of someone with an insanity of 1 Tc. I repeat: one full TimeCube.
Let me just publicly join the bandwagon of (vainly) calling for immediate mental health care. The guy could spend many more years cringing in paranoia day and night if nothing is done.
Wow. Strong stuff. He clearly reaches 0.8 Tc! It can hardly be fake, it's way too convoluted and incomprehensible for anyone sane to have written it, not to mention the mistakes (spelling, but also "the 2008 Democrat Presidential Primary"). He, too, should see a doctor. Right now.
Posted by: clinteas | November 29, 2008 8:43 PM
This particular clinical feature is called delusion of reference,part of the delusions,that with formal thought disorders and the so-called first rank criteria form the clinical features of scizophrenia.
It is likely this person stopped taking his meds years ago,and not impossible he could have fallen through the cracks of the system for this long,such is the nature of the community mental health services in Australia,esp.in remote and rural areas.
PZ,Im not so sure it is the right thing to do to post this here.
Posted by: Rickk O. | November 29, 2008 8:44 PM
Twenty years ago when I used to listen to AM talk radio, there was this guy who would call every show and try to get his "theory" across that Stephen King really shot John Lennon. It got to the point where people would recognize his voice and hang up on him. Since the internet came along he now has his own web site and does not bother radio shows anymore. Maybe this guy has one.
Posted by: Jimminy Christmas | November 29, 2008 9:02 PM
No no no, he had it all wrong. Stephen King didn't kill John Lennon. Stephen King created our entire reality through his writings but then he stopped writing and now the Shardik/Maturin are threatened and the last of the Eld and his ka-tet must do something about it or else all reality will collapse on itself and we will all be consumed by ancient monsters in the ultimate eternal darkness of todash spa....oh err. I mean uh. Hope somebody gets it ;)Posted by: 'Tis Himself | November 29, 2008 9:16 PM
Several people have commented that PZ should not have posted the long quote from an obviously disturbed man. Perhaps they missed PZ's final paragraph:
Mr. Brooklyn needs help. Perhaps somebody will read about him on this blog, recognize who he really is, and get him the care he so obviously needs.
Posted by: Mike Haubrich, FCD | November 29, 2008 9:20 PM
I see a bandwidth error coming my way...It's either a bunch of people in Turkey wanting their last peek at Tangled Up in Blue Guy before I get banned, or PZ posted a link to the site.
I think the letter writer here is trying to find some way to get help, but has no idea where to turn or where to look, and I think that if he reads this post he will get some message that there is help out there.
Oh, and to Mr. Oktar's lawyers? I have it on good authority that PZ holds your client as deeply in content as I do.
Posted by: MoxieHart | November 29, 2008 9:22 PM
Where does PZ make fun of Brooklyn? It doesn't seem like the post is mocking him, it's clearly something that PZ is concerned with. If I got a message like that I'd probably post it on my blog. Someone ought to help Brooklyn before he hurts himself or someone else.
Posted by: PZ Myers | November 29, 2008 9:30 PM
My intent is not to mock or laugh at this guy. I am seriously concerned because he is seriously mentally ill. I want him to get help.
And just as I posted this article, I received another email from him. He's escalating.
Posted by: Reed | November 29, 2008 9:32 PM
@Rickk O.
That Stephen King guy used to hang out in down town Santa Cruz CA (late 90s or thereabouts). He had a van and handed out fliers and tried to convince anyone passing by.
Well, I'm just assuming it was the same guy, FSM forbid there's more than one of them...
Posted by: PZ Myers | November 29, 2008 9:38 PM
By the way, the people that are being "concerned and sympathetic" to him aren't really there -- he's seeing smiling people on TV, and believes that they are watching him. He's interpreting behavior on the television as if it is all directed at him.
Posted by: Tim | November 29, 2008 9:46 PM
Not much hope that he's just pulling your leg, sounds like a candidate for the enchanted kingdom. If he doesn't get effective help, he may seek the 12 gauge shortcut to oblivion.
Posted by: Andrew | November 29, 2008 10:01 PM
I find it interesting that those concerned about PZ posting this are advocating hiding it.
