To what extent should we disregard our prejudices against the mentally ill?

Question

Considering that they ARE often less likely to make good employees for example.

Would you hire a clinically schizophrenic accountant?

Do I need to reiterate the distinction between often and always?

A.G.:
So you have that list of bipolar people from what source? Some of those people were dead before the word bipolar came into existence. So who did the diagnosis? Some Shnoob who wanted more material for his book?

Ms. Moral Highground
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prejudice :
"Prejudice is, as the name implies, the process of "pre-judging" something. It implies coming to a judgment on a subject before learning where the preponderance of evidence actually lies, or forming a judgment without direct experience."

Realize that prejudice is inescapable, discrimination on the basis of false prejudice is what we should try to avoid.

Answer 1

That is a ridiculous statement. The Mentally and physically ill are not always stupid or irresponsible. Prejudice of any kind is ridiculous too.


As a person who has worked with many disabled people (including both mental and physical) I must say that just because people have issues does not mean that it would lessen their capabilities or that you would even know that they had issues. You are right prejudice is something that we all have and that we should over come. I think the point is if you don't disregard mental illness then at what point do you disregard illness. Would you hire a person who is an Epileptic? You would not know that they had seizure disorder unless they said something or you witnessed a seizure. Are they any less likely to be able to perform the job as the next? I have worked with teachers, nurses, doctors, and police officers who have "mental illness". I am not trying to slam you so please don't take offense, you asked and I gave my honest opinion.

Answer 2

not some thing, besides the indisputable fact that.... My neighbour is a care interior the community affected man or woman and every12 months (like clockwork) comes to a decision to end taking his meds. my spouse and that i stay in a flat the position the basically different householder is this guy, his the front door is 5 ft from mine. He has smashed up his personal door and flat back and back, thrown our property down the steps, pushed stuff with the help of our letter field, defecated in communal gardens..... the record is countless. I artwork nights and my spouse is 5' tall. we've positioned a chain on the door that's thick sufficient to tie a bear to a post and we've a hatchet fantastic interior the hallway. we were instructed he will never be moved because of his rights, we also understand he does not artwork and receives over £three hundred a week in reward, even although he lives on my own. I have not some thing antagonistic to the mentally sick, I choose this guy all the superb and desire he's in the destiny nicely. I do besides the indisputable fact that experience he might want to not be right here, the position he's a probability to himself and us ( the police were right here 11 circumstances this 3 hundred and sixty 5 days, that's basically would, and he has spent 6 weeks in medical institution). In answer for your question, I have a very low opinion of the CARE this guy receives, not of him.

Answer 3

Offering the opportunity is the best we can do for anyone, whether mentally capable of handling the task at hand or not.

Some one that is classified as ill should not be employed in a regular work force and be expected to perform the same duties. Some one that is classified as mentally challenged should be placed in a position that they are capable of doing.

Same goes for all aspects of life except, we must continue to seek advancing, where possible, those that are said to have mental issues.

One question that should always be considered: How do we know they are mentally challenged and not us?

Answer 4

That's a difficult question to answer, especially if your an employer and want to be politically correct, (or just to give someone a chance) ! Some jobs can be done just as well if not better (depending on the individual) by someone with a physical/mental disability!

But to employ a person with a disability, that just is'nt up to the job is going to be bad for business!

Answer 5

You should not have any prejudice towards mentally ill people, thats just terrible. It's not like they chose to be mentally ill. That's like being prejudice against someone that has blue or brown eyes. All prejudices are a disgusting thing. Prejudice spews forth from the ignorant, plain and simple.

Answer 6

How can you say that the mentally ill are any worse employees than the physically ill? If we didn't employee people with disabilities we would be putting an additional burden on the stated/local and federal government because they would have to be on welfare, etc. Plus, mentally ill people can usually control their disease w/ meds...just like someone w/ high blood pressure would take meds.
People w/ mental illness do have a lot to offer the world. Here is a list of famous people w/ Bipolar...you'll be suprised who is on this list.

