drapetomania

Noun

Meaning

The desire of slaves to run away, viewed as a mental illness.

(dated) an overwhelming urge to run away (from home, a bad situation, responsibility, etc.)

Examples

Szasz cited drapetomania as an example of a behavior that many in society did not approve of, being labeled and widely cited as a disease. Source: Internet

Today, drapetomania is considered an example of pseudoscience, and part of the edifice of scientific racism. Source: Internet

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