The more people who see this, the more likely it is that someone who knows him can do something about it. Failing that, the more people who see the workings of a unbalanced mind, the more people who may be clued in to those close to them exhibiting the beginning signs.
Schizophrenia is no laughing matter, but people need to see and acknowledge it as a real problem. I lost a friend 20 years ago to this disease and I still kick myself for not bringing it to the attention of his family. Although they suspected something was amiss, they did not know by how much. Perhaps by speaking to them I could have prompted some action. I'll never know.
Posted by: Don | November 29, 2008 10:25 PM
Congratulations, PZ. Getting your own raving nutcase is a sign you've hit the big time. This should take the edge off that Turkish snub.
In all seriousness, though, yeah, this is schizophrenia, textbook case. I hope he doesn't hurt anyone, but honestly, what can you or any of us do?
Posted by: Emre | November 29, 2008 10:28 PM
In order to be taken serious and get banned PZ should get rid of his beard. Having a beard is sunna. (i.e. What Mohammad did) Thus, Turkish people sympathize with hairy faced people. they trust and love them. Heck, even Adnan Oktar has a beard. Moreover, anyone with a beard is almost always named a hadji (aka. pilgrim) If you want more proof, look at Ottoman Sultans' pictures. They all have beards. :)))
Switching to a serious tone; not many Turkish people know PZ exists. If Dawkins' book wasn't translated, he wouldn't be known (aka. considered a threat) either. Turkey is not a good place to talk about non-theism or converting to any other religion. You literally get lynched. Just search Sivas Massacre or Bible publishing firm murders in Malatya. Admittedly, Christians were murdered in second one but it stands that freedom of belief is still a joke here.
And, I am from Turkey, if anyone wonders.
Posted by: Jimminy Christmas | November 29, 2008 10:35 PM
I propose that PZ should write a book. On any topic, really. So that it can be banned in Turkey. I'd buy it!
Posted by: Arnosium Upinarum | November 29, 2008 10:40 PM
Bingo. Schizophrenia, apparently with an especially strong self-importance component: It's all about "me". Everything revolves around him. Every thought is related to his self. Every circumstance is gauged by that single reference. The TV serves as a kind of dynamic mirror just for him. Famous people are placed within the context of "me". An "aggravated" sense of unfairness and "abuse" and lack of "help" figure prominently. And so on.
But if one looks a little more closely at the gibberish, one might make out a strange and ironic kind of pattern to the thinking: he can't make an identification that separates his self with all those "others" he sees out there in the world. His isn't the cannonical narcissistic delusion of grandeur based on a pumped-up ego or super-estimation of his worth. He hasn't a clue to "who" he is, because he can't even parse any distinction. So he identifies "himself" at turns with just about anybody he happens to come across. This fellow is struggling because he can't recognize any boundaries. What looks like hyper-self-esteem may be rooted in an inability to abstract borders between one concept and another, including identities. Without conceptual compartmentalization a person will behave very like a schizophrenic. And if one can't even tell one's self from others, one will behave much like this fellow too.
Dangerous? Maybe. Who isn't potentially so. But imagine not being able to establish a personal identity from anybody else. And if no basis for empathy exists in the first place...well, you can take it from there.
He needs real help. Good deed to you, PZ, if your post in any way precipitates that.
(I tried very hard not to use the word "frame"...ack, D'OH!)
Posted by: Jeanette | November 29, 2008 10:42 PM
I knew a guy who was probably a paranoid schizophrenic. I'm not a mental health professional, so I can't say for sure. But he thought that there were demons speaking to him and giving him orders from television and from rock music. These demons "made" him steal from employers, use drugs, and "commit homosexual acts." He would become agitated and frightening in response to any suggestion that he try therapy of some sort to get those demons under control. He finally became a devout follower of some nutty Christian cult that told him that the demons were real and that he had to fight them by turning away from t.v. and rock music and turning to their religion. (I suspect that extremist religions commonly take advantage of people who are in such a vulnerable state.)
