what's the term for philip dick's game?
February 11, 2012 7:27 AM Subscribe
Is there a mainstream psychological or psychiatric label for the relationship dynamic exhibited by the protagonists in Philip Dick's novels?
The way it looks to me is "rescue as the most viable mating protocol". Examples: VALIS--first the suicide and then the terminal cancer patient; Divine Invasion--she is very sick with MS and throwing up all the time; Transmigration of Timothy Archer--two suicides and a death by misadventure which is a suicide for all practical purposes.
We are never told the love object is hot. We never read that they are kind or witty or rich. The message we get is they are helpless or that they are hopelessly doomed. Is this covered in Freud and Jung and Adler and Reich and I missed it in my cursory readings? The closest I can get is the Oprah / Doctor Phil phenomenon of co-dependence. That is not a term in the DSM and I don't think Aaron Beck or Albert Ellis or Martin Seligman has ever used that term. I even looked at the TV tropes page for the damsel in distress but drew a blank there as well.
Surely some astute scholar has something informative on this like Perseus complex or Persephone syndrome? Or perhaps I have had a messed up existence because I have actually seen this dynamic occur more than two times in real world people in my environment?
The way it looks to me is "rescue as the most viable mating protocol". Examples: VALIS--first the suicide and then the terminal cancer patient; Divine Invasion--she is very sick with MS and throwing up all the time; Transmigration of Timothy Archer--two suicides and a death by misadventure which is a suicide for all practical purposes.
We are never told the love object is hot. We never read that they are kind or witty or rich. The message we get is they are helpless or that they are hopelessly doomed. Is this covered in Freud and Jung and Adler and Reich and I missed it in my cursory readings? The closest I can get is the Oprah / Doctor Phil phenomenon of co-dependence. That is not a term in the DSM and I don't think Aaron Beck or Albert Ellis or Martin Seligman has ever used that term. I even looked at the TV tropes page for the damsel in distress but drew a blank there as well.
Surely some astute scholar has something informative on this like Perseus complex or Persephone syndrome? Or perhaps I have had a messed up existence because I have actually seen this dynamic occur more than two times in real world people in my environment?
It doesn't perfectly match the scenarios in PKD's books, but the general term for those who develop romantic feelings for those they're caring for is the Florence Nightingale effect.
posted by eschatfische at 8:50 AM on February 11, 2012
posted by eschatfische at 8:50 AM on February 11, 2012
Generally, it sounds like helper syndrome (also heard saviour complex or similar).
posted by MinusCelsius at 9:33 AM on February 11, 2012
posted by MinusCelsius at 9:33 AM on February 11, 2012
Borderline, no doubt about it. The classic example is Pris Frauenzimmer in We Can Build You. She's abusive, a sexual tease and yet Louis Rosen still tries to help even though they wil never get together.
posted by Ironmouth at 10:01 AM on February 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ironmouth at 10:01 AM on February 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by michelle lightning at 8:32 AM on February 11, 2012