Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Space Cadets...


It's raining this morning. That's quite a change from the past dry spell which left most of us feeling like we were in a warp of some kind. Maybe a black hole? Worm hole?

What's that about space?

Yesterday, I heard the story of Lisa Nowak repeated many times and it got me thinking.

It has all the titillating elements of a bad novel. Stalking, love triangle, attempted murder, woman scorned, jealousy, on and on. Weird thing is the human heart. It is strange what we'll believe when it comes to "love" relationships.

And it's simply impossible for me to imagine how anyone could want something so badly that she'd drive 900 miles, wearing an adult diaper to avoid bathroom breaks, just to meet up with the "other woman" in Florida and confront her. Jealousy run amok. Emotions out of control.

I can honestly say that I have never craved another human being enough to commit a crime. I've never wanted a material object so much that I would be willing to commit a crime. There's something so inherently evil about craving to that degree.

Lisa Nowak is someone who seemingly "had it all". She's reasonably attractive, had an awesome job that very few can even dream about, three kids, a home and family. Yet she would sacrifice all of that for the attention of a man?

It seems apparent that she had some kind of mental breakdown, a psychotic episode. That, I absolutely believe. It's behavior so out-of-character for her (that we know of anyway) that it's apparent something went horribly wrong internally. It's the subtext that has me thinking.

I so completely have the right to have what I want, no matter who I hurt and no matter what I ruin in the process, that I can take these actions and they are justified.

Even a psychotic episode can't conceal the way we look at the world. Just listen to the rantings of any paranoid schizophrenic. A psychotic episode is an extrapolation of our fundamental way of looking at the world.

I can't wrap my mind around it.

Interesting topic. What say you?


Peace,


~Chani

20 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

I'd say she tipped over the edge.

LittlePea said...

Hmmm...I wanted to blog about this too-but I'm not a good enough writer. This had me thinking about the stupid things we do or let people do to us when we are in love. Some people just get innocent-silly-crazy like cutting their hair really short after a heartbreak or saying something embarassing in front of people. And then some people take a long stroll down Dark-Scary-I've- Completely-Lost-It-Street.
I had a really jealous-borderline stalker xboyfriend in my teens and I couldn't wrap my mind around that either.

LittlePea said...

I want to note that I don't think this woman is in love I was just talking about behavior when someone who is unstable thinks they are in love--I forgot to say that...you guys know what I mean:o)

Anonymous said...

I don't know...Out of character behavior can be just that...out of character. If she wasn't having this mental breakdown, she wouldn't have acted that way. When she recovers, she will probably suffer for the rest of her life for having done something that, if she were well, would have appalled her.

Lucia said...

It's a very interesting question, whether a psychotic episode amplifies what's in one's inner self. I wonder why the psychiatric field says about this. I think if I fell over the edge, I would likely not even think of harming anyone, but would withdraw into myself. I'd be hard pressed to believe I would go over the edge and drive to hurt anyone.

Anonymous said...

Well, I checked out the article you linked to your post. I must have stared at her mug shot a good five minutes. Her face is completely distorted by the madness within. Quite unsettling...I'm with you on this Chani, if you are to veer into madness, you will do so in a way that matches the content of your soul...

SuperP. said...

One can move outward from the self or inward. Everything good in the world teaches us to move outward, everything bad teaches us to move inward. She got too far in and lost all perspective is my guess. When you are that far inside and into your self, you are your own universe and your self-interested, self-absorbed, selfish perspective is your reality.

That's not psych classes speaking, though.. that's just my opinion.. based on my Christian faith.

Ginnie said...

Nothing anyone does surprises me anymore. The mind is a powerful instrument for good or for evil and it's way beyond me to figure it all out. The tragic part is when it affects an innocent 2nd party.

Hel said...

I once heard that the overwhelming feelings one experiences while pre-menstrual are merely the magnified version of feelings that are always present. The hormones are the magnifying glass.

Maybe a psychotic episode is another kind of magnifying glass?

meno said...

Whatever happened to her it is a sad and scary story. I guess she was probably beyond logic, but i wonder if she truly believed that getting rid of the rival would solve all her problems.

