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Proactivism or common sense?

Kai on February 19th, 2007

Since the release of Pictures in the Dark, we’ve had lots of praise and encouragement for our work as ‘proactive’ bi-polarbears.  But I’m wondering if what we’re being praised for is actually proactivism, or just simple common sense.

I’m 28 – I turned 28 last November.  I’ve got the common sense of a puppy in a new house.  I love to explore everything.  But even *I* know that if something feels wrong, you should look into it.  That’s common sense.

If someone tells you that bipolar disorder is bad, and that its contagious, that its what serial killers all have – why do people swallow this, and automatically shun others because of it?  Where’s the common sense?

Proactivity in any community involves taking a stand and challenging anything that seems wrong – bipolar disorder, for example, IS controlable, with meds or otherwise.  We’re productive, valuable – RARE members of society.  A bipolar with thier disorder in control, that’s comfortable to them, is a great and amazing thing.  Look at Spike Milligan – Ben Stiller -  Picasso and Da Vinci (admittedly, the last was only suggested as being bipolar).  We pay the price of our brilliance in mood swings, and though our currency is tears and days without sleep, I’ll be the first to say that its a good life.  It would be better if people would stop asking whether I was normal or not, and wouldn’t I love to function like a ‘normal’ human being.

I am normal.  I’m normal for me.  Being bipolar makes me no less ‘normal’ or no less valid than others – just means I relate to the world around me in a differnet way.

And that isn’t proactivism – its common sense.

Read More Comments (1) D Kai Wilson, Mental wellness, Op-eds