On the Nature of Insanity
In conversation today Matt mentioned a man who wrote a 15,145 page story of a fictional world. Henry Darger was an American recluse, who apparently was obsessed with children and insanely enough brutal actions towards them, shown in his collection of newspaper clippings of murdered children. While the man was a bit insane he spent his working life as a janitor and the rest in the recluse of his home. As a child he was admitted to a mental institution for various odd reasons. With the passing of that, he wrote his life’s work entitled The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion. The story is illustrated in watercolor art that Darger painted himself (see above image) and only in his death were his works discovered and brought to light. Just goes to show you, despite a bit of insanity the man had some brilliance in him. Insanity almost brought it out of him, other wise he would of gotten too lazy to write and the work would never have been recorded from his mind. (for more info on Darger google him or ask Mr. Matt)
Some may say that a person who comes in from the world outside our little philosophy group (Is there a world outside?) may see all of Ed's posts and immediately assume he is insane, just like anyone who listens to me talk for more than two minutes. I however wouldn’t be so conceited to assume myself insane. As Thoreau wrote in his essay A Plea for Captain John Brown; “Many, no doubt, are well disposed, but sluggish by constitution and by habit, and they cannot conceive of a man who is actuated by higher motives than they are. Accordingly they pronounce this man insane, for they know that they could never act as he does, as long as they are themselves.” So while people hold a certain disdain for anything considered insane, perhaps the disdain should be towards normal, sane, and mediocre. Because monotony will drive a person insane. Ha ha.
A few people who were known to have mental illnesses, but are revered today for their brilliance: Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Vincent Willem van Gogh, Ludwig van Beethoven, Leo Tolstoy, John Keats, Ernest Hemingway, Michelangelo, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, to name a few. All of these individuals suffered or prospered due to bouts of manic depression, suicidal depression and all other flavors of true insanity. But the real questions comes from a statement made by Ed earlier today about the inhabitants of Mexico City and the Super Volcano under them and why they don’t leave. So I ask you if people don’t like their situation and don’t do anything about it, are they not the insane ones? Or are we all really just vulgar animals? If we know about a situation such as Mexico City and the inhabitants won't do anything are we unjust for not attempting to change these people’s decision to remain in a potential danger?
Greek Archaeologists Unearth Rich Tomb
