I don't think anhedonic patients are enviable. Anhedonia is often associated with depression and other mental illnesses. And even when it is not, the diminished range of affect experienced by anhedonic patients makes them feel less joy as well as less emotional connection with others as well as less pain. Anhedonia, such as that which Ca…
I don't think anhedonic patients are enviable. Anhedonia is often associated with depression and other mental illnesses. And even when it is not, the diminished range of affect experienced by anhedonic patients makes them feel less joy as well as less emotional connection with others as well as less pain. Anhedonia, such as that which Cameron experiences, is by no means a total lack of feeling. Anhedonic patients do experience joy from some activities and that joy would be a marked contrast with their more typical states of diminished feeling. Every person has a slightly different range of feeling and some people get anxious and excited about very minor issues which can also be a severe handicap.
The point is that there is a wide variation in emotional response among humans and undoubtedly among animals too. Have you ever met two people or two cats or dogs with identical personalities? If so you are probably not looking closely enough.
That's correct in the sense that neither The NY Times nor New Yorker articles diagnose Cameron with Anhedonia. However, Cameron seems similar to patients at the extreme end of the Anhedonia spectrum. Anhedonia is also believed to be largely genetic although the genes involved have not, despite a good deal of research, yet been identified. It is highly unusual that a specific gene (FAAH OUT or if you will, "Far out") could be identified in Cameron's case and perhaps further research may find Anhedonia is also associated with Cameron's specific genetic condition. Anhedonia is usually associated with depression which was not the case with Cameron (which is also unusual). But her case should be looked into for a connection to people suffering from anhedonia.
The point though is that Anhedonia spectrum patients are not enviable. Most people would die of unidentified injuries at an early age if they could not experience pain. (Cameron's hip had completely deteriorated before it was even noticed by those around her.) It is almost miraculous that she has lived to be 71.
Finally your quotes in the article are well taken. Compassion can be more useful than empathy. But that's in part because empathy is impossible as a matter of the laws of physics. You can never feel what someone else feels, you can only imagine how YOU would feel in their circumstances. But that's another story.
I don't think anhedonic patients are enviable. Anhedonia is often associated with depression and other mental illnesses. And even when it is not, the diminished range of affect experienced by anhedonic patients makes them feel less joy as well as less emotional connection with others as well as less pain. Anhedonia, such as that which Cameron experiences, is by no means a total lack of feeling. Anhedonic patients do experience joy from some activities and that joy would be a marked contrast with their more typical states of diminished feeling. Every person has a slightly different range of feeling and some people get anxious and excited about very minor issues which can also be a severe handicap.
The point is that there is a wide variation in emotional response among humans and undoubtedly among animals too. Have you ever met two people or two cats or dogs with identical personalities? If so you are probably not looking closely enough.
Why do you think Cameron suffers from anhedonia? It doesn't fit how she is described in the New Yorker article?
That's correct in the sense that neither The NY Times nor New Yorker articles diagnose Cameron with Anhedonia. However, Cameron seems similar to patients at the extreme end of the Anhedonia spectrum. Anhedonia is also believed to be largely genetic although the genes involved have not, despite a good deal of research, yet been identified. It is highly unusual that a specific gene (FAAH OUT or if you will, "Far out") could be identified in Cameron's case and perhaps further research may find Anhedonia is also associated with Cameron's specific genetic condition. Anhedonia is usually associated with depression which was not the case with Cameron (which is also unusual). But her case should be looked into for a connection to people suffering from anhedonia.
The point though is that Anhedonia spectrum patients are not enviable. Most people would die of unidentified injuries at an early age if they could not experience pain. (Cameron's hip had completely deteriorated before it was even noticed by those around her.) It is almost miraculous that she has lived to be 71.
Finally your quotes in the article are well taken. Compassion can be more useful than empathy. But that's in part because empathy is impossible as a matter of the laws of physics. You can never feel what someone else feels, you can only imagine how YOU would feel in their circumstances. But that's another story.