The Meadowridge Thesis [Revised]

A classic Euro centric influenced town situated in the western cape, South Africa a typical third world country. A simple self-servicing town, with all basic needs catered for. I have grown up in this town, and this is my declaration of findings. This thesis is an attempt to explain the symptoms many teenagers are experiencing, in this area. For intensive purposes I have given these symptoms collectively a name. Derialisation Syndrome or commonly, Meadowridge Syndrome. My findings have not been scientifically verified, but are the observations of an inquiring mind. My wide survey has lead me to find one thing in common, a common link that unisexualty through out Meadowridge teenagers between 16-23 years old experience Meadowridge Syndrome to a varying degree.

To explain this, one must describe the social situation of Meadowridge, as I believe many of the factors influencing and to an extent causing Meadowridge Syndrome are social. Meadowridge Garden City houses over 150 families, and has a "affluent" [in third world terms] way of living. I classic small American or European town transplanted into an area without stimulus. Fashioned after the Second World War, many civilians retreated to a small suburbia, creating a community for well-mannered adults, with strong European roots. The community flourished, and many small businesses grew. Today in 2001, Meadowridge has a corporate shopping center, with many linked franchises. Typically with a steady monetary supply a subject could survive an entire lifetime, without leaving the borders of Meadowridge. Meadowridge itself in all purposes in an average existence. There has never been any growth, or progress in Meadowridge in half a century. In laments terms, it is lonely and boring.

Meadowridge Syndrome is an impossible concept to explain; yet I will try profusely. Many teenagers experience a feeling of detachment. Detachment, or derialisation, is associated with depression, but Meadowridge Syndrome is not affected by medication like cipramil. This is created to cure depression. Though Meadowridge Syndrome is a manic disorder, it is usually experienced when a subject is lonely or highly emotional. The idea that they are not fully living, and not fully in control of their actions and ideas. One subject eloquently put is as running on autopilot. Sadly, Meadowridge Syndrome affects emotional such as Eros, or commonly love. The accountability of being alive, awake and in the moment is not realised when experiencing Meadowridge Syndrome. Many subjects have an over-whelming sense of tiredness, and exhaustion. Weakness and the addiction to substances is often noticed. Fits of crying, and manic behavior are noticed. Many teenagers explain the idea, of waking up tierdder than when they fell asleep the night before. Subjects have been known to become highly superstitious, and many turn to religion, as they feel they are "possessed". Many teenagers experiencing Meadowridge syndrome have visions and are obsessed with their death.

The idea of de-realization can be obtained when a subject stays awake for longer than 48 hours. The brain, emotions and synapses all feel numb. Proven that the effects of not sleeping can be detrimental to the health of a patient, Meadowridge Syndrome has the same, yet permanent, effects exhaustion. These symptoms are not easily attributed to another, of easily established factors. Yet they are easily prominently found. The idea or theory that a life that is lead, which is uninspiring, and has no room for personal growth, has detrimental effects on the human psyche. Documented that the mind, can become more active when a subjects lifestyle is dull. An overactive mind can cause effect as hallucinations, vivid dreams and emotional/manic fits.

As Meadowridge Garden City is my local town, I have studied the activities of my neighborhood, and the effort put into the well being of teenagers. If one considers all factors of a subjects life, and one understands the idea of the postmodern vision* it is easy to see that Meadowridge Syndrome is connected to the social, not physical side of life. In a sort, post-emotional phase of human evolution, I find that, in a mediocre life, one cannot survive.

It was once considered that a richness of emotions, could determine the wealth of one-self. Without a background of a community, the lack of family structure and the influence of the inertia of the syndrome in peers, emotion has become neglect able.

Another factor that can be contemplated is the idea of the media influence. American sitcoms dictate to an accepting audience morals and ideologies. With broadcasts of sitcoms, soap operas and talk shows directly to the contemptible minds such as the teenagers in Meadowridge they become in part a bi-product of Americanization, and a collective conscious of the first-world. The idea that the media creates role models, depict a paradigm of standard of living is easily illustrated. Many teenagers, though never been to the United States of America, imitate language, slang’s, clothing trends, social activities and imagery identical to the Americanized visions trough the media.

Socially imitation, in all senses, shows a lack of grandeur in a subject’s own appearance. This factor contributed to symptoms of Meadowridge Syndrome. The idea that in the subjects’ life, they can never become anything of great importance.

The full Meadowridge Thesis is 17 pages long, it took me 3 weeks to write and will be availible with our next c.d.