Posted by: Bobby M | November 29, 2008 11:30 PM
Turkish creationists can suck my Turkish delight in a Turkish bath.
Posted by: raven | November 29, 2008 11:32 PM
His screed which I just skimmed (painful to even read) indicated escalation. He is getting worse.
We all know people like this or have to deal with them sooner or later. They like the internet a lot. One of the signs psych. workers and the police watch closely is escalation. If they are getting worse and the delusions are getting uglier, obviously, this is a bad sign.
PZ indicated that he hopes his post results in the guy getting some help and soon. No one could doubt he needs it.
Posted by: Zetetic | November 29, 2008 11:32 PM
I just finished reading "Divided Minds", a book written by identical twin sisters about their experiences with schizophrenia. One of the twins developed schizophrenia and the other became a psychologist. The emails PZ just quoted sound frighteningly similar to the way the schizophrenic twin described her delusions. So I'd say that tentative diagnosis sounds pretty reasonable.
Poor guy. I hope he does get some help before he harms himself or someone else. What a hellish disease.
Posted by: skepsci | November 29, 2008 11:41 PM
Posted by: jonathan | November 30, 2008 12:20 AM
My reaction, not having read the whole thing, is this is very lucid for a person who not only perceives irrationally but who takes the step of communicating back. Hearing and reacting are two different things and when people start talking back to the voices / images, they generally become less lucid - that's one point where people notice the person has lost touch with reality.
I also noted the excerpt did not contain the anticipated rants about the "torture" being done to him. Schizo voices are most often perceived as harmful, not as friendly, and people with these delusions tend to dwell on the harm being done to them. I would have anticipated pages of ranting about how these people are trying to control his brain, how they're torturing him, humiliating him, etc. but instead he goes step by step through the history and process.
In other words, there's a chance this is not "real." By that, I mean the person may well be crazy - clinically - but that he doesn't really believe the tv can see him, etc. He may have more of a delusional fantasist issue, more of a narcissist problem than actually hearing voices and hallucinating. His delusion seems to place himself at the center.
In either event, nothing you do would get him to seek help. I would argue that giving him publicity is more likely to feed his problem and that the feedback you're unintentionally giving may encourage him to seek more.
Posted by: Michael Gray | November 30, 2008 12:35 AM
This sounds very much like the fellow who has been posting exactly this type of stuff the the alt.atheism newsgroup for decades now, under the pseudonym "|-|erc".
He admits to having been in an out of Australian psychiatric hospital(s) on numerous occasions, and is known to the Queensland police.
I know his real name, and am able to privately supply it should matters get to a point where such a measure might be required.
Posted by: Jeanette | November 30, 2008 12:45 AM
Michael Gray:
I wish you would email it to PZ. Nobody can really assess when matters have gotten to such a point. We don't know when someone is about to do harm to himself or others.
Posted by: Moody834 | November 30, 2008 1:36 AM
@29--
Haven't driven by St. Elsewhere of late, have you?
Posted by: Bacopa | November 30, 2008 1:36 AM
Of course this person has mental problems. But he sure can string together a good bunch of complete sentences. Most people can't. Many people can't even read simple text without using their fingers to trace the words, and the majority of people can't even store chunks of text in their heads as they read out loud to make it sound natural. I bet this person can.
While he does believe strange things, his beliefs are as well founded as the average fundie.
Posted by: Moody834 | November 30, 2008 2:00 AM
My partner made the excellent point that posting his writing where he can see it may well exacerbate his delusions and thus lead to further escalation on his part. I've been reading the comments here and thinking about this whole thing and I have to throw in with those expressing genuine concern about this person's disturbing trend in behavior.
Posted by: Grammar RWA | November 30, 2008 2:05 AM
You should not have posted his name. You've created a high-visibility public record that is going to humiliate him if he gets treatment, and likely even if he doesn't. Very disappointing, PZ.
Posted by: Paul Murray | November 30, 2008 2:11 AM
Yeah, I read about this on teh internets. Paranoid Schizophrenia, with delusions. Note, in particular, the *feelings of transparency*, *perrsecution*, *delusions of grandeur* - this guy thinks that the whole world is onto him.
