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The Interdependance Between Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Society. The
amphetamine-like stimulant, methylphenidate, has been the ...
Submitted by hardyaa1 on February 17, 2008
Category: Miscellaneous
Words: 3701 | Pages: 15
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The amphetamine-like stimulant, methylphenidate, has been the source of a world of controversy in recent years. The drug, more commonly known as Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Attenda, or one of several other prescription names, exhibits numerous, deeply rooted connections to society. These ties to society are essential to understanding the drug, and the controversy surrounding it. As Anne Fausto-Sterling says in "Science Matters, Culture Matters," "The modern view that science and culture are separate and that hybrids do not exist lies at the heart of our communication problem" (Fausto-Sterling, 117). The more we look at methylphenidate and its alleged connections to society, the bolder these interrelationships become. From unlikely beginnings, the drug was born into a society that would develop new and different needs for it. In looking at multiple aspects of the drug such as history, chemistry, controversy, use and abuse, it will become apparent that methylphenidate's role in society influences the societal view of the drug, as mediated by several factors. Society's view of the drug, in turn, influences the role of the drug by directly changing how the drug is used, as the use of a drug is defined by the actions of individual members of society.
Early Uses
It was Jared Diamond's claim in Guns, Germs, and Steel that need stems from the creation of a technology (Diamond, 242). He goes on to discuss that at the time of a technological invention, society's need for that technology, assuming the society decides to adopt the invention, is undetermined. Cultures tend to find new and different uses for technologies, and methylphenidate is no exception to this trend.
Narcolepsy, chronic fatigue, and depression are all related in a more pertinent way than just being tied together symptomatically. Though they are all marked by exhaustion, sadness, weakness, and apathy, these diseases are similar in that they were the intended use...
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