The "Cure" for PTSD: A Road From Dehumanization to Humanism Through Cynicism

    Even though my question seems pretty obvious I am trying to avoid that human point of view that would make it obvious and try to answer in the most trafalmadorian type of way possible for a human. I'm trying to avoid the emotion that tells us to cry when we loose a loved or witness the crudeness of war...however as simple as it may seem it is not, when touching a topic that impacts as hard as WWII (and the holocaust that comes to the top of my mind when I refer to this topic) in which i my self should feel humanized by the tear inducing memory of my murdered relatives. This happened because it was ment to be, the British will always make the decision to light-up Dresden based on the idea that it would shorten the war and eradicate the "army camps" there, the British will always make that mistake. If this will always happen like it did and nothing you did would ever stop it, because, in fact, you didn't stop it. To me this, even do cynical, may be a huge factor to tell someone with PTSD and it may help him cope with it because they will loose any sense of blaim or remorse.

    Even though this does not solve the whole problem, it brings up the possible "cure" to PTSD and other disorders caused by dehumanization. The real problem with dehumanization is that when it leaves a little shred of humanity that helplessly fights to regain control and vanish humanity...that's what causes PTSD. As I said on a previous blog cynicism is not an opposite of humanism, it even may be a step closer from dehumanization to humanism. While humanism values life a lot and dehumanization despises life, cynicism doesn't give it any transcendent value because it pictures life as something fleeting and there to serve it's purpose nothing more...its somehow stoic. Vonnegut as well has PTSD and he uses Billy to help him cope with his issues to this I must ask. What is Billy? Billy is a cynics, the Trafalmadorians are cynics and Vonnegut is using cynicism to cope with his own trauma. These kids are raised to treasure life and be kind and merciful but when they (still kids) are sent to dehumanize each other and witness (even commit) attroucious crimes then this is just jumping to the other extreme with no middle ground, cynicism is that middle ground

    Hemmingway being a perfect example for my case (as well as Vonnegut) found his peace with life and his own PTSD which he forcefully expresses with no fear, to the point of not fearing death however not wanting it, thats what cynicism is and thats how it helps. The word cure falls in ridicule when we see that both of these men were hopeless alcoholics but the bottle is again just another "cure" because for a sickness as devastating like PTSD there is no solution, the best you can do is keep it from driving you completely mad and hollow...just a shell with horrid war memories.