Insanity or Sanity?

Am I Crazy?

The more I indulge in strange alternative topics such as those debated on ATS I cannot help but ask myself why I do it and how much of it is true. I have a tendency to question everything and depending on the amount of evidence I have, I lean towards my conclusion but refuse to completely stand by it in most decisions as recent times have shown there is almost always substantial evidence to support the theory and to debunk it also. This usually leaves me leaning towards a certain viewpoint instead of completely accepting is as the truth on the subject depending on how it fits my personal beliefs. I also understand that people want to be part of something and want to feel unique in this world. But does that desire lead them to believe something that is not true? Does that desire lead them to ultimately lie to their self about what is considered reality and induce a sense of false meaning that comes from things such as conspiracies or religion to achieve that desire and fill that void?

Are we another category of humans that use that approach to fill the need instead of collecting nice trinkets, cars, tv's and physical material possessions. In my mind there are multiple categories of people that have some specific method to fill the void whether it is religion, guns, cars, fitness, abuse, sex, sports, addictions and more. It all seems an attempt to find happiness or originality or an effort to subdue personal discontent. And I will not say we should not be attempting to fill the void for it is in my mind, human nature.

How do you separate the sane from the insane? Ask yourself am I crazy?
There is a saying that I like to use and it is: "A madman never doubts his sanity"
So what I attempt to accomplish with this thread is for everyone reading it to ask their self on a personal level, "Am I Crazy". I would truly like to know what you think about your personal sanity. Surely you are asking why does the OP have any interest in this? Has the OP slipped off the deep end? My reasoning behind this question is to help evaluate my own personal reasoning on the subject and maybe I have slipped off the deep end.

The dictionary definition of sane is:


1. free from mental derangement; having a sound, healthy mind: a sane person.
2. having or showing reason, sound judgment, or good sense: sane advice.




The definition of insane is:

1. not sane; not of sound mind; mentally deranged.
2. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a person who is mentally deranged: insane actions; an insane asylum.



Based on the descriptions above what is a healthy mind considered?
IMHO a healthy mind, a sane person free from mental derangement or insanity is someone that does not do or think anything against the standard acceptance of reality which in turn spawns from our immediate surroundings and raised traditions and 5 senses correct?

One of the ways someone might be considered to be insane in my mind would be someone would be seeing things that are not really there such as large spiders everywhere which ultimately leads them to do things outside the barrier of acceptance in their ways of acting, speaking, thinking and such. But is what we see there really there? I am not saying there are large arachnids there but what do we not see that exists regardless of whether or not we acknowledge it?

Just because that specific "insane" person is the only one seeing spiders does not mean they are insane, or does it? Are they in a different level of existence? Methodically we would come to the conclusion that the insane persons brain is not working properly and inducing visions or hallucinations that do not really exist based on how our brains are wired and how we consider what is accepted as a world or nation or based on what we see and think we know from a traditionalized way of life. We do not see giant spiders to exist of course and theoretically they don't in the reality that we abide in as compared to the insane persons reality.

But what if things are not as they seem?
Think about the possibility of a virtual existence or existences. Think about the many different subjects that will have people calling you crazy as such conspiracies located on this site. Given it is against the standard belief system of those who say so and is against the majoritys accepted way of thinking. But translation and point of view seem to me to determine what reality and sanity really is. Take a child for example and their reality is completely different than ours in the way that they understand the world around them and the perspective and translation they give it. Man seems to give illogical or mythical explanations to what can be logically explained or what we think can be logically explained based on the knowledge we think is fact.


Furthermore I can't help but ask myself am I floating into the deep end with the thoughts I entertain on a daily basis in my attempt to find the truth? Am I actually going crazy giving into the ideas that are considered out of bounds by some and truth by others or am I already crazy and don't know it?

Should I accept the accepted way of life and belief and live the seemingly mundane life and tell myself I am happy or should I find purpose in what sometimes seems insane? Are the insane unaccepted ideas sanity and vice versa? Should I question everything and expect to find truth or will I land myself in a padded cell by asking the questions no one wants to? Will I be institutionalized because I am willing to accept the truth if it can be proven regardless of how crazy it may seem?

