In the introduction to The Pastoral Clinic, Angela Garcia writes, “A central theme in this book is how loss and mourning provide more than a metaphor for heroin addiction: they trace a kind of chronology, a temporality of it. They even provide a constitutive power for it (Garcia 2010:7)… Ultimately, my goal is to show how a desire for escape and its local forms (getting high, overdose, even suicide) delineate a set of vulnerabilities that are common and shared… (Garcia 2010:21).
What are the kinds of losses Garcia refers to in the quote above? How does she use Freud and his article, “Mourning and Melancholia,” to support her argument about addiction in the Espanola Valley and to explain the need to forget or to escape? Do you consider Garcia’s book a work of hauntology, and if so, why?
The Pastoral Clinic is a critique of a narrowly conceptualized medical model of addiction. Do you find the critique convincing? Why or why not?
Full Answer Section
Garcia's Book as a Work of Hauntology
Hauntology is a philosophical concept that refers to the way in which the past continues to haunt the present. Hauntology is often associated with the work of Jacques Derrida, who argued that the past is never fully present or absent. It is always hovering in the background, shaping the present in ways that we may not always be aware of.
Garcia's book can be considered a work of hauntology because it examines the ways in which the past haunts the lives of the heroin addicts in the Espanola Valley. The addicts are haunted by the losses that they have experienced, by the ghosts of their past selves, and by the specter of death.
Critique of the Medical Model of Addiction
The medical model of addiction views addiction as a disease that can be treated with medication and therapy. Garcia critiques this model for being too narrowly focused on the individual addict. She argues that addiction is a social problem that is rooted in the conditions of poverty, inequality, and trauma.
Garcia's critique is convincing because she provides evidence to support her claims. She shows how the heroin addicts in the Espanola Valley are marginalized and disenfranchised members of society. They are also disproportionately victims of violence and trauma. Garcia argues that these social factors play a significant role in the development and maintenance of addiction.
Conclusion
Garcia's book is a powerful and important work that provides a unique perspective on heroin addiction. She argues that addiction is not simply a disease, but also a social problem that is rooted in the conditions of poverty, inequality, and trauma. Garcia's work is a valuable contribution to our understanding of addiction and its treatment.
Sample Answer
The Kinds of Loss Garcia Refers To
In the quote you provided, Garcia refers to the following kinds of loss:
- The loss of loved ones to addiction and overdose
- The loss of health and well-being
- The loss of community and social ties
- The loss of hope and a sense of the future
How Garcia Uses Freud to Support Her Argument
In Freud's article "Mourning and Melancholia," he argues that mourning is a natural and healthy process of grieving the loss of a loved one. However, melancholia is a pathological form of grief that is characterized by an inability to let go of the lost object.
Garcia argues that heroin addiction in the Espanola Valley can be understood as a form of melancholia. The addicts are mourning the losses that they have experienced in their lives, but they are unable to let go of them. They turn to heroin to escape from their pain and to forget about their losses.