Let's all take Blindboy seriously now...

Saruhashi · 01-02-2018 01:31PM

CWF wrote: »

What qualifies anyone to practise as a Councillor or psychotherapist?? Absolutely nothing, anybody can put a sign up right now, take people in off the street and do psychotherapy with them. Nothing stopping you, legally or otherwise

Anybody can but does that mean they should? Does that mean we should listen to them?

Why is the approach to mental health issues in Ireland to just throw a celebrity at it?

I don't see how he is giving a knowledgeable or fact-based viewpoint on what is a serious issue.

What's next a reality TV star as US president ahead of actual experienced and qualified politicians because anybody can run for president?

OldMrBrennan83 · 01-02-2018 01:35PM

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beans · 01-02-2018 01:45PM

Saruhashi wrote: »

Anybody can but does that mean they should? Does that mean we should listen to them?

Why is the approach to mental health issues in Ireland to just throw a celebrity at it?

I don't see how he is giving a knowledgeable or fact-based viewpoint on what is a serious issue.

What's next a reality TV star as US president ahead of actual experienced and qualified politicians because anybody can run for president?

How about he reaches a target audience that more serious commentators would never be able to? I could see Blindboy's podcast leading some confused teenager down a path toward your qualified routes of therapy with his talk of his own journey - that same teenager might never even have thought of finding help for his issues.

It could be argued he's a gateway for more serious treatments of the same topic. I would never have even thought of reading Lovecraft if not for the more digestible and accessible Stephen King.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 01:45PM

Patww79 wrote:

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I find this attitude so often when it comes to men's mental health. Most people acknowledge that there are issues with men and mental health such as the rate of men's suicide. They think it's outrageous that so much effort is put into women's health campaigns and 'where's the men's equivalent?'. But the minute a man puts his head above the parapet to offer some help, he becomes a target for all kinds of ridicule by other men.

Whether it's Blindboy or Niall Breslin, or whoever else. They're 'just in it for the money/fame'. Why not just take it as doing their bit for men and men's health. If you personally don't care for his message, then that's fine. But don't ridicule the man for doing good.

optogirl · 01-02-2018 01:47PM

Saruhashi wrote: »

Anybody can but does that mean they should? Does that mean we should listen to them?

Why is the approach to mental health issues in Ireland to just throw a celebrity at it?

I don't see how he is giving a knowledgeable or fact-based viewpoint on what is a serious issue.

What's next a reality TV star as US president ahead of actual experienced and qualified politicians because anybody can run for president?

Nobody is insisting you listen to him. As with all art, if it's for you, have at it, if not, don't. You are not compelled to listen to anyone.

OldMrBrennan83 · 01-02-2018 01:49PM

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Mickiemcfist · 01-02-2018 01:56PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I find this attitude so often when it comes to men's mental health. Most people acknowledge that there are issues with men and mental health such as the rate of men's suicide. They think it's outrageous that so much effort is put into women's health campaigns and 'where's the men's equivalent?'. But the minute a man puts his head above the parapet to offer some help, he becomes a target for all kinds of ridicule by other men.

Whether it's Blindboy or Niall Breslin, or whoever else. They're 'just in it for the money/fame'. Why not just take it as doing their bit for men and men's health. If you personally don't care for his message, then that's fine. But don't ridicule the man for doing good.

Great post.
Whether people agree with Blindboys persona or not, he's trying to spread a good message & if he gains personal financial success off the back of it, fair play. Nobody gives out about Tommy Tiernan or any other public figure by saying "he's just out for money", he should be or he won't be able to do it very long. Are doctors just out for the money? If they were would it make their job any less important?

I listen to his podcast & while there's a lot of segments I'd find pretty off the wall, his open discourse about mental health is a positive & his demographic is exactly who it needs to be aimed at.

So all those who dislike him, they can take the drastic move of.....just not listening to him & getting on with their life. Those who value it can listen.

wnolan1992 · 01-02-2018 01:58PM

Patww79 wrote: »

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Yeah, read some of the short stories in his book and tell me again he "doesn't have a clue".

Whether he articulated himself well in whichever podcast you listened to, I don't know, I don't listen to his podcast, but from some of those stories, yeah, he very much does "have a clue".

Herb Powell · 01-02-2018 02:03PM

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Finished reading his book of short stories there the other week. ****ing brilliant IMO.