It's only a matter of tme before he decides that the machines are reading his thoughts, too, and putting them up as subtitles on every monitor.
Posted by: mandrake | November 30, 2008 2:11 AM
Happy Trollop @ 18 -
Me too. I was involved/lived with a man for several years who was paranoid schizophrenic. Unless you've seen it, it's hard to explain how entirely convinced of their delusions people with this diagnosis are. Even with medical intervention, they tend to hold onto the belief that there's nothing wrong with them, and when they feel better they stop taking the meds, and then it all goes to hell again.
I very much hope this person gets the help he needs, not only for his own sake but for those who care about him.
Posted by: Simon Scott | November 30, 2008 3:14 AM
Reminds me of this guy - http://www.five.org.uk/
Posted by: Annie M | November 30, 2008 3:21 AM
Excuse me but I cannot work out how some people believe that PZ has posted this to humiliate or 'point and laugh' at this poor bastard (poor bastard meant in the Australian sense, not the mean sense).
It's so sad when teh internets serve to expose just how badly some people's brains are wired. Then again, perhaps it serves as a useful thing if it can get people help and 'normal' people can get a glimpse of how bloody frightening mental illness can be...
Posted by: Faintpraise | November 30, 2008 3:47 AM
@Simon #56
Yes, I was thinking of him when I read this too. I visited his site after he advertised it in Private Eye. I'm kind of amazed he's still there in some ways, I think he must have had medical interventions in the past due to all the references to psychiatry on the website.
Posted by: Andy James | November 30, 2008 3:53 AM
Creationists, all of them, are lying assholes, who would skin their own mothers if they thought it would show god created the universe. They are the epitome of evil, malcontentedness, and ill-will towards all humans who think differently. To them, its more important to silence opposition and judge them as their god would, than to discover the truth as it really is. Creationists are the most vile enemy to humanity since the Nazis.
I stand by every word of this statement, and wouldn't doubt for a second that a creationist would hide, lie, cheat, and twist words to their means for even the most meager of reasons. I hate the lies and untruths propagated by the anti-scientists more than they could possibly imagine hating the devil, and yet I would never result to violence as they would.
Posted by: Grammar RWA | November 30, 2008 4:07 AM
I think we all know PZ has no such intentions. I cannot work out how you got to that misunderstanding of the complaints.
Posted by: Ian | November 30, 2008 4:13 AM
Escalating, not good. Yes, PZ, you should contact the authorities.
----------
Bayridge Brooklyn, I just wanted to say something to you should you happen to be reading this. You've been holding up signs to the TV to inform broadcasters that you are being tortured so that they can help you. The good news is that there are lots of people who will help you if you ask.
If someone arrives at your door to help you, people such as ambulance drivers or policemen, follow their instructions and go with them. If not, perhaps you should go to the nearest hospital and explain to the people there what you've been going through.
The people at the hospital will not understand you at first, and it may take days before they even begin to understand, but they will listen and will sincerely try to help. I suggest that you keep talking to them.
There are drugs that can put a stop to the torture you've been going through, or at least make things better than they are. The doctors at the hospital can give you the ones you need. Please go meet with them and follow their instructions.
good luck, Bayridge
Posted by: Samantha Vimes | November 30, 2008 4:29 AM
I suspect this is a good example that schizophrenia can happen to even very intelligent and rational (in the personality sense) people. I wouldn't doubt the obvious diagnosis based on the face he can put together a coherent written explanation of what is happening(subjectively) to him. Most people don't know when I am writing in a state of extreme agitation, because I'm the sort of person who prefers to appear in control of myself. I expect Mr. Televisions-are-watching-me simply has a similar personality and it makes his communications style more lucid than his actual experiences.
As far as keeping this out of the public eye, I thought that criticism over. And really, isn't that rather like the days when disabled people were kept out of the public eye, and no one admitted gays exist?
The mentally ill are, in the minds of most people, unknown and scary. My mother can't believe the number of my friends who are on medicines for depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. And at least one of them has an aunt with a history of schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder is apparently close enough to it medically, she told me she's at risk of crossing over into it eventually.
