Seeking A Second Opinion On Pain Podcast
Late last week, NPR's Invisibilia podcast released a new hour-long episode on the topic of pain. True to the show's mission to examine "the invisible forces that shape human behavior, our thoughts, our emotions, our expectations," the episode was a complex and thought-provoking exploration of how pain, in the opinion of some, might be related to the attention we pay to it.
A vocal group of listeners, who reached out largely on Twitter but also in emails to NPR, found the episode to be something different. To quote one: "This story has done irreparable harm to the disabled community and the chronic pain community." And another: "Your podcast is strengthening a culture that does not believe in women's/girl's pain."
I'll start with my conclusion: I don't think the episode disrespected or discounted the experiences of those who live with chronic pain. And I did not find it unethical, as some charged, or that it promoted "pseudoscience" or "child abuse." (NPR's standards editor, Mark Memmott, reviewed complaints and backs the reporting.)
But I did find some flaws in both the editing and some of the language that left misimpressions. The promotion on social media was problematic, adding to confusion about what the episode was — and wasn't — about. A note from the staff that was appended to the top of the digital report responds to some of the criticisms that were raised. You can read it here.