So we watched a documentary in Sociology class about a young girl who's case was known to the public as "Genie". This particular girl was locked up in a room by her father for ten years of her life. She was confined to a potty chair and lived in isolation during this period of time. Naturally, when she was rescued, her case became the modern psychological breakthrough. Professionals from the scientific community ran one another over in attempts to get an opportunity to study her, a wild girl.

To make a long story short she became the center of attention. People from all over the world flocked to her hospital in hopes of catching a glimpse of the girl who could shed some light on the consequences of solitary confinement. Though Genie made progress ever since her rescue, she eventually hit a wall where she was no longer able to progress mentally. And so, as all fads do, the excitement of Genie's case died down and many began to lose interest, moving onto new things. After the government stopped funding Genie's research her foster parents decided they could no longer support her and gave her up. After jumping from one care facility to another, Genie now lives at a clinic for mentally retarded adults.

To be honest I didn't think too much about this documentary when it began. I knew her story and thought it was sad but my sympathy went no further. But as the movie progressed and as the people around her revealed her story my mood began to worsen and worsen. There was a point where I felt, literally, sick to my stomach. Not by Genie, no, but from watching how casually those psychologists around her talked about her.

What threw me over the edge was the comment her foster parents of five years made. They too, were academic personas working on the Genie case. Now I don't quite recall the exact words they said but when asked about why they had decided to let Genie go after funding was cut the mother replied that they had never intended to keep Genie forever. Oh no. They knew they would not consider Genie as a daughter. But even knowing so they felt like they should take her in any way, give her as much love as possible so she could at least experience what it was. Yes. They adopted her for HER benefit, not theirs of course. Not for the money the government was giving them. No, of course not. It was for the girl. It always was. That's why after the money stopped coming everyone just left her to go from one foster facility to another. Yes. Because THAT is love.




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Even now I feel like throwing up.