The present work analyzes the exploitation of dissociative identity disorder (DID) through the entertainment industry, with a special focus on the depiction of DID in the TV series "Mr. Robot".
Human mankind is known to be easy to bribe, but the impact these corrupt actions have on people are almost always blinded out. This also happens in the film industry where topics get exploited and distorted to make them as interesting as possible. In the end, little remains of the truth, but the spectator often does not know that and takes what is shown on screen as reality. This has also happened to a disease called "dissociative identity disorder". A high percentage of people are not even aware of this disease, and when they see it in movies or series they either believe it to be fantasy or they stick to the depiction given by the film, without even going further into the topic. As the depiction of the afflicted people is often one of a crazy, uncontrollable or ridiculous split personality, like in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", dating back to 1886, and in movies like "Psycho", "Fight Club", "Me myself and Irene" and many more, it can have a huge negative impact on people with DID.
To undo these movies which have already been created is impossible, but we still have the present to change people’s minds and lives. Therefore, it is important to examine everything that appears on television about this topic, and as "Mr. Robot" is a fairly new series and a third season will be aired in future, the question arises if this series too has been exploiting and distorting DID for the sake of entertainment; hence, this is the question this paper is aimed to answer. In order to properly analyze "Mr. Robot", first a detailed definition of dissociative identity disorder will be given to understand what DID is really all about. Secondly, an examination about two fairly recent examples of the exploitation of DID will follow to make sure the reader of this paper understands how reckless the filming industry can sometimes be. The last chapter will exclusively be about the series "Mr. Robot" and its depiction of dissociative identity disorder, following the topic question.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. DID: Definition, causes and therapy
3. DID in movies
3.1 United States of Tara
3.2 Split
4. DID in Mr. Robot
4.1 Elliot Alderson’ personality
4.2 Symptoms
4.3 Origin of DID
4.4 The switch
4.5 The alters
4.6 Therapy
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines whether the television series Mr. Robot provides a realistic and ethical portrayal of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), or if it merely exploits the condition for entertainment purposes. By comparing the series against clinical definitions and other media examples, the author seeks to determine if popular media contributes to the stigmatization of individuals suffering from DID.
- Analysis of the clinical definition, triggers, and therapeutic approaches for Dissociative Identity Disorder.
- Critique of the entertainment industry's tendency to distort DID through stereotypes.
- Evaluation of United States of Tara and Split as comparative examples of DID representation.
- Detailed investigation of the character Elliot Alderson’s behavior, symptoms, and switches in Mr. Robot.
- Assessment of the importance of accurate media representation to reduce social stigma.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Split
One might think that people would become wiser with time passing, but here we are, January 2017, with yet another movie about dissociative identity disorder whose trailer suggests it will be as misleading as other have been. But is it really?
In general, I personally enjoyed watching the movie, as 81% of the audience rating on rottentomatoes.com apparently did. Nevertheless, this could be due to the fact that at that point I already had read several articles about DID and I was constantly analyzing the movie for major mistakes.
But let’s start with the realistic parts. The main character, Kevin Wendell Crumb, had a trauma in his early childhood, from which on he developed 23 personalities. Once a week, he visits his psychologist, who seems to really care about her patients and tries hard to make “normal” people get to know this disease. In a conference she holds, she explains that it is not necessarily wrong to have multiple identities, as it has been a reaction of the body to protect the person. As much as I could follow, all the information she gives are true; even the example of the blind woman whose alters gained sight gets mentioned.
Sadly, in some points, the movie gives wrong information too. For example, Kevin Wendell Crumb changes clothes each time he switches into another alter. This representation, which was already to be seen in United States of Tara, is not true in any case, which leads to the second point: not all alters are so different in personality, one could rather describe it as an overlapping of features (Kreece 2017). These small mistakes wouldn’t be of such a graveness if other examples of DID patients were shown, but sadly this is not the case in this movie.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter highlights how the film industry frequently exploits and distorts mental health topics, specifically DID, leading to negative social impacts and misconceptions.
