Discourse Analysis

DISCOURSE: Depression

LONG-FORM TEXT: "Neon Gravestones"

This song addresses the glorification of suicide and the negative repercussions of cultural misrepresentation of depression. As discussion of mental illness has increased, Tyler Joseph, lead singer of Twenty One Pilots, wants us to check how we frame conversation of it. He gives thoughts on the basis of his own struggles with depression and suicide.

FOUCAULT'S RELEVANT CONCEPTS

Discourse - How depression is spoken about in culture provides a basis for how and why Twenty One Pilots present the ideas they do in "Neon Gravestones." Patros & Shamoo establish how people group suicide with depression, so we know Joseph's opinion on suicide discourse also touches upon depression by extension. Other relevant information includes:

Depression is the most frequent mental illness diagnosed worldwide (Jin, Tang & Zhang)
Depression is a complicated illness, not just about being "down" (Holmes, R.M. & Holmes, S.T.)

Power & Knowledge - Those with the power to influence others' opinions in the depression discourse (doctors, counselors, and the media) are the ones deemed most knowledgeable. Joseph's position in popular culture provides him with a credible platform from which to speak upon depression. His voice can also speak for the many others suffering with depression who have less credible voices.

"Shame," "abnormality," and "treat" exemplify the alienating vocabulary which surrounds people suffering with depression (can be used by loved ones, entertainment, and doctors)

Resistance - General discourse establishes how resistance can be showcased in depression conversations. "Neon Gravestones" marks strong resistance to the widespread idea that an increase in discussion of depression matters most. Joseph claims misrepresentation in dialogue is just as dangerous as underexposure of mental illness discussion.

ANALYSIS

1. "Neon gravestones try to call for my bones" - suicide and depression are currently attractive ideas because expressions of the mental illness in entertainment have romanticized the lives lost

2. "We glorify those even more when they..." and "Just pleading that it does not get glorified" - sensitivity to the idea of suicide and respecting those struggling through a lack of specifics

3. “Hang their banner from the ceiling, communicating (further engraving) an earlier grave is an optional way, no” - suicide is not okay and we need to actively communicate that instead of merely grieving over lives lost

4. “And could it be true that some could be tempted to use this mistake as a form of aggression?” - suicide could be retaliation and ultimately is never justified

5. “Maybe we swap out what it is that we hold so high...To life, they were dedicated. Now that should be celebrated” - Honor should be on joy of life rather than sorrow of death

IMPLICATIONS

Romanticism and glorification of both suicide and depression results from misrepresentation
Cautiously and carefully bring up topics of mental illness
People need to be informed, but not desensitized to severity of issue
Eliminate focus of discourse from specific details and onto actively helping those suffering

REFERENCES

Holmes, R. M., & Holmes, S. T. (2006). Suicide : Theory, Practice and Investigation. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.hope.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=474655&site=ehost-live

Patros, Philip G., and Tonia K. Shamoo. Depression and Suicide in Children and Adolescents: Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention. Allyn and Bacon, 1989.

Zhang, Yuan, et al. “Framing Depression.” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, vol. 92, no. 1, 2014, pp. 99–120., doi:10.1177/1077699014558553.

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