Buzz Aldrin, astronaut
Lionel Aldridge
Hans Christian Andersen
Ned Beatty
Robert Boorstin, assistant to Pres. Clinton,
Arthur Benson, writer
William Blake (1757-1827), poet
Ralph Blakelock, artist
Napoleon Bonaparte
Tadeusz Borowski
Art Buchwald
Tim Burton, movie director
Drew Carey, actor
Jim Carrey, actor
Dick Cavett
C.E. Chaffin, writer, poet
Agatha Christie
Winston Churchill
John Clare, poet
Rosemary Clooney
Francis Ford Coppola
Patricia Cornwell, writer
Richard Dadd
John Daly
John Davidson
Edward Dayes
Ray Davies
Emily Dickinson
Kitty Dukakis
Patty Duke
Thomas Eagleton
T S Eliot
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Robert Evans
Carrie Fisher
Edward FitzGerald

Robert Frost
F Scott Fitzgerald
Larry Flynt
Connie Francis, actor, musician
Sigmund Freud, physician
Cary Grant, actor
Kaye Gibbons, writer
Shecky Greene, comedian, actor
Linda Hamilton, actor
Kristin Hersh, musician
Victor Hugo, Poet
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Jack London, author
Robert Lowell, poet
Marilyn Monroe, actress
Mozart, composer
Jay Marvin, radio personality, writer
Kevin McDonald, comedian, actor
Kristy McNichol, actor
Dimitri Mihalas, scientist
Kate Millett, writer, artist
Spike Milligan, comic actor, writer
John Mulheren, financier (U.S.)
Robert Munsch, writer
Ilie Nastase, athlete (tennis), politician
Isaac Newton, scientist
Margo Orum, writer
Nicola Pagett, actor
J C Penney
Plato, philosopher, according to Aristotle
Edgar Allen Poe, author
Jimmie Piersall, athlete, sports announcer
Charley Pride, musician
Mac Rebennack (Dr. John), musician
Jeannie C. Riley, musician
Phil Graham, owner, Washington Post
Graham Greene, writer

Peter Gregg, team owner, race car driver
Abbie Hoffman, writer, political activist
Lynn Rivers, U.S. Congress
Francesco Scavullo, artist, photographer
Lori Schiller, writer, educator
Frances Sherwood, writer
Scott Simmie, writer, journalist
Alonzo Spellman, athlete (football)
Muffin Spencer-Devlin, athlete (pro golf)
Gordon Sumner (Sting), musician, composer
St Francis
St John
St Theresa
Rod Steiger, film maker
Robert Louis Stevenson
Liz Taylor, actor
J.M.W. Turner
Mark Twain, author
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, poet
Ted Turner, entrepreneur, media giant
Jean-Claude Van Damme, athlete, actor
Vincent van Gogh
Mark Vonnegut, doctor, writer
Sol Wachtler, judge, writer
Tom Waits, musician, composer
Walt Whitman, poet
Tennessee Williams, author
Brian Wilson, musician (Beach Boys), composer
Jonathan Winters, comedian, actor, writer, artist
Luther Wright, athlete (basketball)
Margot Kidder, actor
Robert E Lee, soldier
Bill Liechtenstein, producer (TV & radio)
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), US President
Daniel Johnston, musician
Samuel Johnson, poet
Burgess Meredith, 1908-1997, actor, director


EDIT:
Here is the source: http://www.bipolarsupport.org/famous.html

Secondly, bipolar disorder isn't something that is that easily diagnosed even with the person sitting right in front of you. There are no blood draws to take and say "oh, well your bipolar levels are up". And, plus there are enough living ones on the list to get the point, okay?

Answer 7

Are you making a distiction between menatlly ill and mentally retarded?

Many mentally ill people hide their problems from the world. So you wouldn't even know that they had severe depression or schizophenia. You wouldn't even know to be prejudiced.

Answer 8

if it is basic work, then I think special needs people are equally qualified, and should not be discriminated against.