Ian Hacking tells a story.
He tells a story about how dissociation got to be mixed up with the notion of abuse.
It never used to be.
But then all of a sudden, it was.
And abuse was taken to be necessary
Like how the existence of sunburn requires the existence of the sun.

Child abuse.
The concept came as an extension of a concern people were starting to have
With the welfare of animals.
Women who were involved in a society for the welfare of animals
For the animals whose limbs were broken
Started to think that it wasn't really okay
To break the limbs of children either.

There was no homosexuality in greek culture because they lacked the concept
The meanings... The narratives...
Involved in Greek men having sexual relations with adolescent males
Has very different meanings and narratives from the way we understand that now.
And sexual relations...
Sexual relations between priests, older men, fathers
And their virgin daughters
Had different meanings and narratives from what it has now.
To cast these historic social practices as 'abuse' under our concept
Is an exercise in concept and cultural imperialism
Its not really fair...

A concept that used to apply to the broken legs of infants
Got extended such that men can't really change the nappys of their infant daughters (or sons)
Not on the nappy comercials on TV at any rate.
A concept that used to apply to the broken legs of infants
Got extended such that grandfathers can't really pick up their grandchildren from school even less cuddle them in public.

The meanings and narratives that we use to understand
Or misunderstand
the stories we tell ourselves...
That people believe is necessary.
not just for OUR getting better
but for THEIR getting better
if we don't buy into this narrative then what?
what?
justifies their distress?

Oh the perils of focusing on events
On ones friend in the neon jacket understood as a deer

Because the focus on ones experiences...
Is too...
Traumatic.

And the majority of therapists
Similarly do not understand.
And if they do not understand...
Then how can they help?

Look... There is a deer over there... See it?