3. Spotting The Monster
This one's really about affinity, or spotting yourself in the mirror. Most people do not ever actually see mental illness, because it is wrapped up in someone else's inner self. Naturally too, unless you experience something yourself you can never ever identify with someone else over anything. It is often for this reason that the most greedy among us are so very good at spotting greed in others, or the most bigoted rail against bigotry so loudly, etc. I'm not casting stones here - just sayin'. None of us is perfect, thank goodness and who can say what's perfect in any case? In the very excellent episode, Vincent and The Doctor, we must credit The Doctor with at least being able to understand that a monster was somewhere in Van Gogh's picture of The Church at Auvers. When he looked at it closely he spotted something that did not belong and that it was an evil menace. As a metaphor for mind-numbing, debilitating depression, this episode's 'Krafayis' was perfect and in keeping with so many monsters often the only person able to see it is the one experiencing its effects most. Yes, The Doctor can spot a monster a mile off and for very good reasons, too.