Will it really be the truth or will I have become insane and think it is the truth? How many of us are currently in this state and do not realize it? Is this a reasonable way of putting it? What is reasonable? What separates sanity from insanity? Madmen never doubt their sanity right? Hope I don't end up in a padded cell in a straight jacket from giving into seemingly nonsensical reasoning as this all seems. Seemingly nonsensical in the viewpoint that is widely accepted by others.

Sometimes I wonder if all this questioning without grasping any sure answers is a direct route to insanity. Naturally anyone that is on this journey we call life is in some kind of a search for what is considered happiness or satisfaction. For me personally satisfaction is limited with time in that every body dies and that the world is a changing place. But that could only be limited to this temporary existential plane if it is only temporary. That only leads me further to conclude sanity and insanity is a perspective instead of a reality, which from there leads me to believe we just might all be crazy and not know it.

When thinking about virtual existences and holographic universes and aliens and psychic phenomena and all of it I cannot help but ask myself is accepted insanity really sanity in a way or is insanity as described by the majority really craziness?

Even more interesting is how the people that we consider insane are theoretically living in a virtual existence they believe is reality. They really believe their insanity is sanity and they really believe that things are the way they see them even though they see huge arachnids. All this thinking reminds me of the movie "Bug" with Ashley Judd.


Ultimately sanity or insanity to me seems to be perspective oriented and ultimately every one of us in some way is insane.


With the myriad of ATS minds I am eagerly awaiting your input.

One of the alleged insane poeple here.


Well, it sounds like you're working on it anyway. Many may believe that they aren't crazy, but are by normal standards. I recall having seen a man when I was homeless that was pointing and mumbling and as if talking to invisible people. Maybe he sees them and we don't. The truth may make us crazier than we already are.

I've been on disability for 5 years now. Most of those are a blur and yet I recall some really bizarre events throughout my life I had forgotten.

Does a schizophrenic also repress memories of their alleged delusions? That sounds more like planted memories such as abductions. I rarely recall any dreams though. Some say these are from the same part of the brain? I dunno. I guess it's like being half asleep.

A person at a genius level may be lost in his thoughts and not use his common sense, if he has any. Absent minded professor?

I've always had a problem focusing while doing boring things and would daydream a lot. Lost a few jobs that way.

I don't believe we are all exactly the same anyway. Most known realities are boring. I much prefer science fiction shows and movies to reading, but I've read or heard it makes you stupid. When you read stories, do you imagine the characters? is that insane?

I wonder if ancient people thought stars were campfires in the sky.

What did they talk about when they were sitting around at night gazing at the sky? Did they believe in conspiracy theories? Probably.

[edit on 16-2-2009 by aleon1018]

I read a quote here on ATS once, it goes something like:

If 90% of the world is insane, the 10% remaining would be considered insane too.

Sanity and Insanity are completely relevant to each other. I think it is is pretty insane for women to wear a full headdress and body covering and only expose their eyes in public....but in somewhere like Kuwait that behavior is completely normal and sane.

The most important thing is to just be comfortable with who you are, no matter how you act or whatever you think.

Just because you do and think things that other people Label as "insane" does not mean that you actually are.

I think a person truly fitting of the definition insane would not even know it or have the mentality to comprehend it.

reply to post by aleon1018


Very interesting and thank you for the input. Your response got me thinking and wondering if maybe us conspiracy theorists theorize because we are looking for something better out of what we have. Maybe we are a type of people that always looks for something deeper since we may not be satisfied currently. Not only that but there has always been someone preaching the end of the world it seems. Always. The question is why are they doing it? We as humans need stimulus to fill our boredom or void. Sometimes I think we are willing to go to further illogical lengths to reach that buzz even if it means bringing our self to believe something we know is false for personal reasons.

Maybe some of us are more so "insane" because we push the limits of acceptance off the deep end because we are not satisfied by what so many others are. Maybe we induce our own insanity by never being satisfied. Well I never seem to be satisfied.

