Disinformation...

After putting the recordings of sessions through his door. After facing it (a toxic brew of loss, grief, incredulity and outrage) through transcribing the sessions, then seeking some way to sort this out before publishing - the next part of this is to distil the lessons into something useful. The next set of posts will be my exploration of ideas!

So what is therapy? 

Basically therapy is a conversation during which one person needing to create a better state of mind, talks with another about their state of mind, their life, their hopes and fears with a view to understanding what has happened to them, to understand their own reactions and to start to feel better. The other person, as Carl Rogers explained, is able and willing to navigate their own states of mind, to show empathy, and able to regard other people. no matter what they have done or experienced, with the utmost respect and kindness.

Another level is added by Steve de Shazer - after Wittgenstein - who points out that, with our thoughts we create the world, but with our words we create our thoughts. Therefore therapy conversations follow disciplined guidelines about how to talk about things. Different types of therapy are different flavours of conversation. The type of therapy determines the language and focus of the therapist. I am - to the core - a solution focused therapist.

When I think back to my own therapy - that is four therapists - contact was lost each time they used theory on me (!) my phrase then and now. It isn't that theories are all wrong, the problem with theory is that it can create, recursive confirmation loops; a crazy explanation such as 'trees wave about when there is wind, therefore trees are making the wind' might seem compelling, but it is at least very simple to refute. A theory such as ' you didn't learn how to feel secure as a child, so now you feel insecure with your partner' is a lot harder to test...so it is extremely important to find out what is happening in the client's life!  I understand entirely that many clients want theory; it creates a language to describe the problem, it externalises it to some extent. People also, sometimes want and welcome diagnosis, now the problem is located in chemistry and brain architecture. And sufferers set about learning the language, the norms and adventures (!) specific to the theory. A diagnosis can also give you a life-long sentence to taking drugs that can cause serious harm, a attempt to taper off them can cause symptoms worse than the original diagnosis.

Untestable theory explained as a scientifically rational truth, is indistinguishable from an ARG. I think this is so...

This question is my first proposition for testing. 

No idea yet how to go about this!

But an exploration of some core concepts seems a reasonable beginning.

I start with three types of disinformation, understanding them could prove useful when exploring bad therapy. 

Note:

I don't believe that we create the world with thoughts or words, I believe in an external reality that can be found through conjecture and refutation, that we understand reality via explanations that we can and should enjoy and test! I also believe that how we understand the world, how we feel about it, how we decide to be in it, is affected by how we talk about it...

I also believe that perception is organised by expectation and confirmation, more than refutation.

So, narratives and reality - let's go!

1. The ARG.
1. The alternate reality game - participants understand that this is a game. An ARG has a compelling narrative, it creates rabbit holes' of ambiguous, cross referenced sub narratives that mostly support the compelling narrative.
2. It specialises in rabbit holes; the ARG exists within different forms of media which will be found via clues and links, and communication with other players..
3. Players understand that this is an ARG, but sometimes the lines between narrative and and reality become very blurred.
1. An ARG is experienced as a Conspiracy theory. A special truth about reality that only a few people possess. 
2. A conspiracy theory may be an ARG described as truth, created for the purpose of manipulating others. [+] 
3. A conspiracy theory may be a true account of reality eclipsed by disinformation. Those perpetrating the false information could be said to be creating an ARG...
4. Disinformation.
1. Disinformation is misleading content.
2. Disinformation is transmitted via actors and media manipulation.
3. It is deliberately spread to deceive people, for personal or political gain. 
4. Disinformation contains: truths, half-truths, and value judgements to exploit and amplify controversy.
2. Catfishing. 
1. Catfish were once compelled to swim whilst being transported to market, so that their flesh would be nicer to eat than if they had simply floated around! The parallel with the process of catfishing - which is someone creating a false relationship to gain something from another, who becomes their victim, is closely related to the ARG.
2.  A catfisher creates a compelling story, disinformation for the victim. And the victim has no idea that the story is false.
3. The victim is compelled to keep engaging (swimming) because of their emotional involvement.
4. The catfisher may be doing this for financial gain as in romance scams, but often they engage because they are compelled to create an alternate reality, one in which they enact a role that has energy for them! [+]
3. Spiritual abuse.
1. Spirituality could be viewed as an ARG or ARG like, there are hidden truths to be found, special teachings, retreats with others to focus on and explore this alternative reality, and religious exploration takes people down multi-modal rabbit holes! 
2. There are signifiers to acquire to demonstrate that one is an insider, there are rituals to be performed that become meaningful to the individual with repetition and with respect to the spiritual narrative, expressing difference. 
3. Spiritual abuse occurs within a spiritual organisation when a spiritual person creates a catfish-like relationship with another, and is either negligent in recognising the harm latent in the relationship, or pathologically inclined; enjoying the discomfort and suffering of the victim. 
4. The perpetrator uses spiritual rules to legitimise suffering, and abuse.
5. Spiritual abuse often requires both parties accepting without question that suffering is a tool to personal growth. An individual questioning this or checking if pain is a warning signal appears in the context of spiritual abuse, to be displaying a lack of faith and risks exile from the community.