"The Mental Pain of Minorities: Social and Clinical Aspects," Salman Akhtar, MD

2016 Conference Opening Plenary Address: Salman Akhtar
The discord between the subjectivity of minorities and their ecological and cultural ‘holding environment’ (Winnicott, 1960) and their use as dehumanized targets of the majority’s projections causes them chronic mental pain. Seeking to anesthetize their distress, minorities retreat from social participation, nostalgically idealize when they were not the minority, dream of achieving majority status again, exalt fundamentalism, and, at times, discharge impotent rage via acts of ‘terrorism.’ Far better are developments that follow when minorities assert their rights and the majority realizes the benefits of collaboration. Societal measures that assure minorities’ presence in textbooks and their representation in embodied communal narratives (e.g., statues, memorials) go a long way in diminishing their distress. Protection and/or restoration of their rights to vote, run for office, have freedom of movement and expression, and own property are also important. Finally, criminalizing acts of violence as hate crimes increases the sense of minorities’ safety. All this is not only good for them, it is beneficial for the society-at-large and raises all sections of society to a higher humanitarian ground.
Dr. Salman Akhtar is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Thomas Jefferson Medical College and a psychiatrist at the Jefferson University Hospital as well as a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. He has served on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis and the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association. His more than 300 publications include 13 books. He also has published seven collections of poetry and serves as a Scholar-in-Residence at the Inter-Act Theatre Company in Philadelphia.

[@s.z3717]

Ye khaandaan hee intellectuals aur scholars ka hai..🙏🙏

[@priteshbarkale281]

Yes.

[@aksibs1]

Dr. Salman Akhtar has such a great way of conveying his message with great examples. I am an engineer and now a Finance expert, but it is still so great and simple to go through these Psychoanalyst theories suggested by Akhtar sir. His videos are so wonderful and it is hard to believe that he is a poet as well :)

[@politicalroaster7255]

Hey how are you

[@aksibs1]

@@politicalroaster7255 i am doing great, how are you? Sorry didn't recognize you.

[@politicalroaster7255]

@@aksibs1 where you live right now 😑

[@005xxx3]

Just watch his lallantop interview was wonderful

[@rajashrideshpande54]

Very lucid, straight forward, clear

[@saminaali2705]

True intellectual

[@sharu5578]

He explains it in such a simple way. Love hearing him

[@yashkavthekar8962]

I listen to this video every day ❤️

[@VijayParekhMumbai-India]

Very well spoken 👌& worth hearing again.
don't SEE him, don't go to his NAME, don't analyse HIM (just listen & internalize)

[@onedirectionlover08]

“Don’t go to his name, don’t analyse him” can you explain what do you mean?

[@VijayParekhMumbai-India]

It means that *what he says is more important than who he is*.
What Dr. Salman Akhtar is saying is very important.

[@VijayParekhMumbai-India]

12:05 most clear definition(s) of MINORITY
17:42 minority status even after many generations over hundreds years are still minority

[@rachnasethi6303]

The Supreme Court of India is hearing a special petition - to address the status of minority communities - statewise instead of at national level. Hearing to this lecture by Dr Salman Akhtar, should provide everyone, including Honorable Judges, an interesting take on the subject

[@gajendra1987]

Loved every word of this session!

[@AmitKumar-vx4hp]

Amazing! Can't like the speech enough..

[@kamalnijhawan9592]

Excellent

[@Amir-yi4ei]

Man completed his MBBS from ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY INDIA

[@AmitKumar-vx4hp]

Focus on what he says.

[@mid-daymasti7093]

@@AmitKumar-vx4hp दुख हुआ kya

[@GauravSingh-pn6bp]

@@mid-daymasti7093 Amit Kumar is right, when he says to focus on what he has to offer because when a person reaches that calibre, he transcends. He is a AMU alumni and we as Indians are happy to know that, but his alma mater is the least of things one should learn from this video. Also, Don't be so critical of what someone says, especially online, mostly they are just simple statements :-)

[@salesmantrajobwala573]

Great 👊

[@shioma]

18:13

[@deepachaudhury4336]

Is he not projecting his own sense of judging another person on the guy in the bar?
The man may have asked out of simple curiosity but Mr Akhtar thought in terms of minority and majority which is actually Mr Akhtar ‘s way of thinking about dividing in terms of minority and majority

[@tamarix25]

Then you got trapped what he wanted you to be in. Minorities always have in pre conscious mind about their status. That's why he assumed that guy's questions otherwise.

[@razahasnain9326]

U clearly didn't get it