I love that people get so angry because someone dares to wear a plastic bag on his head, as if that invalidates the content of what he says. If you disagree with the content of what he says, fine, make your case, but just saying "Ah, look at the eejit, hiding behind a plastic bag!" is nonsense.

I'm afraid the people who say that are generally just too thick to get it.

optogirl · 01-02-2018 02:05PM

I have to say I actually get out of bed a bit quicker on a Wednesday morning knowing I'll have a new BB podcast to listen to on my commute - I find it really calming & funny - also got his book for Christmas & honestly, the guy is very very clever & a terrific writer. I get that he's not everyone's cup of tea & it can be frustrating seeing someone you think is shi*e gain popularity (I blush and cringe every time Brendan O'Carroll graces my TV and immediately switch off when I see Bressie involved in anything but that's my prerogative).

Danjamin1 · 01-02-2018 02:07PM

Saruhashi wrote: »

It doesn't invalidate what he says, as such, but it lowers the quality of the discourse.

It's an unnecessary distraction.

What qualifies Blindboy Boatclub to discuss mental health in Ireland? Is he a qualified medical professional? Just a guy with an opinion and a gimmick that puts him in the spotlight?

Is it just that he has had mental health problems of his own? So he says "I use CBT techniques to keep anxiety in check" and that's it?

Anyone who has ever been to a therapist for help with these issues knows that it's often FAR more complicated than that.

If the message is just "if you are struggling then seek professional help" then I wonder to what extent the mask is really needed for that?

The truth is that if we bring some stuffy old therapist in a suit out on stage then we might get great advice but most people will tune out because it's not "interesting".

So instead we get some guy giving unqualified, shallow, views on mental health but it's worth listening to because he's got a plastic bag on his head and that's just so "refreshing"?

So it's all for show? We let the celebrity have the stage over the people who actually know what's going on because that's what gets people's attention?

Let's be honest here. The plastic bag is a gimmick used to push his own career.

So when someone is looking at doing a TV interview about the state of mental health in Ireland the go to person is that guy with the plastic bag. He's "interesting".

Instead of boring old medical professionals with their "experience" and their "facts" and their "useful advice" because who needs any of that stuff, right?

He's said himself in interviews that he thinks it's ridiculous that mental health is in the spotlight because people like himself (a performing clown in his own words) are talking about it rather than the government and certified professionals. He talks about it because it's something he's concerned about and he has a platform to air his opinions.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 02:12PM

Patww79 wrote:

This post has been deleted.

You said he's 'nothing only a spoofer'. I'm telling you he does good work delivering a positive message on mental health to a vulnerable portion of young men. I don't consider that to be spoof. You might consider it spoofing but that would demonstrate my point about men calling for more mental health support for men, only for other men to tear them down.

Do you consider his work on mental health to be spoofing?

B-D-P-- · 01-02-2018 02:23PM

Saruhashi wrote: »

It doesn't invalidate what he says, as such, but it lowers the quality of the discourse.

It's an unnecessary distraction.

What qualifies Blindboy Boatclub to discuss mental health in Ireland? Is he a qualified medical professional? Just a guy with an opinion and a gimmick that puts him in the spotlight?

Is it just that he has had mental health problems of his own? So he says "I use CBT techniques to keep anxiety in check" and that's it?

Anyone who has ever been to a therapist for help with these issues knows that it's often FAR more complicated than that.

If the message is just "if you are struggling then seek professional help" then I wonder to what extent the mask is really needed for that?

The truth is that if we bring some stuffy old therapist in a suit out on stage then we might get great advice but most people will tune out because it's not "interesting".

So instead we get some guy giving unqualified, shallow, views on mental health but it's worth listening to because he's got a plastic bag on his head and that's just so "refreshing"?

So it's all for show? We let the celebrity have the stage over the people who actually know what's going on because that's what gets people's attention?

Let's be honest here. The plastic bag is a gimmick used to push his own career.

So when someone is looking at doing a TV interview about the state of mental health in Ireland the go to person is that guy with the plastic bag. He's "interesting".

Instead of boring old medical professionals with their "experience" and their "facts" and their "useful advice" because who needs any of that stuff, right?

How are all those "Qualified" guys (who have all the info) doing broadcasting their advice?
They are doing a fine job bringing it to the forum arent they?? The last year or so, the only person i know of who is constantly shouting mental health, is blindboy.

