Are Women, People of Color, Asians, and Southern Europeans Inherently Inferior To North-European Males? - A History of Biological Determinism - A Cultural, Spiritual, and Intellectual Disgrace

Behavior analysis biological_determinism

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[Dick Malott]

Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 11:28 AM

Dear Dick:

I read your paper today over my morning cup of coffee. I really enjoyed it and I'm pleased that someone in our field is also concerned about biological determinism and, more specifically, the pharmaceutical industry.

I recently read Marcia Angell's: "The truth about the drug companies". It gave me nightmares. Seriously. I would wake up at 2:30am in a panic saying to myself: "We are SO in deep shit!"

I've taken an intense interest in this topic, not only because I work with psychiatrist and neurologists who believe they invented the brain, but because the pharmaceutical industry dominates all aspects of our infrastructure. Papers, such as yours, are potential sources of conflict for them. KEEP WRITING 'EM!.

I've written some myself that not only irked local physicians here in Denver. I've attached my "original "guest commentary to the Denver Post, mainly for you to read (and hopefully enjoy) the fact that it was comical but I was fairly serious. Then, if time permits, go to my website (www.jeffkupfer.com), click on links and review the reprint from CCBS and see what actually made it to the Post after the editor got to it. You'll note that the funniest lines were removed which would have told the reader it was satire. I caught all sorts of crap from local physicians who completely missed the point and, consequently, drew wider attention to my article. It was reprinted in newspapers, and radio stations as far as Canada interviewed me to ask my opinion of drug treatment and overprescribing. Boy, talk about a great opportunity for behavior analysts to get the word out...

Funny how things work out but it confirmed my mantra that I adopted working with Ed Malagodi: We ought to be writing and publishing outside of mainstream ABA, and put ourselves into the general public. To this end, I've just completed my first novel, Aspen Fall, a very twisted thriller. You can read the synopsis on my website. I'm currently seeking an agent and preparing for publication. I've handed off a copy to Murray Sidman for review, primarily because the book details stimulus equivalency as the tool for uncovering the secret behind the murder (and to give Murray peace of mind since one of the characters is based on him). I will also be sending a copy to Hank Pennypacker to review on his vacation in July, simply because Hank always supported my "tangential operant behavior."

Malagodi used to tell us that the behavior-analytic community ought to be set up as if Jack Findley had designed it: make it multi-operant. This is why I've enjoyed much of your work. Sense of humor goes far in our culture and there is just too little of that in our happy ABA community. Anyway.... cudos on your paper and I hope it really pisses people off. BTW, if you'd like to preview a copy of Aspen Fall, I'd be happy to pass it your way.

Best,
Jeff Kupfer