And the next thought is, what would push me over that edge and what would i do?

Heather Plett said...

Often when I read the news, I find myself thinking "oh how the mighty have fallen". It's rather remarkable how many times people who seem to have the world by the tail, and are at the pinnacle of their careers, do exceedingly stupid, self-destructive things. It seems like a variety of things happen - the power goes to their heads and they think they are invincible, the pressure of being in a position of power and prestige gets to be too much and they snap, or the little seeds of insanity that probably lie in each of us get amplified by the fame they've acquired.

QT said...

I wonder about it all too. I have a pretty bad temper, but I have never wanted to physically harm anyone, and I certainly couldn't sustain such a worked up state for a 12-15 hour drive! Nevermind the pre-planning, the purchasing of all the "equipment" to harm another human being. A crime of passion connotes acting in the heat of the moment with no time for reflection. I think she went a step further.

Gobody said...

I think she must be mentally unstable to go to that length to get "what-she-wants". If it was only a psychotic episode, I think a 900 miles drive might have sobered her!

Julie Pippert said...

I got nothin

She wasn't in love with the guy. She said.

I heard from those who know or think they do that the sex was known. There are no secrets in space. They said.

The diapers are the NASA issued ones (or so I heard) that they wear during take-off and landing.

I've tried to be understanding somehow but MY GOD she has KIDS and this is CRAZY (what did she plan with the knife, rubber hose, and BB gun?).

To sustain such an intense anger for such a distance all for want of WHAT??! is seriously needing help.

I hope she gets it.

And her poor family too.

dmmgmfm said...

Maybe too much pressure pushed her over the edge, but one thing I do know...one small step for Lisa and one giant leap backward for women everywhere. We'll never hear the end of it.

Anonymous said...

I think, sometimes that when you reach such a state of mental brilliance, that you tend to disconnect. I think it's a self protection mechanism because you cannot truly connect with people because they don't have the higher capacity of intellect.
So when we see so many brilliant thinkers who are just completely and utterly crazy. I think it may have been the case, for her.

Anonymous said...

May I quote “Brilliant.” words of someone;

“ A Grade-One teacher once asked her class "What is the biggest thing in the world?" One little girl answered "My daddy". A little boy said "An elephant", since he'd recently been to the zoo. Another girl suggested "A mountain". The six-year-old daughter of a close friend of mine replied, "My eye is the biggest thing in the world"! The class stopped. Even the teacher didn't understand her answer. So the little philosopher explained "Well, my eye can see her daddy, an elephant, and a mountain too. It can also see so much else. If all of that can fit into my eye, then my eye must be the biggest thing in the world"! Brilliant.

However, she was not quite right. The mind can see everything that one's eye can see, and it can also imagine so much more. It can also hear, smell, taste and touch, as well as think. In fact, everything that can be known can fit into the mind. Therefore, the mind must be the biggest thing in the world. Science's mistake is obvious now. The mind is not in the brain, nor in the body. The brain, the body and the rest of the world, are in the mind!”
And may I ask:

Can you truly understand opposite sex?

KC said...

I think she's 100% nutso.

It's strange but the naval academy has produced more than one psycho wronged-woman killer, and it's quite disturbing.

I just heard about this story today from JP. I had mentioned the words "poop" and "potty" in relation to Jolie and JP says, did you hear about latest news about the astronaut? I told him that if this had to do with an astronaut, poop and a potty, then I wasn't sure if it qualified as news.

Girlplustwo said...

If we weren't in crazed packing mode, I'd ask J to read and respond to this one b/c it's way more in his area than mine....but i do know this - i am always amazed at what people do when they feel so totally out of control. it's unstoppable, and incomprehensible.

but so very real. it all makes me feel sad, more than anything.

Pam said...

They say we only use about 10% of our brain. Who's to know what lurks in it's depths or what can happen when chemicals and hormones run amok. I'd like to think that if my mind spun off kilter my gentle, compassionate nature would prevent me from some horrible act. But who knows?

It's either a very sad situation or she is an actress of grand proportions.