Folies

/foʊˈliz/ noun

Definition

Plural of folie; multiple instances of madness or theatrical extravaganzas; the famous Paris venue 'Folies Bergère' features elaborate theatrical shows.

Etymology

The plural of 'folie,' used in English to refer to both instances of shared delusion and, through the Parisian music hall, spectacular theatrical performances.

Kelly Says

The 'Folies Bergère' was a real music hall in Paris that combined music, dance, and wild costumes—the word 'folies' here literally meant 'follies' as in beautifully excessive entertainment!

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Plural of folie; inherits the same gendered psychiatric history of the singular form, particularly relevant in historical context of treating women's emotional expression as pathology.

Inclusive Usage

Refer to specific clinical presentations rather than using folie/folies as catch-all terms. Acknowledge outdated gendered frameworks when discussing historical usage.

Inclusive Alternatives

["shared delusions","induced psychotic disorders"]

Empowerment Note

Modern clinicians owe gratitude to feminist psychiatry for demonstrating that diagnostic categories embedded sexism; contemporary practice is more rigorous because of this critique.

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