The point is, mental illness is an ILLNESS. It's not the fault of the person who has it. And Myers did not post to mock, and most of the replies indicate his readers get it, unlike the general public that I know, who seem to be judgmental about insanity.
And the more people talk openly and calmly about mental illness instead of sweeping it under a rug or spreading disinformation, the more people will be able to deal approach the problems in a positive fashion, willing to help and create societal support for treatment, and so on.
The more people try to avoid talking about it, the bigger the sense of stigma, shame and fear.
Posted by: ekcol | November 30, 2008 5:28 AM
Everyone seems to be assuming he's Australian, I think that's a mistake. I read his comments about the Australia government being unable to help as meaning he's not from there.
Posted by: Kel | November 30, 2008 6:00 AM
Unless you are a farmer or a family in need of childcare, the Australian government doesn't help. Personally I like that relationship.Posted by: Rabe | November 30, 2008 6:48 AM
He looks TV at his PC and has the web cam picture mixed in?
Posted by: Favardin | November 30, 2008 7:10 AM
Maybe he needs UBIK?
Posted by: Riman Butterbur | November 30, 2008 7:21 AM
I'm astonished at all the people jumping to the conclusion that this is schizophrenia. Is that the only mental illness you've ever heard of?
Are any of you diagnosers trained to assess this man's condition?
I am not either. But for what it's worth, jonathan's remarks at #47 sound the most plausible to me.
Posted by: davem | November 30, 2008 8:05 AM
QrazyQat:
You haven't been to England for 40 years, then?
More seriously, PZ, I'd send a copy of the email to your ISP, and ask that the guy be traced for the purpose of helping him. And maybe if his account was closed, it might help, too, although I'm open to better advice from those who know more about mental illness than I do.
Posted by: mayhempix | November 30, 2008 8:19 AM
Posted by: Riman Butterbur | November 30, 2008 7:21 AM
"I'm astonished at all the people jumping to the conclusion that this is schizophrenia. Is that the only mental illness you've ever heard of?"
Schizophrenia is not one form of mental illness and is a term that now covers various symptoms and causes. Multiple personality disorder and hallucinogenic paranoia are just the most common types people think of and #47's perceptions all fall within the range of different schizophrenic symptoms. Today most schizophrenic behaviors and delusions are attributed to chemical imbalances in the brain and can be controlled by medications.
Posted by: Kate | November 30, 2008 8:24 AM
So... it seems that a few "mother hens" have taken it on themselves to chastise PZ for putting the content of this letter on his blog.
To those who want to cluck at him I say:
Really? Are you serious? You have an issue with him abiding by his very own policies which cause you to salivate orgasmically when it's a fundie, but suddenly find a problem with when it's a complete nutter who writes, unsolicited, to him every day? Are you somehow under the impression that *your* special interest is meant to be coddled and that *you* ought to be pacified? Do you really think your "armchair" diagnosis holds *any* water at all with those of us who think and act in a scientific manner? You have not examined the man, and if you did I doubt there are many of you who would be qualified to make a diagnosis. Your personal anecdotes of previous relationships with people are *NOT EVIDENCE*. They are just that, anecdotes. To berate PZ for picking on someone you *think* *might* be mentally ill is akin to someone picking on him for berating someone you *think* might be a *saint*.
Welcome to the real world, folks. Your personal desires and ideas of moral and ethical behaviour have no bearing on that of others. That's what many of you *claim* to want, but as we can all see here, not many of you are able to live with it.
Posted by: negentropyeater | November 30, 2008 8:27 AM
Slightly O/T :
in the series "Religion poisons everything", after the Mumbai terrorist attacks, we have now :
300 bodies taken to mosque on 2nd day of Nigeria riots
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/29/nigeria.riots.ap/index.html
Posted by: Dave | November 30, 2008 8:41 AM
Hmm, my ex lives in Bayridge, but she's not a dude. But if you tease out any more info I can poke around a bit.