2. DID: Definition, causes and therapy: The chapter provides a clinical overview of the symptoms, origins (typically childhood trauma), and the therapeutic process required for individuals living with DID.
3. DID in movies: This section explores how DID is used as a narrative device in cinema and introduces the comparative analysis of the series United States of Tara and the movie Split.
3.1 United States of Tara: The analysis focuses on how this series captures the struggles of living with DID while criticizing its reliance on stereotypical, caricature-like portrayals of alters.
3.2 Split: This chapter evaluates the movie's portrayal of DID, acknowledging its realistic psychological references while strongly criticizing its dangerous depiction of the condition as a villainous, supernatural force.
4. DID in Mr. Robot: The chapter outlines the methodology used to analyze the accuracy of the series Mr. Robot, utilizing observational research and established clinical grids to evaluate the protagonist's depiction.
4.1 Elliot Alderson’ personality: The chapter examines the personality traits of the protagonist, noting his social anxiety and distrust, and compares them with real-world patient experiences.
4.2 Symptoms: This section investigates the realistic presentation of amnesia and self-harm in the series, while differentiating between clinical symptoms and dramatized hallucinations.
4.3 Origin of DID: The chapter explores the character's childhood trauma and how the series connects these traumatic events to the development of his dissociative disorder.
4.4 The switch: The author analyzes how the series portrays the "switching" mechanism, praising the director's subtle approach to the internal struggles of the character.
4.5 The alters: This section investigates the role of the alters, including the narrator-viewer relationship, and the character's efforts to keep his condition secret.
4.6 Therapy: The chapter evaluates the realistic depiction of the patient-therapist relationship, emphasizing the significance of communication and boundary-setting in treatment.
5. Conclusion: The thesis concludes that Mr. Robot represents a significant improvement in the media portrayal of DID compared to other works, though it still recommends showing a wider variety of DID cases.
6. Bibliography: A comprehensive list of academic sources, patient-authored blogs, and medical websites used for the study.
Keywords
Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID, Mr. Robot, Media Representation, Psychiatry, Trauma, Mental Health, Clinical Definition, Psychotherapy, Stigma, Amnesia, Identity Switching, Entertainment Industry, Patient Care, Psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines whether the television series Mr. Robot accurately portrays the clinical reality of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or if it distorts the condition for dramatic effect.
What are the primary themes discussed in the study?
Key themes include the clinical nature of DID, the impact of media stereotypes on public perception, the ethics of representing mental health, and the importance of professional psychiatric consulting in television production.
What is the central research question?
The author seeks to answer whether the entertainment industry, specifically through the series Mr. Robot, exploits and distorts the symptoms and experience of individuals living with DID.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author uses a comparative analysis approach, evaluating the series against medical literature (such as the DSM and studies by Loewenstein and Gentile/Dillon) and creating custom analytical grids to categorize the accuracy of on-screen behaviors.
What content is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers a definition of DID, a comparative critique of United States of Tara and Split, and a multi-part analysis of Elliot Alderson's symptoms, origins of trauma, switching patterns, and therapeutic progress in Mr. Robot.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The study is characterized by terms such as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), mental health stigma, media representation, psychiatric treatment, and media ethics.
How does the author evaluate the "car metaphor" used in Mr. Robot?
The author considers the car metaphor for DID—describing the feeling of being in a "driver's seat" vs. the "trunk"—to be a realistic and well-executed representation of the internal switching process within the show.
Does the author believe the show encourages harmful misconceptions?
While the author criticizes the lack of diverse DID representations, they conclude that Mr. Robot is a "big step ahead" of other media and actively tries to portray the illness with greater accuracy and sensitivity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Stefanie Dalvai (Autor:in), 2017, Exploitation of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) through the Entertainment Industry, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/456408
