One flew over the cuckoo's nest

Wow, excellent sig pic.

 

i love that book. its my favorite book.

 

Its my favourite book too. Its psychadelic, anarchistic and very insane. Its inspiring and so funny. Everyone should read it.

Kesey got the inspiration for writing from the point of view of a schizophrenic after participating in LSD experiments in a mental hospital.

 

The only problem with it is that it's a bit dated, through no fault of its own, because systems change. Don't get me wrong, it's one of my favourite novels, but there's no substitute for the real thing. Everyone should get the chance of being institutionalized, it's an extraordinary experience, and you won't have to work.

 

Wow,that is some bold advice.Get yourself locked up,strapped into a straight-jacket,drugged into shuffling zombiehood,and electro-shocked until you can't remember most of your teen-age years.There's just no substitute for it!

 

i worked as a psychiatric aide at the wyoming mental hospital in the 70's, it was just like "one flew over the cockoo's nest". so much abuse to the patients, kept everyone so drugged up and they also did electric shock treatments, quit an experience, very scarry stuff.
angel

 

They still give shock treatments. They do it in such a manner that it does not cause a generalized seizure but they are fairly common. It takes two docs 10 minutes to do one and the insurance company will pay a lot more for a "treatment" than they will for "just talking". Also some patients, who have had them on and off for years, swear that they are the only treatment that helps, however, the post above is correct, it does have a major effect on folks memory. They are supposed to be used as a treatment of last resort. But some "shock docs" do them on almost anyone that walks in the door. You have to, at least in my state, have two docs sign for shock on anyone younger than 18 but that is about as much protection as getting a second opinion from a partner in your docs office.

 

One thing I don't understand. If electric shock has a negative effect on memory, why do government agencies use them to interrogate spies and political prisoners? If I was caught by the CIA and they did that to me, I would say: "Well, I was going to tell you everything, but now you've fried all my brain cells, so I can't remember. You see? You should have just asked first. Simple manners. Very important that."

 

I think you are confusing running electric currents through the brain (shock treatment) with running them through the genitals or nipples (torture). Pain caused by electrical shock will not affect the memory. Running a current through the brain will.

 

You're right. I never thought of that. I tend to confuse those two organs

 

That was so wonderfully witty white scorpion

 

A beautiful read. McMurphy is such a wonderful character. I try to add a bit of McMurphy into my life every once in a while by following his 4 gospels.
1. Serial Fornification
2. Gambling (Risk taking)
3. Laughing
4. Resisting Authority

There is so much wonderful imagery and symbolism in the book.

Comon, when he was lying on the EST table in the shape of a cross with the electric crown on his head (thorns anyone?).

 

one of my favorite books. i love the way kesey writes. i did research on him after reading One Flew..for school and i got so interested in him and the merry pranksters. im dying to read the electric kool-aid acid test.

 

I liked it. The ending was a bit sad. Get the version that has Ken Kesesy's(sp?) drawings in it. They were intresting to look at.