Insanity

[Atreides]

Here's a conversation.

 

>can you not know you're insane, really?

 

>yep, that's one of the defining characteristics of insanity

 

>Insanity is a sane man trying to cope with an insane world. At least from the inside.

 

 

 

Discuss.

[kirottu]

I discuss *you*.

[metadigital]

Sanity is defined by the society, it's part of the social contract. If socrates had wanted to free all the slaves in Athens, he would have been called insane.

[Lucius]

In an insane world, a sane man must appear, insane. - Golic, Alien 3. (the guy who then releases the captured Alien... irony)

[Atreides]

I doubt it because each person's colours of insanity is different. It's not like those that don't fit in our world will auto-fit in other worlds.

[Surreptishus]

>can you not know you're insane, really?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If you suffer from schizophrenia then the answer is yes.

[alanschu]

Horrifying illness.

[metadigital]

The first thing a doctor asks you (when you hear voices) is who's voice ?

[Cantousent]

There's a lot to be said about this subject. One problem with a sort of relativist idea is that makes sanity appear to be some sort of straightjacket into which the free spirited insane person is stuffed. That might be true. However, some forms of insanity transcend this "free spirit" notion. Some forms of insan--- look, a butterfly!

[Nick_i_am]

Where?

[Lucius]

I doubt it because each person's colours of insanity is different.  It's not like those that don't fit in our world will auto-fit in other worlds.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Blarghagh]

I think one can know if someone is insane depending on their own definition of insanity.

 

If the axiom disagrees with me, well, then I guess I'm insane. If it doesn't, well, then I'm perfectly sane.

 

I doubt I'm perfectly sane. I'm pretty sure my amount of obsessive compulsive disorders (which, thankfully, are harmless enough) automatically makes me insane.

Edited May 6, 2006 by TrueNeutral

[LoneWolf16]

It depends on how you look it the term, I think. If you think it's just "Oh, that person's crazy for thinking that"...then that's insanity, or if you think it's "A severe medical condition inhibiting the brain's ability to function normally"...then that's insanity, though the latter form is referred to as a mental illness nowadays, of which there are many, many, many different forms.

Edited May 6, 2006 by LoneWolf16

[metadigital]

I think one can know if someone is insane depending on their own definition of insanity.

 

If the axiom disagrees with me, well, then I guess I'm insane. If it doesn't, well, then I'm perfectly sane.

 

I doubt I'm perfectly sane. I'm pretty sure my amount of obsessive compulsive disorders (which, thankfully, are harmless enough) automatically makes me insane.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No.

 

Neurosis ≠ psychosis.

 

n noun (plural neuroses ) Medicine a relatively mild mental illness not caused by organic disease, involving depression, anxiety, obsessive behaviour, etc. but not a radical loss of touch with reality.

 

ORIGIN

C18: modern Latin, from neuro- + -osis.

n noun (plural psychoses ) a mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that perception of external reality is severely affected.

 

ORIGIN

C19: from Greek psukhosis 'animation', from psukhoo 'I give life to', from psukhe 'soul, mind'.

[Bokishi]

I psychosis *you*

[Llyranor]

Well, lay 'insanity' isn't really a specific term, people use it for all kind of crap, not just psychosis.

 

It's not like they're mutually-exclusive, anyway. That's when you get things like schizoaffective disorder, depression with psychotic features, and whatnot. Some would consider it a spectrum, which is where the 'borderline' from borderline personality disorder comes from, referring to someone 'in-between'.

[metadigital]

I was just demonstrating the difference between:

a relatively mild mental illness ... but not a radical loss of touch with reality.

and

a mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that perception of external reality is severely affected.

Otherwise the definition of insanity would include literally everyone, and therefore be completely useless (as a classificatoin or distinction).

 

Actual impairment of the mental faculties

[Walsingham]

"Only the insane have strength enough to prosper. Only those who prosper truly judge what is sane."

 

WH40k, Rogue Trader.

[Blarghagh]

I was just demonstrating the difference between:

 

No, you were just demonstrating the difference between what I said it was and what the axiom says it was.

 

OCD makes me insane. Because it fits my definition of insane. I really couldn't care less what society says the word means.

[mkreku]

Are you one of those guys who keeps washing their hands a thousand times until the skin falls off..?

[Blarghagh]

No. I'm the guy who can't resist opening any door he sees, need to put any glass right in the middle of a coaster, and tries his hardest to make anything that is uneven into an even number with the exception of the numbers 1 and 3.

[alanschu]

I was just demonstrating the difference between:

 

No, you were just demonstrating the difference between what I said it was and what the axiom says it was.

 

OCD makes me insane. Because it fits my definition of insane. I really couldn't care less what society says the word means.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

If you just use any definition of a word to suit your needs at a whim, then what is the point of words at all?

 

I could call someone a twit...but I don't really care what society says the word means, I use it for upstanding individuals that make a real difference in their community.

[Blarghagh]

The difference being that mine is still close enough to the original axiom that only nitpickers will give a dingo.

[alanschu]

If by nitpickers, you mean the entire field of psychology, then I guess so.

[Archmonarch]

Actually, insanity is simply a legal term. Psychologists and psychiatrists prefer not to use it, because of the labeling effect.