Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Hysterical Blindness

Shana Tova : Dry Bones cartoon.
Hysterical Blindness:
Definition from an eye surgery site:

"The term hysterical blindness refers not to a medical condition, but rather a rare psychological condition in which trauma from an injury or illness results in a patient's assumed inability to see. The emotional turmoil experienced by people suffering from hysterical blindness causes them to block off visual impulses from the eyes to the brain.

Also known as a conversion disorder, dissociative reaction, or psychological factors affecting medical conditions, hysteria presents itself as an affliction of a sensory organ, in this case, the eyes. Depression, anxiety and other emotional symptoms may also be present."

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I did not know whether to title this cartoon "Selective Vision" or "Hysterical Blindness". The first implies that the West doesn't want to see, the second says that the West is too paralysed with fear to see.

So what's your take on the situation?

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