Re: Canadian Psycho

["Anne M. Marble" <amarble@sff.net>]

> Like Jacob, I've hesitated to get involved in this discussion too; and in
> any case I'm sure GG wasnt a psychopath.

I don't think many of us here think he was. That's probably what generated
so much (ahem) discussion. The shock of seeing *that* word used to describe
Glenn Gould, of all people.

> I'm not in any way involved in treating psychiatric patients but I do
have
> a friend who is a consultant psychiatrist (I lived with him a while, but
I
> hope this does not engender any rude comments about my own mental
> state!)...we had several discussions about psychopaths as in his opinion
a
> bloke I was briefly married to was one (shh, thats enough about your
wierd
> background, Kate)...It appears someone with a psychopathic personality
has
> great difficulty in understanding and accepting the reality of other
peoples
> feelings. They are aware of their own feelings, which are "real" to them,
> but cannot comprehend that other peoples inner lives have the same
> reality.They therefore tend to act with great selfishness in their
dealings
> with others...they will exploit them and lie to them to get their own way
> and have a total lack of conscience about causing hurt, as they cant feel
or
> accept  the pain of others and discount its reality.
> They are not necessarily murderers and indeed can be very charming if
they
> feel you can be of use to them, but boy...can they cause havoc!!

Thank you for the explanation. That's the best I've heard yet.

>   I dont feel Gould was at all like this!

I don't think GG was like that at all, either. However, I'm beginning to
wonder about my former manager! Hmm, that explains a lot...

>   I know GG found it difficult to relate to people (at least, face to
face;
> he obviously enjoyed communicating by telephone) and is said to have had
> difficulty in "reading" other peoples feelings. But he is widely
described
> by people that knew him as "kind', and "gentle" and "even-tempered":

Have you ever heard some of the descriptions of the way GG handled
emergencies? Calling for help for accident victims while everybody around
him was panicking. That sort of thing. (And no, as far as I know, he did
not cause *that* accident.) He sounds like the sort of person you'd *want*
to have around when something like that happened.

That's not to say he didn't show his temper now and then. Or that he didn't
(ahem) react when the concert hall was too cold and drafty. But who doesn't
get upset now and then? (You don't want to know the names I called my
computer hte other day!) From the stories I heard, he was more likely to
get upset because a friend decided to fly in a plane than he was from
things that would make most of us upset.


>I  believe the introduction to the "GG Reader" says he cared deeply about
> people, albeit from a distance. (I"m quoting this off the top of my head
as
> I dont have my copy of the Reader with me, so sorry if I"m wrong). None
of
> this sounds like a psychopathic personality. Nor does his concern for
> animals and their welfare suggest anything of the kind.
> I think his problem dealing with people was a kind of phobia (although
he'd
> probably object strenuously to this suggestion if he could see it!)...one
> person in a room with him: OK; Two: Well, if you must; three or more:
> Hmmm....

I don't think Glenn Gould fits any standard psychological ... uhm...
profiles.

But don't you think he wanted it that way?!

Anne M. Marble