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Hi all, Jill1978 and I have been having a discussion over the last couple of hours on sanity and we thought it might make for an interesting topic.
Here goes.
What is sanity? How can you tell if you are sane?
How can you measure sanity.
My personal view is that sanity is a measurement of how well your behaviour conforms to what society thinks is acceptable.
I am sane, how about the rest of you?
*whistles*
...*walks away slowly*
but really, that is an interesting point of view! it makes sense to me. i'm pretty sure i'm perfectly sane...
The really scary thing is that Ted Bundy thought he was sane also!
:shock: oh...well then...*hides*
Ok... well... personally, I think "sane" or "normal" are terrible terms with bad rhetoric. I don't believe that any one is "sane" or "normal", because everyone's perception of what is "sane" and "normal" is different. I think pot-smokers are "sane" and "normal", they seem like regular people to me, but I'm sure that if I was an extremely devout religous person of some sort and I had never abused any substance in my life, I would probably think pot-smokers, and most other "users", were not "sane" or "normal". It all depends on your perception, just like you said Seeker, Ted Bundy thought he was "sane". In fact, most "insane" people think they are more "sane" than the rest of humanity... I mean, therein lies a problem. So... to call anyone "insane" or "sane", then your really not saying much about them except that they don't fit into the mold created for "sane" and "normal" people in society, and/or your mind. Really... quite pointless to think about, if you ask me. "Insane" could mean anything, and so could "sane", depending on the person using the word, the context, perception, and society that revolves around these things.
Oh yeah, and... CONFORMITY IS BULLSHIT!!
I've heard an interview (just before his execution) where Bundy admits that he gradually went "insane" (or drove himself insane) by saturating his brain with porn over a period of years... He sounded almost as if he was describing another person... not remorseful, but definitely ready to receive his death sentence and acknowledging that he deserved AT LEAST that much. Fascinating stuff but definitely very strange.Quote:
Originally posted by Seeker
The really scary thing is that Ted Bundy thought he was sane also!
I have to agree that sanity is what society dictates it to be (and more specifically, culture). We are all "insane" inside to some extent or another. I think some just teach themselves to conform to societal standards more than others... many with negative repression (not actually wanting to conform but doing it anyways -to fit in), some with less repression (finding security and satisfaction in conformity), and some that are reactionary (non-conformists who go against society simply because they just don't like being told what to do). I guess the trick is finding a good balance. I guess I'm a sane one, but I acknowledge (especially based on some of my dreams) that I could easily be categorized as insane (genius?) :smartie: Question is, how do we channel that "insanity" towards benefit? There is method to madness!
It's weird how we really would not be able to progress in any way without the insane ones -the ones who take great risks and push themselves to their limits... at the same time we need "sanity" in order to communicate and get along. blah-diddy-blah
How come if your poor and a bit weird your insane, but if your rich and a bit weird your just excentric? Just a question this topic made me think about...
obviously everybody is different, and everybody acts weird in their own way, but insanity is where there is actually something wrong with your brain. like there is actually some kind of real defect in your brain, not just that you dont conform to society or whatever, or if you act weird. there are animals in nature that are insane, and that is due to brain problems.... i am saying the same thing over and over, you get what i mean.
Interesting Tim,
So if we take that line of reasoning to its ultimate conclusion:
An insane person is one in which his brain either has a physiological difference or a chemical composition that makes it function differently than the majority of society?
That could be. By all definitions, I am insane. According to Seri's roommate, I am insane AND banned from the house. So I guess the verdict is in: Willow's insane. :)Quote:
Originally posted by Seeker
Interesting Tim,
So if we take that line of reasoning to its ultimate conclusion:
An insane person is one in which his brain either has a physiological difference or a chemical composition that makes it function differently than the majority of society?
Or... the insane could be in the majority making up society. Which would make me perfectly sane. :D
really enjoy reading in detail about people like Ted Bundy, John Gacy, and so on. I would love to be the person sitting down with them and asking them questions. I'd love to open up their heads; see what makes them tick and write about them. If I were smarter, I'd probably be a criminalist/forensic investigator right now instead of developing porn. :roll:
Yeah, "sane" is a very relative term. Though, by all accounts, I believe I'm sane.
I agree with SA that there are infinitely many ways to interpret sanity. Not only that, everyone's interpretation is likely to judge different people on completely different scales if they already have an impression of who that person is. For instance, what about someone with Downe Syndrome? Socially "normal"? Not really...but they aren't "insane". I guess it's actually rightful to judge everyone on a different scale because everyone is so different, and maybe what's "crossing the line" for one person is very expected of someone else, vice versa.
Of course, that's not to say that there aren't things that are universally considered "sane" or "insane". Because that's how all things that can't be defined are...there's always something that is widely agreed on.
:peek:
In some respects I'm sane in others...not so sane =)
Again it has to do with ones perception.
there are too many definitions of sanity to be able to define it.
zactly
I prefer "screwed up" to insane, myself.
Yeah, seriously, what's up with rich people just being "eccentric", and poor folks are "insane". That is interesting thing, I agree, but it's not all that way. But I agree, that tends to happen all too easily. I wish I was rich, I'd rather be called "eccentric". But if I was rich, the government would HATE me, as I fund all the ptrotests against them and shit :D .
Porn? Surely you are not talking about Ellifayne! I'll be the first to say she is hot, but I thought she was art...Quote:
Originally posted by A Lost Soul
If I were smarter, I'd probably be a criminalist/forensic investigator right now instead of developing porn. :roll:
All kidding aside, I think you are really talented and I love your artwork!
Insane..what a word..i think one is insane when he can no longer control himself and his state of mind is having a negative effect on himself and his surroundings..thats my definition of insane..
interesting Lucius....
These are also indicators for addiction. :cheers:
So perhaps addiction can be classified as a type of insanity.
if thats true I gues im insane,hehe
But I think your average joe would consider me insane anyway,but mabey being *normal* is to be insane? Insanely ignorant
I've written so many papers on this subject throughout my life because I've been labeled "insane" in multiple different occasions and by multiple different sources. I think that the truth lies in perception, but my perception of the matter is that we are all insane in our own little ways, and that to think anyone is truly "sane" is a big mistake, because we are all unpredictable and who knows what's going to make someone snap. Who knows what conditions could cause us to be considered "legally insane", I've told a cop I was going to kill her because I was drunk... was I insane then? Kinda... yeah... But whatever, we all are constantly changing and any one of us could become "insane" at any second, depending on what the circumstances are. If someone killed your spouse or child, I'm sure you would probably go a little "nuts" in light of the situation. But it's all just rhetoric when it comes down to it in the end, because people that are revered in other cultures(such as, let's say shamans) would be and often are considered to be "insane" by our(America's) cultural standards. All rhetoric, all the same. We're all nuts, and who cares?
You got a point there..I think the more difficult question might be..what is sanity?, when are you a *sane* person..when you are the perfect familyman? when you pay your taxes and work from nine to five and go to church every sunday? Seems pretty INsane to me..
What are you trying to say, man? I pay my taxes, I work from 9 to 5, and I go to church every Sunday!!! Are you trying to start something here? Are you trying to make me go postal?!! :pissed: :listenup: :furious: :madtongue:Quote:
Originally posted by Lucius
when are you a *sane* person..when you are the perfect familyman? when you pay your taxes and work from nine to five and go to church every sunday? Seems pretty INsane to me..
:mad:
Just kidding.
I DO all of those things, but only among MANY OTHER activities...
Being called insane can be a compliment, too I guess, depending on how you take it or who's saying it.
:bluesmile: :bravo:
Fucking A to that! I'm nuts!!