Fair enough he has an stupid way, but if that is how he gets famous, brilliant, whats other celebs doing with their fame?
Whats he doing with his fame? he's promoting mental health.
If he starts to do interviews without the bag, people will lose interest and his message will fade.

He repeats himself yes, because the country still hasent heard the message, the message doesnt change, hence why would he change what he's saying?

OldMrBrennan83 · 01-02-2018 02:25PM

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conorhal · 01-02-2018 02:36PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I find this attitude so often when it comes to men's mental health. Most people acknowledge that there are issues with men and mental health such as the rate of men's suicide. They think it's outrageous that so much effort is put into women's health campaigns and 'where's the men's equivalent?'. But the minute a man puts his head above the parapet to offer some help, he becomes a target for all kinds of ridicule by other men.

Whether it's Blindboy or Niall Breslin, or whoever else. They're 'just in it for the money/fame'. Why not just take it as doing their bit for men and men's health. If you personally don't care for his message, then that's fine. But don't ridicule the man for doing good.

Deserved ridicule when you consider that his proposed solution to men's mental health problems and high suicide rate was that 'they needed more feminism'.

He may be correct in his highlighting the problem, but his sketchy, ideologically biased analysis of it suggest motives that are little more then virtue signalling BS.
People like that have nothing to offer to solving the problem other then the 'blindingly' obvious observation that tit exists.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 02:41PM

Patww79 wrote:

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Mental health was mentioned - by me. And Blindboy talks about mental health - they guy you said was 'nothing only a spoofer'.

Patww79 wrote:

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If you don't care about mental health that's fine. But let me tell you it's an important issue to men as a group. Given the rates of men's mental illness and suicide. So when someone does something good re men's mental health, I'd encourage you not to tear them down or dismiss them as spoofing.

Patww79 wrote:

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This is interesting. I'd say so what about he's character, that's an artistic choice. His message is the import part for me and his message is positive and badly needed.

Patww79 wrote:

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If you don't like his art, then don't worry about it.

DickSwiveller · 01-02-2018 02:42PM

He has absolutely nothing interesting to say. He just spouts the usual bland pc cliches. A while ago, on the late late, he said that depressed young people need feminism. It's very dangerous giving idiots like this a platform to spout there incoherent tripe. It's a measure of how dumbed down public discourse has become that this person is seen as an articulate, intelligent individual. Personally, I blame the education system.

suicide_circus · 01-02-2018 02:45PM

I heard he's not even blind

conorhal · 01-02-2018 02:47PM

DickSwiveller wrote: »

He has absolutely nothing interesting to say. He just spouts the usual bland pc cliches. A while ago, on the late late, he said that depressed young people need feminism. It's very dangerous giving idiots like this a platform to spout there incoherent tripe. It's a measure of how dumbed down public discourse has become that this person is seen as an articulate, intelligent individual. Personally, I blame the education system.

Indeed, 'feminism is the answer'!, Ask Christina Hoff Summers or Karen Straughan what they think of that, or how the very intersectional, third wave feminism this eejit espouses destroys more men by demonizing and devaluing anything male.

elefant · 01-02-2018 02:48PM

DickSwiveller wrote: »

He has absolutely nothing interesting to say. He just spouts the usual bland pc cliches. A while ago, on the late late, he said that depressed young people need feminism. It's very dangerous giving idiots like this a platform to spout there incoherent tripe. It's a measure of how dumbed down public discourse has become that this person is seen as an articulate, intelligent individual. Personally, I blame the education system.

You could have just inserted anything in there in place of 'the education system' for all the relevance it has to the rest of your point. It's not far off sticking #fact at the end of a post.

A damning statement on the dumbing down of public discourse indeed.

Boom_Bap · 01-02-2018 02:49PM

DickSwiveller wrote: »

He has absolutely nothing interesting to say. He just spouts the usual bland pc cliches. A while ago, on the late late, he said that depressed young people need feminism. It's very dangerous giving idiots like this a platform to spout there incoherent tripe. It's a measure of how dumbed down public discourse has become that this person is seen as an articulate, intelligent individual. Personally, I blame the education system.

