I didn't really react to it as such when I watched it. (I thought the sequence was uncomfortable to watch, in a way, because Evil Abed was so ruthlessly tearing down Britta, but that's another thing entirely and was probably meant to be that way
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I think Evil-Abed is probably right to say that Britta wants to be a psychiatrist because it allows her to feel superior to others. But that's not true for every psychiatrist in the world, it's just true for Britta.
I understand your concerns about psychology being further delegitimized, especially knowing that delegitimization usually results in people dying and people with mental disabilities being further stigmatized. But I think Abed (and possibly Dan Harmon) have good reason to have grievances with the mental health industry. From what we saw in Abed's short documentary in season 1, he's been in the mental health system since he was a child--a time when he had no control over what manner of treatment (if any) he received. Now, as an adult, he might have those same fears about the loss of control over his mental health--which is why Evil Abed might have felt the need to tear down Britta when she was trying to use the authority of being a psych major to therapize him. By the end of the episode, Good Abed's realized that he needs help and arranges to get therapy from Britta, who doesn't have the totalizing control over him that a professional therapist would.
Both you and the commenter above reminded me of the scene at the end, and you've put it in a way that makes more sense than what I had thought. When Abed says that she has as little control over his brain than he did, I took it as a veiled insult, but when you put it in the context of Abed's experience, and the context of power instead of ability, it makes a whole lot more sense.
And as for the scene I posted, I was worried people'd just dismiss it as "Evil" Abed, which would be true, but wouldn't make it make any more sense - especially when I got the feeling - and you did too - that Evil Abed is what Abed feels/knows but knows is too hurtful to share.
I dunno, I know you know. lol, I just wanted to thank you for validating my worries first, then explaining - because I think I was more open to your opinion knowing you knew what I meant.
Pierce says lots of racist and homophobic things, and Jeff says lots of selfish and hateful things. Should we assume that what comes out of their mouths are Dan Harmon's personal philosophies... ?
I think I made it quite clear in my post that I wasn't assuming anything, and even in cases where I had an educated reason to suppose something, I was still doubting that.
But you bring up a good question. I've always been curious as to how much of the characters are the likeness of a writer. AND how conscious are they of that?
I think playing Britta up as a totally incompetent psychologist actually shows the importance and validity of 'training.' It was stated several times over the course of the season that she wasn't qualified to be doing what she was doing (and frankly, anyone who thinks it's okay to try and therepize their emotionally unstable friend after one year of study should be kicked out of the program).
Anyway, point being, they aren't trying to delegitimize psychology. They're playing it for laughs, the same way they play everyone's weaknesses and idiosyncracies for laughs
That line really bothered me. Because and I dont know if Harmon believes this or not but I think Evil Abed had all the insight of Abed and took it to a dark place, using it for evil. So I think his words were supposed to be "truth" but ugly truth. and honestly i felt like it was not an apt description of britta, without doubt britta tries to be way more hip and interesting than she is. which is a funny flaw about her. but i always got the impression that like jeff she had a shitty dad, and some abuse in her past and thats the reason she was so bitter and doesnt like herself. Like britta's self destructiveness has been addressed on numerous occasions and since all other humans are not self destructive or damaged it didnt make sense to just reduce britta to being a nilla wafer. Britta may secretly be very bland and dorky, just like Jeff is a huge diva/drama queen beneath his cool devil may care facade. But she's not average/normal. She's obviously a troubled person. they all were in one way or another until they met each other. I feel
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I think the difference between Britta and Jeff is that Jeff's daddy issues are all very clear and out in the open because he's really beginning to wrestle with them instead of avoid them. He isn't ashamed of his issues. He's just angry. Britta's first instinct is to hide her weaknesses - the "cool" facade, pretending not to be bothered by people's reactions to baggle. And this last season, I think the group really accepted her as the one who screws up, and she got to see that they love her anyways. She can sing her awkward heart's song and not be dumped on. If Harmon were able to continue the show, I think we would've seen that turn into genuine self-esteem and confidence.
Maybe we'll still get that, maybe we won't. Friggin' corporations.
I think Evil Abed is spot on. The way I see it is that he's perceptively pointing out the fact that Britta's not black, fat, ugly, disabled, gay etc which means she's never been marginalized. He's not saying that her personality is boring or uninteresting, just that Britta's life is easy/normal/boring in that she's never had to face adversity.
What makes Britta so troubled/interesting is how desperately she wants to resist her own averageness to the point that she is most attracted to destructive people and seems to need to make a difference in the world. All of this is extensively explored (a hell of a lot more than Jeff's daddy issues) within the show , for example in Urban Matrimony and the Sanwich Arts as well as Geography of Global Conflict.
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I understand your concerns about psychology being further delegitimized, especially knowing that delegitimization usually results in people dying and people with mental disabilities being further stigmatized. But I think Abed (and possibly Dan Harmon) have good reason to have grievances with the mental health industry. From what we saw in Abed's short documentary in season 1, he's been in the mental health system since he was a child--a time when he had no control over what manner of treatment (if any) he received. Now, as an adult, he might have those same fears about the loss of control over his mental health--which is why Evil Abed might have felt the need to tear down Britta when she was trying to use the authority of being a psych major to therapize him. By the end of the episode, Good Abed's realized that he needs help and arranges to get therapy from Britta, who doesn't have the totalizing control over him that a professional therapist would.
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Both you and the commenter above reminded me of the scene at the end, and you've put it in a way that makes more sense than what I had thought. When Abed says that she has as little control over his brain than he did, I took it as a veiled insult, but when you put it in the context of Abed's experience, and the context of power instead of ability, it makes a whole lot more sense.
And as for the scene I posted, I was worried people'd just dismiss it as "Evil" Abed, which would be true, but wouldn't make it make any more sense - especially when I got the feeling - and you did too - that Evil Abed is what Abed feels/knows but knows is too hurtful to share.
I dunno, I know you know. lol, I just wanted to thank you for validating my worries first, then explaining - because I think I was more open to your opinion knowing you knew what I meant.
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But I'll also add, Abed's resisted therapy from Britta before. So this does fit in with what we know about him.
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But you bring up a good question. I've always been curious as to how much of the characters are the likeness of a writer. AND how conscious are they of that?
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Anyway, point being, they aren't trying to delegitimize psychology. They're playing it for laughs, the same way they play everyone's weaknesses and idiosyncracies for laughs
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Maybe we'll still get that, maybe we won't. Friggin' corporations.
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What makes Britta so troubled/interesting is how desperately she wants to resist her own averageness to the point that she is most attracted to destructive people and seems to need to make a difference in the world. All of this is extensively explored (a hell of a lot more than Jeff's daddy issues) within the show , for example in Urban Matrimony and the Sanwich Arts as well as Geography of Global Conflict.
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