[edit on 16-2-2009 by N3krostatic]

Originally posted by Nick_X
I read a quote here on ATS once, it goes something like:

If 90% of the world is insane, the 10% remaining would be considered insane too.

Sanity and Insanity are completely relevant to each other. I think it is is pretty insane for women to wear a full headdress and body covering and only expose their eyes in public....but in somewhere like Kuwait that behavior is completely normal and sane.

The most important thing is to just be comfortable with who you are, no matter how you act or whatever you think.

Just because you do and think things that other people Label as "insane" does not mean that you actually are.

I think a person truly fitting of the definition insane would not even know it or have the mentality to comprehend it.

Good way of putting it and agreed with the headdress lifestyle. That seems insane to me but that is based on my upbringing and perspective.

Lemme guess. TL;DR? ( Too long, didn't read)
Or all of you don't want to indulge in my ramblings?



Well I thought it was interesting.....

I was talking to one of my friends about this last night. He asked me if I considered him weird, and I said "of course," but followed up with "who do you know that isn't weird?"
If you could really get in anyone's head, you would find that much of it isn't the same as what you think(I believe). The only ones considered normal are people that are accepted by society, and those people are, in most cases, just trying to fit in, themselves. And if they're trying to fit in, that would mean that they are most likely afraid to show how they really are.
People (most anyways) are trapped in the circle of 9-5 jobs, then come home, eat and go to sleep. I'm sure most of us want out, deep down. Some people (insane) just don't try to hide it; they're sick of or don't have the patience/ability to keep trying to be like everyone else, and finally "snap". Other people are more able to keep it to themsleves, but only because they're afraid of people calling them crazy, or of being put in a nut house. In the end I don't think you can lable someone insane, because we're all a little crazy, at times. I've been reading 1984 sorry.

I believe there are some truly insane or mentally ill people, I myself am bipolar II borderline personality disorder, but that is not insanity in my estimation. You know, people like Jeffrey Dalmer, Jerry Brudos, those people are insane, crazy as hell, not just a little schizy and needing some "calm me down pills" or people who snap from stress and can't cope for a bit.

People who eat dirt, (called pica, a disorder) are not insane, they are just not right, they can't help it, but they are not insane.

People who strive to fit in with society are just trying to keep up with the Jonses.

you get my drift

There can obvioulsy be no objective asessment of whether someone is sane or insane. By objective insanity I mean proving the person who thinks they are speaking with god are not speaking to god. There is no way to prove the "insane" person in question is not the new prophet of the spaghetti creature.

Insanity is not an objective term. It is a subjective assessment of thoughts and behaviors that fall significantly outside the normal boundries of the society where they exist. As a subjective term, the definition of insanity is changed and adjusted as time goes on.

But just as calling someone insane for talking to god does not mean they are not talking to god, it also doesn't mean that every person labelled insane is living on another plane of existence. But like any other subjective descriptor it only has meaning by terms with which it is defined. And like I said those change as society grows.

reply to post by N3krostatic


I think Anthony Perkins said it best in the movie Psycho "We all go a little crazy sometimes".

I personally believe that it would be crazy just to fall into the beliefs of the main stream that think that everything is alright. Those who believe that the paranormal is nothing more than exaggerations of mundane events.

But like you said sanity just being a perception. Is IMHO is a fair assessment. People do live in different realities. What you perceive, the events that happen to you is your reality. Like wise the man right beside you can and probably does have a different view of reality. Does that mean you are he are sane or insane. That would all depend on your views and his.

I think we can all agree that things happen that have no logical explanation. Is it insane for those of us who choose to dig deeper and try to find the truth behind the event. Or is it insane to just put the blinders back in place and go about your business like nothing ever happened.

As you said it all depends on perception. Sanity and insanity are individual views of people going about their day to day. Is the man sitting in the corner babbling to himself or to "invisible people" is he crazy, or is he just affected by his perceived reality. After all IMHO if it is real in your brain. If the events feel real to the point that you can't tell if it is reality or not, than it is a reality, which may only be your reality.

