This journal is, like Angela said in hers, kind of difficult for me. I had to type things into Google like “Why bibliotherapy does not work” and “Negative effects of bibliotherapy” and scan a couple pages of results to find specific arguments against it. In the end, the one that I think is the biggest issue (which Alissa has actually discussed with me in class and via the blogs) is the act of reading itself. Obviously, if the child/adolescent does not like to read, this type of therapy will probably not be effective.
However, I think it is important to identify that assuming that all of these adolescents being placed into this therapy do not enjoy reading is a fallacy – a hasty generalization. This generalization seems pretty easy to make – it seems as though many children/adolescents are so focused on the technological world that the literary world is lost to them, while others simply, from a very early age, dislike reading. It may be even easier to make if the person looking at the act of bibliotherapy disliked “required” reading as a child/adolescent (sorry, Alissa, for picking on you!) However, I doubt (although I may be wrong) that many people who know that their child does not like to read would see bibliotherapy as a useful tool. Therefore, this hasty generalization could be that a majority (or all) of these children/adolescents do not like to read or would not receive any benefit from it, or even the opposite idea, that bibliotherapy will work for everyone. This, too, can especially be a fallacy – that it can work for everyone, regardless of his/her inclination to read.
This, then, ties into the idea of a false dilemma – that bibliotherapy either has to work for everyone or it does not work at all. As Rottenberg explains, “the false dilemma reflects the simplification of a complex problem.” Bibliotherapy, like any other form of therapy, is a complex and multifaceted process. To say that it either works for everyone or no one is to simplify this process to an extreme. Because people are unique and learn in different ways, understand certain things more than others, and experience/handle their emotions differently, any kind of therapy must be prepared to be complex in order to serve a wide range of people.
You were supposed to type in “why bibliotherapy sucks” not why it doesn’t work! But I’m glad you were still able to find results :) I agree with the example you gave for a hasty generalization, and I think your point about not all students enjoying reading is important. There are numerous other therapy options, and I think finding the right one for each individual patient is important. I think the point you made about reading taking a back seat in this technological driven world is important, and I think that’s why it’s so important for parents to read to their children when they’re younger, to instill good habits. I think a hasty generalization could be therapy in general, and that therapy can cure any issue. I know plenty of people who have tried therapy, and it hasn't worked, perhaps because they weren't using the right ‘type’ of therapy.
ReplyDeleteThe other fallacy you mentioned, false dilemma, works really well with your argument. Bibliotherapy is indeed a very complex process, and it’s hard to judge just how much it works for each person. It could have a huge impact, or a minor one because people learn in different ways, like you said, just like different therapies work for different people.
Great post!
In addition to the other marvelous points you raise, the primacy of our cultural privileging of the text might be an important avenue to pursue...
ReplyDeletei think you make a strong comaprision within your two fallacies and the reasonigng is very cleary stated. One question i have is, though it is not mentioned in your journal, do you think bibliotherapy would prodice an ad hominem? fallacy? it is not the therapy but the person using the therapy? we talking in my psychology class about how the skills, knowledge, and integry have to be put in effect when doing any form of evaluation or therap and i was wondering if that is something that could come into play in this technique. thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteYou raised a good point that if children do not like to read, bibliotherapy will not work. I think that it is also safe to say that if children, or anyone for that matter, are forced to read something, they will be miserable and not get any enjoyment out of the reading and the therapy will not work. I like how you concluded you journal by saying that ANY kind of therapy can be and is complex depending on the recipients of the therapy. How can people say that bibliotherapy does not work if they do not give it a try? I personally feel that it is a good idea and that people should be open to using books as a tool to understand themselves and cope with issues.
ReplyDeleteAngela, you crack me up! I also feel that it is important for children to be read to and that although technology is great, reading is great too! (Does that make me sound too nerdy?) :)
ReplyDeleteI swear technology hates me! This thing asked me like a good fifty times if I was a robot before it would let me post anything.....ha
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