Where is the line between sanity and insanity?

Question

How do we judge this, and are there any connections among these topics: Society, conformity, punishment, individualism?

Answer 1

Right.... about..... There!

Just kidding.
Interesting question. Modern psychiatry recognizes this problem. The term sane and insane are no longer part of its official vocabulary. Psychiatrists now talk more about mental illnesses and disorders. In this context, the person is seen more as a whole. Mental illnesses are abnormalities in thought patterns or behavior that are making life more difficult to either the person or those around him/her, and normally both. Some are severe and some are benign. But the tags "sane" and "insane" are no longer judged useful by modern psychiatry. Sometimes a psychiatrist will make a judgement, which can be legally binding, that a person needs to be sequestered in a mental institution, but the rationale is that this this person has a recognized disorder and that their hospitalization will ultimately benifit that person and society in general.

Answer 2

When you start to talk to the dog, and the dog talks back!...grin.

Seriously, the line between sanity and insanity is drawn by what is accepted behavior in a society. If one does not understand the consequences of their actions in relation to right and wrong (conformity within society), then they are considered insane.

Answer 3

Insanity is behaviour or thinking farther from the norm than society is prepared to accept. Presumably there are some behaviours that are so extreme as to be considered unacceptable in all societies but otherwise definition of "normal" and "abnormal" is completely determined by social tolerance. Of course societies may be more tolerant in some areas, but less so in others, and there will always be a marginal zone where behaviour is considered inappropriate or eccentric but not mad.

Answer 4

i have self assurance that there is not infact a line between sane and insane. many of the most wise contained in the international- tremendous mathemeticians, philosophers etc.- had insane qualitites about them. Take case in element autism- autistic people many times have extremely sensible math skills, yet very very nearly no verbal substitute skills, lead them to seem stupid and incapable of something.

Answer 5

The only difference between a genius and insanity is social usefulness. If an original idea is useful to society, it's genius. If its of no use to society, its insane.

Answer 6

Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. So sanity would taking a different aproach to get a different outcome.

Answer 7

According to Bhagavad Gita as it is By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada everyone in the material world is crazy. To what degree one identifies with their material body and mind is how crazy or insane they are. This world is Maya (illusion) and is temporary and full of misery yet everyone thinks it is reality. You are not your body, IE, race, color, nationality, religion, job, mind, senses, intellect, etc. yet you think you are. This is insanity go to harekrishnatemple.c for details.

Answer 8

The majority of people are very subjective when it comes to judging. What's normal to one person may not be normal to another person. Things such as race, culture, and gender have to be considered before making any judgements. Something can be considered pathalogical when it is self disrupting to one's life or someone else's.

Answer 9

there's no line persay... sanity typically based on a person's ability to reason. it's an entity, like light, the absence of which is insanity.

Answer 10

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecing a different result.