Lonely Mal
POSTED BY: beatupplenty
UPDATED: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 15:14
VIEWED: 6590
PAGE 5 of 5
i dunno...characterizing it as a disorder means that it can be cured. it means that mal can be made...better...and i do not hold to that ;)
will wade through the thread in the interests of being disagreeable. perhaps necromancy is in order!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bytemite:
Thing is, the fact that Mal still has remnants of being decent, funny, and able to encourage/comfort people instead of bully strongly suggests he didn't have a personality change, but rather developed a disorder.
Anyone who wants to read the thread, it's a long one, but I think some pretty good arguments are made.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=17&t=37331Quote:
"Gender Differences in the Presentation of PTSD:
There are also differences between men and women in the presentation of PTSD. Women are more likely to have symptoms of numbing and avoidance and men are more likely to have the associated features of irritability and impulsiveness.
So, it's not just jumpiness.
Well, in a society so quick to put labels on someone/something, PTSD could be an option for Mal. However, based on what I've seen of him, I don't think he meets DSM diagnosis, though (nor do I...we just joke that I have PTSD).
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"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
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See, this is what I don't like about labels. Calling it PTSD means he must have X symptoms and need Y treatment, and that's completely beside the point.
Mal's been through a dark time and it changed him. It made him less happy, less able to do the things he'd like to do. I think that series Mal could be "improved" in the sense that he could regain control of his own will. That's what the movie is about. River is the trigger that makes him overcome some of his own BS, own his beliefs, and get back into the good fight.
As I see it, it's really not more complicated than that.
Labels suck.
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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left
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Quote:"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." --Jane Austen
Originally posted by mincingbeast:
Folks assume that if you aren't presently hunting for someone to pair off with, or paired off, then you are a fucked up wretch and must weep your loneliness into your pillow every night.
becomes:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single sci-fi hero in possession of smoldering sexiness must be in want of true love."
I'm down with the irony. Thing is, my ideas of Mal's messed-up-ness are not based on his romantic life. Or lack thereof.
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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left
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Quote:
Originally posted by beatupplenty:
The captain always gets the girls. But I don't recall Mal actually ever getting any. Did he? Did I forget something already?
Beatupplenty
Don't forget! Kissin' girls makes Mal sleepy!
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