chapter 3

 Chapter 3 in the Davis book tries to show that being mad and obsessed is a result of modernity. It is basically saying that these types of behaviors are normal in modern day society. It is said that specialization can be an obsession. I never thought that specialization can be compared to obsession. But after reading this chapter I looked at it from another perspective. One can get so caught up in their specialized fields, that they might feel they need to know every bit of information that there is out there on whatever it is that they are specializing in. And when they do not feel they know everything can in turn be dissatisfied. We are not brought up to believe that specializing in something and obsessions have a correlation. I also found the case of Galton interesting. He thought there was an order for everything including including inherited traits. Even though he was a brilliant man that came up with scientific results, he said he suffered from brain symptoms. His explanation was that he was being to zealous and overworking. While he was characterized as being obsessed he made great achievements and also invented eugenics. Everything he did led to progress. Seeing the story of Galton can make one see obsessions in a positive light if something good is coming out of it. Something that I found randomly interesting in this chapter was the female Hottentot Venus. I think it is bizzare that someone was actually exhibited because they are classified as different.