Insanity: Is it an incorrect concept?

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~jenna670 Jun 20, 2012 Student Writer

So I was musing about this in my journal and I figured that you guys could help me out here.

The definition of insanity: the condition of being insane; a derangement of the mind.

The definition of derangement: disturbance of regular order.

Well, in a way, aren't we all constantly disturbing the 'regular' order of the world and of ourselves? Is our concept of insane, which usually has to do with acting out of the 'normal' or involving people with mental in-capabilities, flawed?

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~jenna670 Jun 21, 2012 Student Writer

'Tis a sad, sad fact.

^3wyl Jun 21, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Society.

~jenna670 Jun 21, 2012 Student Writer

It has its perks.

^3wyl Jun 22, 2012 Hobbyist Photographer

Sometimes.

`saintartaud Jun 20, 2012 Professional General Artist

One must first determine what "regular order" entails.

Also, you really need to expand on what you mean by this idea:
Well, in a way, aren't we all constantly disturbing the 'regular' order of the world and of ourselves?

~jenna670 Jun 20, 2012 Student Writer

Expansion on idea: No human being really has a 'regular' order to themselves. They are constantly fluctuating and emotionally changing, making it impossible to claim any sort of order or pattern. As for the world, we are constantly doing things that disturb situations and cause them to change direction, much like running in front of a car.

`saintartaud Jun 20, 2012 Professional General Artist

What about the body? There is no regular order to the function of the eye or the digestive system? There is no pattern to how we react to certain inputs?

Also, is not change part of the general order of things?

~jenna670 Jun 20, 2012 Student Writer

Hm... I like the idea of change being part of the general order of things.

I still don't believe that we are completely ordered, but your response has made me reconsider my theory a little bit.

`saintartaud Jun 20, 2012 Professional General Artist

We are ordered and not ordered. Sometimes there is order underlying what appears to be unordered, or the ordered appearance belies the lack of order within.

For what it's worth, I think that often what we regard as sanity is simply adhering to the rules set forth by society, the things defined as "normal." Most people have the capacity to become insanity given the right conditions, or on a much lower level engage in behaviors that place them slightly outside the norm. Social rules dictate that one does not talk to oneself in public, therefore one who does so is usually viewed as eccentric. On the more extreme end, we expect that the person talking to us will try to make some sense and speak to our level, but once someone is spouting word salads or screaming meaningless tirades, we begin to question their sanity.

~jenna670 Jun 21, 2012 Student Writer

You make a very good point, a lot of times it is sticking to the social norm that marks people as sane rather than their actual state of mind.

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Insanity: Is it an incorrect concept?

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