THE BOY CAN'T HELP IT
The Boy Can’t Help It, BBC1, 9.00PM, 27.02.02
Tourettes syndrome, as this programme explains, is a neurological illness, as opposed to a psychological one. The difference between the two is that the first is wholly due to a defect of the nervous system, but the second has to do with the mind. Confusing the two is very common, and many have no concept whatsoever of these illnesses, their effects and treatments, except when someone close to them is a sufferer. In the documentary, Greg’s mother draws attention to the popular ignorance about Tourettes Syndrome, by admitting to the fact that she has never heard of the illness before her son became a sufferer. There are overlapping areas of behaviour, and also the definition of ‘inappropriate behaviour’. This lies at the heart of most neurological and psychological problems, (and sometimes ‘improper behaviour’, whenever notions of illness overlap with public morality).
The first time this reviewer had heard of this ‘illness’ was in relation to the composer Mozart. From the strings of abusive and occasionally hilarious phrases, epithets and so on used in the composer’s letters, modern biographers of the composer have conjectured that he must have suffered from Tourette’s syndrome. It was very surprising that no mention of this was made in the programme, for Mozart is, indeed, posited by some as the greatest genius in history. Nor was any attempt made to put Tourettes Syndrome in historical context by contrasting the social treatment of Tourettes Syndrome with neurological and psychological maladies such as manic-depression or schizophrenia.
For all that the programme was refreshing and essentially human, focusing on two sufferers, John and Greg, who both illuminate us with their differing actions, reactions, sufferings, and, of course, hopes. John is a nice Scottish lad with a pleasantly Scottish sense of humour and stoicism in the face of his illness. Greg is much younger, over-coming the anxiety - because he is clearly anxious about his own behaviour - of facing up to the fact that he is now different, and demonstrating hope, courage and stoic grace.
There are also ‘experts’ and a commentary by a BBC journalist. The style of the documentary is very downbeat, in fact it appears styleless, and clearly gains a lot from hand held cameras and seamless direction and editing. A great deal of effort is expended by the producers attempting to catch the sufferers suffering their malady, but after a while one gets a bit bored with shots of John shouting out ‘bloody fuck’ or ‘knickers’. These are, in fact, things that lots of people shout out, people who will never be diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, people who shout these things out because they are funny/inappropriate/ mad, and in places where they will never be caught, or thought to be odd. Because the sufferers from Tourettes Syndrome cannot control their ‘illness’, they do these things when they are not deemed appropriate, and this is the crux of this and other neurological and psychological problems. There are ‘experts’ - doctors, clinicians, surgeons - with a list of diagnosable attributes, but no known cure for the illness. Of course, society (I take this to mean the bulk of people who conform to an implausible but reassuring mode of normality, a bit like a crutch, this is imposed to some extent from above, but not entirely by the state or government, which also moves in tandem with the masses, if it needs to…) is the main problem in any disability, the ignorance, false notions of appropriateness and propriety. So, if the ‘illness’ is to be cured, then society must be cured of its ills. In fact, the notion of ‘cure’ is highly mis-leading, it posits a model of normality and conformity that few can hope to fit into. John realises that many of the rude and inappropriate things that he shouts out are sexist/racist/homophobic, and admits that he has no control over this aspect of his behaviour whatsoever. His attempts at chatting up girls in pubs are ruined by his behaviour, as are many other aspects of his social life. In effect, John is saying what he is thinking, whereas most streetwise and smart people like to deceive others as to their real intentions. In this sense, John’s candour, directness and frankness is refreshing. Society is so full of shams and fronts, it’s nice when someone just shouts out ‘bollocks’ as an arbitrary, amusing statement about the games of social proprieties that we play, but that we seldomly believe in very much.
The director might take more stock of the art of television and stop striving for such a down at heel, populist, documentary-type style. There is still much to be happy about, even if one does not have total motor control.
Tourettes syndrome, as this programme explains, is a neurological illness, as opposed to a psychological one. The difference between the two is that the first is wholly due to a defect of the nervous system, but the second has to do with the mind. Confusing the two is very common, and many have no concept whatsoever of these illnesses, their effects and treatments, except when someone close to them is a sufferer. In the documentary, Greg’s mother draws attention to the popular ignorance about Tourettes Syndrome, by admitting to the fact that she has never heard of the illness before her son became a sufferer. There are overlapping areas of behaviour, and also the definition of ‘inappropriate behaviour’. This lies at the heart of most neurological and psychological problems, (and sometimes ‘improper behaviour’, whenever notions of illness overlap with public morality).
The first time this reviewer had heard of this ‘illness’ was in relation to the composer Mozart. From the strings of abusive and occasionally hilarious phrases, epithets and so on used in the composer’s letters, modern biographers of the composer have conjectured that he must have suffered from Tourette’s syndrome. It was very surprising that no mention of this was made in the programme, for Mozart is, indeed, posited by some as the greatest genius in history. Nor was any attempt made to put Tourettes Syndrome in historical context by contrasting the social treatment of Tourettes Syndrome with neurological and psychological maladies such as manic-depression or schizophrenia.
For all that the programme was refreshing and essentially human, focusing on two sufferers, John and Greg, who both illuminate us with their differing actions, reactions, sufferings, and, of course, hopes. John is a nice Scottish lad with a pleasantly Scottish sense of humour and stoicism in the face of his illness. Greg is much younger, over-coming the anxiety - because he is clearly anxious about his own behaviour - of facing up to the fact that he is now different, and demonstrating hope, courage and stoic grace.
There are also ‘experts’ and a commentary by a BBC journalist. The style of the documentary is very downbeat, in fact it appears styleless, and clearly gains a lot from hand held cameras and seamless direction and editing. A great deal of effort is expended by the producers attempting to catch the sufferers suffering their malady, but after a while one gets a bit bored with shots of John shouting out ‘bloody fuck’ or ‘knickers’. These are, in fact, things that lots of people shout out, people who will never be diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, people who shout these things out because they are funny/inappropriate/ mad, and in places where they will never be caught, or thought to be odd. Because the sufferers from Tourettes Syndrome cannot control their ‘illness’, they do these things when they are not deemed appropriate, and this is the crux of this and other neurological and psychological problems. There are ‘experts’ - doctors, clinicians, surgeons - with a list of diagnosable attributes, but no known cure for the illness. Of course, society (I take this to mean the bulk of people who conform to an implausible but reassuring mode of normality, a bit like a crutch, this is imposed to some extent from above, but not entirely by the state or government, which also moves in tandem with the masses, if it needs to…) is the main problem in any disability, the ignorance, false notions of appropriateness and propriety. So, if the ‘illness’ is to be cured, then society must be cured of its ills. In fact, the notion of ‘cure’ is highly mis-leading, it posits a model of normality and conformity that few can hope to fit into. John realises that many of the rude and inappropriate things that he shouts out are sexist/racist/homophobic, and admits that he has no control over this aspect of his behaviour whatsoever. His attempts at chatting up girls in pubs are ruined by his behaviour, as are many other aspects of his social life. In effect, John is saying what he is thinking, whereas most streetwise and smart people like to deceive others as to their real intentions. In this sense, John’s candour, directness and frankness is refreshing. Society is so full of shams and fronts, it’s nice when someone just shouts out ‘bollocks’ as an arbitrary, amusing statement about the games of social proprieties that we play, but that we seldomly believe in very much.
The director might take more stock of the art of television and stop striving for such a down at heel, populist, documentary-type style. There is still much to be happy about, even if one does not have total motor control.
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