Posted by: Sili | November 30, 2008 8:51 AM
Whatever happened to that otherwise real scientist who went crazy halfway through his conference paper and then showed up here to vent his rage?
Posted by: Annie | November 30, 2008 9:01 AM
No one is advocating for hiding the problems posed by mental illness or sweeping them under the rug.
However, it is cruel and inhumane to intentionally expose a person with signs of untreated or undertreated mental illness without asking for their permission to do so and engaging him or her directly, both of which PZ has done.
I can only offer you a rough analogy from my own nursing practice over the years:
It is not uncommon for some people with cognitive or neurological deficits to expose themselves in non-sexual ways to others and not be aware of the inappropriateness of the act in the setting.
WHen that happens, I took immediate action to cover the person and to remove him or her to a private and safe place to offer care.
It's substituted judgement, indeed, and its aim is to protect and preserve the dignity and safety of the person.
PZ has used this person - for readership (otherwise, why post?), for his own ends of his perceived harassment, and he has done nothing to intervene - he has not contacted the person, he has not notified his or the person's ISPs, he has not blocked the person from sending email - he has not contacted authorities who are in a position to locate and to provide help to the person.
This is unethical, and as I emailed PZ, I can no longer subscribe to his blog, in protest.
That PZ has used this very vulnerable - and ILL - person for his own ends is disappointing. That most commenters don't perceive the unethical concerns, but only respond to the person as an abstract, inhuman concept instead of a real person with signs of illness, is indicative of the American culture.
Have a discussion of mental illness. For gawd's sake, my blog is littered with posts addressing that and associated issues - nary a comment received to any of them, but then again, I'm just a lowly nurse, so why would any of you high-fallutin' types lower yourselves and consort with riff raff?
I think that you have internalized your own assumptions and biases, and that you aren't able or willing to see what is being done here. That's sad, but correctable, if only you will take a moment to reflect and analyze.
If you wish to discuss, please email me or comment on my blog.
Posted by: clinteas | November 30, 2008 9:15 AM
Annie @ 74,
Whoa,hold your horses !!!
I didnt think it was a great idea to post this myself,because it might escalate the guy ,but what youre going on about there is taking it a bit too far !
I dont think PZ is in any position to do any of the things you mention in your post,neither are the other 30 people getting his emails every day.
Bit unfortunate to post,but understandable in a way given the crap PZ is exposed to all the time? I think so.
Unethical? Dont be ridiculous !
Posted by: latsot | November 30, 2008 9:16 AM
I find cases like this desperately sad, I hope this guy manages to get help soon.
A distant relative of mine was schizophrenic. He and his immediate family lived in torment because of it for forty years. He couldn't understand why people thought there was anything wrong with him and every so often would find a cunning way to stop taking his pills and to hide that from his family. This would invariably result in him taking flight and go missing for long periods of time. He was perfectly able to look after himself, get work, find accomodation and so on, but became increasingly unstable and eventually ended up being rounded up by police, returned to his family and thankfully persuaded to start taking his pills again.
I cannot imagine the stress this placed on his family, let alone on him.
I guess I don't have much of a point other than it's sad that people still have to suffer like this :(
Posted by: Kate | November 30, 2008 9:33 AM
@ Annie #74:
Wow. You just got an idea in your head and *ran* with it there, didn't you?
You attribute all sorts of malicious intent to PZ without, it seems, bothering to read what PZ wrote. ....or maybe you *did* read it and are unable to understand it? ....or perhaps you're just ignoring it? ....or maybe you simply have all of those qualities you attribute to PZ, but are projecting?
Either way, I don't think he gives a flying fuck at a rolling donut about whatever evil intent you wish to project upon him. I would suggest, however, that you let go of your own ego long enough to actually ASK what his intent was. (Not that I think, from the tone of your post, that you would bother an attempt at comprehension.)
...and one last thing, Annie.... Why would *you* try to capitalize on this by posting a link and invitation to *YOUR OWN BLOG*? You sick freak! (..and hypocrite to boot!)
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT, OM | November 30, 2008 9:57 AM
Attention whore.