Insanity or unacceptable behavior?

Do you believe in true insanity?

  • Yes

    Votes: 30 81.1%

  • No

    Votes: 5 13.5%

  • Other

    Votes: 2 5.4%
  • Total voters
    37
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Dorothy LaRouge

Dorothy LaRouge

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Do you believe in true insanity? I believe in the philosophies of Thomas Stephen Szasz, who in his book The Myth of Mental Illness, states that there is no such thing as insanity, but simply behavior that society labels unacceptable.


Feel free to debate, I just wanted to see what other people thought.
 
Uhh Yes.

I think the Human mind can reach a point where it just doesn't function correctly, not unlike old windows PCs being unexplainably faulty the older they get.

But yes, I mind insanity is a verry real thing.
 
Well, having a relative diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia made me firmly believe that mental illness isn't a myth. I'm torn on insanity, though, because it could be appropriately renamed disassociative personality disorder or something. I definitely don't believe in temporary insanity.
 
In the case of insanity = seeing things that aren't there etc? Yes
Insanity = Any mental illness? Hell yes, I have a long list of mental illnesses so I have quite a bit of experience on the issue!
 
True insanity does exist IMO. When the human mind completly breaks down. It can be temporary or it can be permanent, IMO.
 
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again thinking you'll get different results. I'm not sure but i think Plato said something along these lines.
 
revolvingscott said:
In the case of insanity = seeing things that aren't there etc? Yes
Insanity = Any mental illness? Hell yes, I have a long list of mental illnesses so I have quite a bit of experience on the issue!
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I wasn't saying that mental illnesses are a myth (I have Asberger's myself). Back when the book was written, mental illness meant insanity only.

Everyone believes that they're sane, even if others say otherwie.
 
Jabberwocky said:
Everyone believes that they're sane, even if others say otherwie.
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They do? Really? Perhaps you shouldn't speak for everyone.
And to answer the question I think insanity can't be judged as it is outdated as a medical term and now more commonly used as an insult. It's akin to asking "Do you think ugliness is real?" As it is subjective how you perceive and judge someone I think neither. Certainly some behavior that strongly deviates from the normal and is dangerous I would say is insane.
 
Originally posted by White:
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again thinking you'll get different results. I'm not sure but i think Plato said something along these lines.
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Actually, that was Einstein. And if that's the true definition of insanity, everyone is insane, because history is always repeating itself. When you think about it, we could say that we're all insane, but that's not the kind of insane we're talking about.

What do you guys define insanity as? What about sanity?
 
I think insanity does exist, and its when one cannot control their own thoughts.

So robots ae insane? Except Asimo?
 
Zephy Changes said:
They do? Really? Perhaps you shouldn't speak for everyone.
And to answer the question I think insanity can't be judged as it is outdated as a medical term and now more commonly used as an insult. It's akin to asking "Do you think ugliness is real?" As it is subjective how you perceive and judge someone I think neither. Certainly some behavior that strongly deviates from the normal and is dangerous I would say is insane.
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Yes, in order to call someone insane, you yourself establish the idealistic notion that the majority of humanity is the same, and then proceed to judge a person of their differences under the deception that you yourself are different. Everyone is different, some are just radically unique. Mental illness is mental illness, but that's not insanity, why those two are tossed in the same mix I'll never understand. It's like the people who throw atheists and agnostics into the same bandwagon.

So yeah, for the most part i believe for insanity to be simply a stereotype
 
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Insanity, a very good example: (There is a fine line between genius and mentally unstable minds.)

Earnest Hemmingway - Collapsed under his own genius and committed suicide.

Ben Stein - How is he insane?
 
yep. It's just another mental condition.
 
Yes I do believe in insanity. Its not uncalled for behavior when someone goes batshit crazy and blows the heads off of 19 students.
 
Ryuu said:
yep. It's just another mental condition.
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Actually insanity hasn't been considered a medical condition since the 1930s. Not only can the term be offensive but it was also too broad.
 
When you fail to be able to control yourself physically and mentally, that's insanity. Technically.
 
I do regard an uncontrollable mental state as one that exists. We shouldn't be blending the isses of the question of insanity and the justification for socially unacceptable behavior. They are seperate questions, although one my impart drive the other.

Is sanity merely retaining the ability to step back and asess a situation impartially? I think that the problem is definition, and the way the definitions bend in context. Even dictionary references are difficult, because the definitions are subjective.
 
From a social viewpoint, I think insanity is largely a matter of whether it affects the lives of others in any significant way. I mean, who doesn't chuckle at eccentric people? They may have mental problems and go around talking to plants, but if they aren't a nuisance, do we really care? I would say most people don't.

Is it right?

I would say no, but I'm not going to be the first person to tell the mental health authorities if I think someone is acting oddly.

Therein lies the problem.

How do I justify to myself taking action that may destroy another person's life? Even if it's meant to help them?
 
the gadfly said:
How do I justify to myself taking action that may destroy another person's life? Even if it's meant to help them?
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It again depends entirely upon the scenario, but failing to react may result exactly the same.
 
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