Sane?

[P Timmy]

You may give your answer in a post... but this Poll is set for private.

I voted "Myself."

[Ara Pacis]

I recall reading that an insane person thinks he or she is sane, while an actually sane person sometimes has doubts.

[Luckmeister]

I recall reading that an insane person thinks he or she is sane, while an actually sane person sometimes has doubts.

Thanks for that. Now I don't feel so bad about the times I look in the mirror and say, "Man, you're a nut-case!"

[P Timmy]

I recall reading that an insane person thinks he or she is sane, while an actually sane person sometimes has doubts.

Why didn't you vote in the Poll?

Thanks for that. Now I don't feel so bad about the times I look in the mirror and say, "Man, you're a nut-case!"

Are you just joking... or do you really think you're a "nut-case?"
Are you going to vote in the Poll?

[Luckmeister]

Are you just joking... or do you really think you're a "nut-case?"
Are you going to vote in the Poll?

It was a lighthearted way of saying that I think it's healthy for one to sometimes question the rationality of their own thoughts and actions.

I didn't vote in the poll because I feel the choices are too simplistic to be of any value. Sanity is tough enough to pinpoint without reducing it to a dichotomy.

[Gillianren]

Are we using the legal definition of "sane" or the conventional, inaccurate one?

[P Timmy]

Are we using the legal definition of "sane" or the conventional, inaccurate one?

The Poll question is... "Using your own definition... who's the most sane person you know?"

[Ara Pacis]

Are we using the legal definition of "sane" or the conventional, inaccurate one?

And furthermore, after we vote, how can we use the results in our plans for world domination.

[Ara Pacis]

Why didn't you vote in the Poll?

I never vote right away. It goes against my idea of OpSec.

[Luckmeister]

The Poll question is... "Using your own definition... who's the most sane person you know?"

Since you don't know what definition we are using, how can the poll results be meaningful?

[P Timmy]

It was a lighthearted way of saying that I think it's healthy for one to sometimes question the rationality of their own thoughts and actions.

By "healthy"... do you mean mentally healthy?
And do you sometimes question the rationality of your own thoughts and actions?

[P Timmy]

Since you don't know what definition we are using, how can the poll results be meaningful?

This is a personal evaluation using personal definitions. Either you think you are the sanest person you know... or you don't. And already... I think the result of the Poll is interesting.

[Luckmeister]

By "healthy"... do you mean mentally healthy?

Well, I didn't mean that it would make my foot stop hurting , so yes, of course.

And do you sometimes question the rationality of your own thoughts and actions?

Yes, sometimes when I react to something emotionally rather than logically, I may question the rationality of my response.

How about you -- do you sometimes question the rationality of your own thoughts and actions?

This is a personal evaluation using personal definitions. Either you think you are the sanest person you know... or you don't.

To me it's not one or the other. The third choice is "I don't feel the need to make that determination." since you didn't include that choice, I didn't participate.

[jokergirl]

We're all mad here.

[Luckmeister]

We're all mad here.

Yep. It's not a matter of 'are we or aren't we', it's just a matter of degree.

[P Timmy]

originally posted by Luckmeister
How about you -- do you sometimes question the rationality of your own thoughts and actions?

Yes... I think I could be wrong about everything... how about you?

originally posted by P Timmy
This is a personal evaluation using personal definitions. Either you think you are the sanest person you know... or you don't.

originally posted by Luckmeister
"I don't feel the need to make that determination."

Life can be scary/confusing... etc.

We're all mad here.

So how about you... did you give your opinion about yourself in the Poll?

[Luckmeister]

Yes... I think I could be wrong about everything... how about you?

Wrong about everything implies that human reality is totally an illusion which is an area of metaphysics I have no desire to enter in this thread, nor do I want to use the terms right or wrong which imply absolutes. It's rather a matter of judging the relative appropriateness of one's thoughts and actions. There's lots of shades of grey and personal evaluation involved in that.

ETA: Another thing -- My level of sanity (if you want to call it that) varies with what is going on in my life. Sometimes I feel like I have the world by the tail and at other times I feel like I'm barely coping with the problems life brings.

[Gillianren]

Since you don't know what definition we are using, how can the poll results be meaningful?