As long as one is not harming himself or anyone else I don't think it matters if one is sane or insane.

But I will hold tight to the saying that mirrors yours. "Crazy people don't know their crazy"

Plenty of crazy people know they are crazy.

For pete's sake, look at sufferers of OCD. People with obsessive compulsive disorder are usually very aware that their obsesssions(e.g. contamination) are irrational and that the compulsions (e.g. frequent hand washing) are just as irrational. They know they are thinking and acting irrationally, yet they continue on until they receive help. This often leads them to question their own sanity. That aside, they know they are exhibiting "crazy" thoughts and behaviors. This knowledge doesn't mean they aren't ill, nor does this knowledge enable them to stop.

And if you don't think ocd doesn't constitute the loose collequial definition of crazy in the aforementioned aphorism try this example. A man who is obsessed with his family being accidentally poisoned who constantly obsesses over health hazards and who is compelle to imagine a vacuum cleaner and make whooshin noises to make the obsessions cease. Who spends two hours daily checking his house for spills and washes his hands until they are continuously chapped and raw.

Sorry to be a nit picker, but sometimes "crazy" people know they are crazy.

We are all Bozos on this bus!

I don't think I am any more sane or insane then anyone else.
It is all a perseption and all relative.

Who decided where and when sanity/insanity starts and ends.
Were the people who set this scale of what is rational, into "practice",
sane or insane ?

Again, We are all Bozos on this bus!

reply to post by CallMeMaury


But can you say someone who does something out of a compulsion is crazy. People with OCD can't help what they do on their own. So does that make them crazy. Personally I think not. Besides I think most people are OCD about something. Most of us have little quirks that we can't help we just have to do.

Personally I can not look at a picture on the wall that is crooked without fixing it. Just knowing that a picture or painting is crooked drives me up the wall and I can not rest until it is straightened. To the point that I do it anywhere I go. I have done it in doctors offices friends houses anywhere a picture is crooked and I am you can bet the bank that I am going to correct it.

Does this make me crazy. I don't thinks so peculiar, odd maybe but crazy. I think not.

reply to post by Ant4AU


Thats what I do too. I don't realy care if others think it's strange I have to straighten it.

I read in an astrology book a long time ago, that doing it is a Libra trait.
Strangely, I am a Libra.

reply to post by azureskys


Gemini here not sure about the whole astrological definitions behind it. I am just glad that I am not alone. It goes further than that. Small things like a stack of anything if they aren't perfectly one on top of each others lined up or at least form larges on bottom and smallest on top in a stepped pyramid shape I am bouncing off the walls. Pretty much lines that should be straight I am going to make sure they are straight. Now you know you are not alone.

reply to post by N3krostatic


Take a step back for a second and think for yourself rather than use a dictionary definition.

What is crazy?

Crazy is a perception due to lack of understanding and nothing more.

If someone thinks you are crazy, they do not understand you and vice versa if you ever find someone else appearing crazy.

The hard part is when you do not understand yourself and for many that is the problem. I would say knowing yourself is one of the most important asepcts of life and it is far from crazy to admit that you do not know yourself.

Almost everyone is born with the desire to learn and a thirst for answers but sadly most dismiss that part of themselves and bury it under sand. People are living a lie for how can they judge or love if they have never truly understood themselves.

I think that your thoughts are a sign of a healthy mind looking for answers and good luck in future.

Cheers

Your kidding me aren't you everyone in this world is insane, lol. What sane people do you ever meet. Everyone in power is just a wannabee serial killer type.

Stop judging how you think the truth makes you feel. If something is true it is sane to believe it.

Get this

Mind control is real, and sane people believe in it, insane people think all there thoughts are there own.

AHHHH INPUT!!!!!!
I really do value "all" of your opinions as I have my own and by your input I am one step closer to reality. Well one step closer to my own founded sanity or insanity. One step closer to that distant place where perception does not tweak truth and reality.... Or will it always?

One step closer........