Sympathy for the Devil

Today’s Perilous World Radio, hosted by David Masters, delves into the complex topic of psychosis, particularly in the context of a tragic case involving Lindsey Clancy, who took the lives of her three children. Masters explores the notion of postpartum psychosis, suggesting that the argument often made in defense of such actions—that the individual was unaware of their wrongdoing—is both twisted and sinister.

Before diving deeper into psychosis, he reflects on the reaction of a crowd outside the courthouse, composed of both women and men, whom he describes as sympathetic sycophants. He connects their unusual form of sympathy to the title of a famous Rolling Stones song, "Sympathy for the Devil."

Masters pauses to examine the meaning of sympathy itself, tracing its roots back to the ancient Greek word "sympathia," which translates to "fellow feeling" or "suffering together." He explains that the components of the word convey a sense of shared experience, highlighting its historical use in describing connections in nature and emotional states. By the 1600s, the term evolved to denote the act of sharing in another person's emotional pain or sorrow, emphasizing its deep, interpersonal significance. Thus, he sets the stage for a deeper inquiry into the relationship between sympathy and psychosis in contemporary discourse.