Naturally, it doesn't matter; the poll results aren't meaningful in any way. It's yet another ill-conceived poll that won't actually produce significant data. I don't even think it would be all that interesting, because definitions of "sane" are probably widely varying. I am also one of those people whose opinion will vary by what's going on. I know that I'm not the most mentally healthy of my friends, but I would also use the legal definition of "sane," which is a bit binary. So the answer is "I'm pretty sure all my friends are sane, and arguing about who is the 'most sane' is worthless."

[Luckmeister]

So the answer is "I'm pretty sure all my friends are sane, and arguing about who is the 'most sane' is worthless."

[Frog march]

If someone was saner than you, how would you know?

[P Timmy]

If someone was saner than you, how would you know?

The Poll is based on personal opinion... and I don't know of anybody who I think is more sane than me.

What I'm basing sanity on is... not being superstitious/being logical.

[Gillianren]

But that's not anyone's definition of sane that I've ever heard before.

[Gemini]

Well, I for three, are of quite sound mind. Indeed we are!

[jokergirl]

So how about you... did you give your opinion about yourself in the Poll?

No, because there was no answer in there that I agreed with. I certainly do not think of myself as saner than others; and there is no specific other person I think of as more sane than anyone else either. If there were, I would think that they are probably quite insane for attempting to be so.

[Luckmeister]

The Poll is based on personal opinion... and I don't know of anybody who I think is more sane than me.

What I'm basing sanity on is... not being superstitious/being logical.

Here's the problem with that as I see it: If I thought of myself as the only person I know with no beliefs that could be labeled superstitious, and therefore concluded that I was the only sane one, that would be an example of megalomania, which to me is a stronger indication of insanity than superstition.

[P Timmy]

I certainly do not think of myself as saner than others;

Do you think all people are equal to... or more sane than you?

The Poll is based on personal opinion... and I don't know of anybody who I think is more sane than me.

What I'm basing sanity on is... not being superstitious/being logical.

But that's not anyone's definition of sane that I've ever heard before.

The Poll is a self evaluation about ones sanity... which is not necessarily based on someone Else's definition of sanity.

Here's the problem with that as I see it: If I thought of myself as the only person I know with no beliefs that could be labeled superstitious, and therefore concluded that I was the only sane one, that would be an example of megalomania, which to me is a stronger indication of insanity than superstition.

Yes I agree.
My definition assumes that there are no textbook-defined mental disorders. If I knew I had such a disorder my vote in the Poll would have been different.

And even though we're in the minority... there are many people who are not superstitious... but then it comes down to the logic of ones world view... and I don't know of any world view which seems more sane/logical than mine... but I also realize that there could be many... and that I could be wrong.

[Swift]

Get Fuzzy - Differently Sane

[Gillianren]

My definition assumes that there are no textbook-defined mental disorders.

Why?

[Luckmeister]

My definition assumes that there are no textbook-defined mental disorders. If I knew I had such a disorder my vote in the Poll would have been different.

With many mental disorders, the one suffering from it is the last one that should be diagnosing its existence. (This is a general comment; I'm not implying that you suffer from one.)

And even though we're in the minority... there are many people who are not superstitious...

As I've stated before, I think we should be careful about assigning absolutes. Some people are only slightly superstitious in one area and it's not always easy to define a belief as superstition. For example, some consider it bad luck to walk under a ladder, but I consider it just not smart because something might fall on your head. After all, that ladder is probably there for a reason.

Is it lack of sanity or is it a lack of intelligence and/or education that causes people to adhere to superstition? I usually think of it more as the latter.

... but then it comes down to the logic of ones world view... and I don't know of any world view which seems more sane/logical than mine...

Be careful about thinking you have the world all figured out. When we think that, it has a nasty habit of proving us wrong.

... but I also realize that there could be many... and that I could be wrong.

Good!! Always leave that possibility open.

You emphasize the importance of logic in your posts. Guiding one's life purely by logic is not only probably impossible for a human but also not advisable. Our emotions are a large part of what makes us creative, artistic, sympathetic, empathetic, etc. They also come into play when defining our morality. One of the difficulties in life is finding the balance between logic and emotion that works best for us.

[P Timmy]

Originally posted by P Timmy
My definition assumes that there are no textbook-defined mental disorders.

Why?

My definition is specific to me... and I don't have those type of disorders that I know of.