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Comments for drlou
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The first two cases are old jokes. I hadn't heard the third before but it's a good 'un.
May 11, 2015
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I invented a new word: literalcy, see definition below.
I'd be happy to adopt this word, if allowed.
This would mark it's first publication.
I'd be interested to learn from your readers of other examples of this serious affliction and rank them from mild to serious.
Literalcy- a new word
Noun lit•er•al•cy \ˈli-t(ər-)əl-sē\
: the disorder of taking everything literally
(We’ll, not literally ‘everything’)
By Louis Siegel, M.D., October 27, 2005 and April 8, 2015
The Practice
The practice of medicine is a privilege, a responsibility and the cat-bird seat on humanity, at least that part of humanity that wanders into your exam room.
A doctor is always looking for a discovery of some kind, some disease or syndrome to which his or her name can be attached in perpetuity. This will make him famous, and perhaps, a fortune. Rarely does this actually happen. Unless you look really hard.
And so, one day it dawned upon me, that I have been, for years, a first hand witness to a syndrome never before described in otherwise normal people. That is the condition of taking words literally, or literal thinking.
I named the condition ‘literalcy’.
Here are a few examples.
Literal Thinking
Case MJK
Mary Jane:
Upon completing her complete physical exam and finding no abnormalities I advised her to walk 2 miles a day.
A while later I received the following call from Mary.
“Dr. Siegel, this is Mary. I followed your advice. It’s been ten days and I’m 20 miles away, what do I do now?
Dx: Stage 1 Literalcy, moderate.
Case BW
I wandered into a jewelry store and noticed an attractive bracelet. Bob, the salesman, approached and asked: How can I help you?
I said, that bracelet there, I’d like that for my wife.
He responded and said, “Well, we normally don’t trade but bring her in and we’ll take a look at her.”
Dx: Stage 2 Literalcy, late stage.
Case ML
Marvin:
Marvin, not the sharpest crayon on the box related that he was driving on Rt. 75 and had to relieve himself when he exited into a Rest Area that had a sign Clean Rest Rooms Ahead. Though he was relieved, literally, he was peeved that he had been instructed by the sign to clean the rest room afterwards.
Dx: Stage 4 Literalcy, advanced.
Conclusion:
Literalcy is a newly recognized disorder of thinking whose incidence and prevalence are not known. Though not terminal, and there are no known cures, I would use upmost caution when speaking to them.
(c) Louis Siegel, M.D. May 11, 2015
info@examroomconfidential.com
May 11, 2015
Comments by drlou
drlou commented on the user drlou
I invented a new word: literalcy, see definition below.
I'd be happy to adopt this word, if allowed.
This would mark it's first publication.
I'd be interested to learn from your readers of other examples of this serious affliction and rank them from mild to serious.
Literalcy- a new word
Noun lit•er•al•cy \ˈli-t(ər-)əl-sē\
: the disorder of taking everything literally
(We’ll, not literally ‘everything’)
By Louis Siegel, M.D., October 27, 2005 and April 8, 2015
The Practice
The practice of medicine is a privilege, a responsibility and the cat-bird seat on humanity, at least that part of humanity that wanders into your exam room.
A doctor is always looking for a discovery of some kind, some disease or syndrome to which his or her name can be attached in perpetuity. This will make him famous, and perhaps, a fortune. Rarely does this actually happen. Unless you look really hard.
And so, one day it dawned upon me, that I have been, for years, a first hand witness to a syndrome never before described in otherwise normal people. That is the condition of taking words literally, or literal thinking.
I named the condition ‘literalcy’.
Here are a few examples.
Literal Thinking
Case MJK
Mary Jane:
Upon completing her complete physical exam and finding no abnormalities I advised her to walk 2 miles a day.
A while later I received the following call from Mary.
“Dr. Siegel, this is Mary. I followed your advice. It’s been ten days and I’m 20 miles away, what do I do now?
Dx: Stage 1 Literalcy, moderate.
Case BW
I wandered into a jewelry store and noticed an attractive bracelet. Bob, the salesman, approached and asked: How can I help you?
I said, that bracelet there, I’d like that for my wife.
He responded and said, “Well, we normally don’t trade but bring her in and we’ll take a look at her.”
Dx: Stage 2 Literalcy, late stage.
Case ML
Marvin:
Marvin, not the sharpest crayon on the box related that he was driving on Rt. 75 and had to relieve himself when he exited into a Rest Area that had a sign Clean Rest Rooms Ahead. Though he was relieved, literally, he was peeved that he had been instructed by the sign to clean the rest room afterwards.
Dx: Stage 4 Literalcy, advanced.
Conclusion:
Literalcy is a newly recognized disorder of thinking whose incidence and prevalence are not known. Though not terminal, and there are no known cures, I would use upmost caution when speaking to them.
(c) Louis Siegel, M.D. May 11, 2015
info@examroomconfidential.com
May 11, 2015