What is the difference between sanity and insanity?

From my perspective:

People that agree with me are sane. Obviously.

People that do not agree with me, or behave in ways I would not, are insane. Obviously.

I heard that what make someone insane is doing the same thing over again expecting a different outcome.

God damn you, I was about to come in here quoting Far Cry 3

Well that would mean that is no such thing then

So what is the point of mental hospitals and psychotherapists etc?

You would say that. You're insane.




Ah, a different question. They will be filled with the people who disagree with society's current opinions or behave other than society currently expects. The professionals therein will then try to fill the heads of those sent there with opinions that are permitted, and train them to exhibit behaviours the professionals find acceptable.

In other countries we call them re-education camps.

Thus we shall eliminate thoughtcrime.

I heard that what make someone insane is doing the same thing over again expecting a different outcome.

What if we are all going it?

Well that would mean that is no such thing then. So what is the point of mental hospitals and psychotherapists etc?

From Simes' point of view, for anyone who disagrees with Simes.

Yes! That's right! I can confirm you are sane!

Come and join me in celebration by disembowelling a virgin on the pyramid's altar and then eating her beating heart in honour of the feathered serpent that made the universe. Then the queen will cut herself all over and ride round, bleeding, so people can see how mighty she is, followed by the priests whipping themselves until they bleed. After all, that's what we normal people do.

The difference between sanity and insanity is completely subjective, or perhaps, moulded by society.

Have a read of Rosenhan's study. Sanity and insanity is distinguished by a medical book.

Did that come from your own imagination? I don't know, I'm starting to question your sanity.

Perfectly normal, everyday behaviour for pre-Christian South American people. Were they insane? Only by modern Western values.

Nothing's real, is it?

Only what's in your head. And that is merely sensory perception and deduction coloured by what your parents and teachers told you.

It was sane to torture and kill your own slaves as after-dinner light entertainment in 18th century Haiti.

It was considered sane to torture people until they confessed to anything.

The "death by a thousand cuts" to ensure you could not go to the afterlife intact was considered sane as a punishment.

Apparently it is sane to machine-gun a room full of people because someone in that room at some time in the past drew nasty pictures about a dead man you respect.

It was sane to execute the innocent family members of criminals in China and even parts of Europe until the mid 20th century.

It was sane a hundred years ago to watch Fred clamber over the top when the whistle blew and see him shot, then watch Bill clamber over the top when the whistle blew and see him shot, then, when the whistle blew, step forward and clamber over the top. It was also sane to keep blowing the whistle.

It is sane to stand on a piece of flat ground and say "I cannot walk forward from this point because it is a different country" even though there are no obstructions. It is sane to accept this, even though the line - that is not there - has moved many times over the centuries and wasn't even there for the first 100s of millions of years of the Earth. The line is in your head, people, only in your head.

Apparently - you'll love this one - apparently some people will accept a piece of paper with the picture of some old woman's head on it in exchange for food!