This is Madness: Rational Insanity

The subject of madness is something that interests me greatly. I think that in order to be truly brilliant one needs to have just a touch of madness. To me, madness doesn’t mean incompetence. Of course if someone is too far out side social norms of thinking he loses his ability to function in society. But, if one is able to take just one step back from reality, he finds the ability to consider new possibilities for the world. One does not have to look too hard to find examples correlating creativity and madness. Take Van Gogh, considered a genius even after cutting off part of his own ear. This is of course an extreme. In order to create, to invent something new, we need to lose touch somewhat with present reality. If we never step outside our boundaries, all we can do is recycle old ideas. I think it is important for people to question their own sanity. How can we hope to see the world through the eyes of another if we never question the vision of our own? It’s my opinion that sanity and rationality are two separate attributes. One can be so far outside the conventional norms that they are considered insane, but if you follow their thought you might discover that it flows logically. Such a person might even be aware of their own madness and be able to tell you exactly why he is insane. I would give this person a label of rational insanity. Take on the other hand, one who follows society’s standards without waver, but never questions anything, lives the unexamined life, accepts whatever his is told, a sheep, a zombie. Such a person is clearly sane, but question the validity his sanity, ask him why he is sane, he will have no answer. To me, this is irrational sanity, sanity without reason.