Firstly, it was his opinion, and made that point clear. Secondly, explaining his statement is a necessity rather that people just using the headline as the story rather than the meaning.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 02:49PM

conorhal wrote:

Deserved ridicule when you consider that his proposed solution to men's mental health problems and high suicide rate was that 'they needed more feminism'.

Depends on whether or not you listen to what he men's by that.

He goes on to explain that it's often an unrealistic expectation of masculinity that leads to these problems. For example feeling that a man has to be Uber macho or a man has to be the breadwinner in a time when minimum wage makes that virtually impossible. Men who suffer because of those beliefs are in need of a different perspective for sure.

conorhal wrote:

He may be correct in his highlighting the problem, but his sketchy ideologically based analysis of it suggest motives that are little more virtue signalling BS. People like that have nothing to offer to the problem other then the 'blindingly obvious' observation that they exist.

Your analysis is limited to the sound bite 'they need more feminism'. So your understanding is sketchy to begin with. There's much more to his message on mental health than that.

DickSwiveller · 01-02-2018 02:56PM

elefant wrote: »

You could have just inserted anything in there in place of 'the education system' for all the relevance it has to the rest of your point. It's not far off sticking #fact at the end of a post.

A damning statement on the dumbing down of public discourse indeed.

Excuse me, it's completely relevant. Our education system is churning out semi-literate conformist idiots

conorhal · 01-02-2018 02:58PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Depends on whether or not you listen to what he men's by that.

He goes on to explain that it's often an unrealistic expectation of masculinity that leads to these problems. For example feeling that a man has to be Uber macho or a man has to be the breadwinner in a time when minimum wage makes that virtually impossible. Men who suffer because of those beliefs are in need of a different perspective for sure.

Your analysis is limited to the sound bite 'they need more feminism'. So your understanding is sketchy to begin with. There's much more to his message on mental health than that.

That assumes his analysis is correct, is it the unrealistic expectation of masculinity? That's a sketchy narrative to explain why men feel dislocated and depresssed and is largely the product of ideological feminist theory.
When you look at the analysis of others however, like noted feminist Dr. Christina Hoff Summers, you find that one of the major problems for boys is the classification of masculinity as toxic.

I won't post her lectures on the subject, but here's a short clip about how she suggests there need to be some simple changes made to the education system to recognise that there is a difference between boys and girls and stop alienating boys. Treating boys behaviour as 'problematic' and suggesting that the answer to such problematic behavour is to feminize them is a bad solution all around. It ignores that men might need male solutions to male problems, which projects like the 'men's shed' project are part of.

optogirl · 01-02-2018 03:01PM

DickSwiveller wrote: »

Excuse me, it's completely relevant. Our education system is churning out semi-literate conformist idiots

in what way is blindboy semi-literate? Seriously, fair enough if you don't agree with him or enjoy his shtick but just deciding he's thick because you don't get it isn't exactly fair

DickSwiveller · 01-02-2018 03:26PM

optogirl wrote: »

in what way is blindboy semi-literate? Seriously, fair enough if you don't agree with him or enjoy his shtick but just deciding he's thick because you don't get it isn't exactly fair

There's nothing to get.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 03:29PM

conorhal wrote:

That assumes his analysis is correct, is it the unrealistic expectation of masculinity? That's a sketchy narrative to explain why men feel dislocated and depresssed and is largely the product of ideological feminist theory.

He said it's based on his experience of the lads he knows in Limerick. And this is his reaction to it by a dressing the problem and offering a solution.

Calling it 'ideological feminist theory' isn't the same as critiquing it.

El_Duderino 09 · 01-02-2018 03:30PM

DickSwiveller wrote:

There's nothing to get.

Yawn.

If there was nothing to get, it wouldn't excite so many people by either entertaining, informing, or winding people up.

DickSwiveller · 01-02-2018 03:35PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Yawn.

If there was nothing to get, it wouldn't excite so many people by either entertaining, informing, or winding people up.

What a strange argument. Someone like Beyonce might prompt similar feelings among people. Does that mean she has something to say?

Mickiemcfist · 01-02-2018 03:37PM

DickSwiveller wrote: »

Excuse me, it's completely relevant. Our education system is churning out semi-literate conformist idiots

A guy called Blindboy boatclub, member of a duo who wear shopping bags on their face, writes stories about otters called Yurty Aherne & songs about bags of glue is a conformist?

I've heard it all now.

Let's all take Blindboy seriously now...

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