EvC Forum: What does being crazy really look like?

Percy writes:

Is there a way to detect craziness early so as to avoid wasting all the time? Or is engaging the craziness profitable in that it brings many rational responses that couch the issues in terms that match reality?

hmmmm *googles*

quote:
1. Affected with madness; insane.
2. Informal Departing from proportion or moderation, especially:
a. Possessed by enthusiasm or excitement: The crowd at the game went crazy.
b. Immoderately fond; infatuated: was crazy about boys.
c. Intensely involved or preoccupied: is crazy about cars and racing.
d. Foolish or impractical; senseless: a crazy scheme for making quick money.

I have (or by faith had a gambling problem. Gambling is, by any logical definition crazy. Some would say that belief in God is also crazy, but I would have to differ(without begging

)

Dr.A writes:

The only thing that tips me off immediately is when a poster has his own specialized vocabulary that he doesn't bother to define before employing it. In that case either schizophrenia or fairly acute autism has led him to forget that we don't know what he's talking about when he uses the phrases that he makes up.

Otherwise, no, we don't know from the get-go. An idea may be unusual, but it cannot be mad in itself. To find out whether the person maintaining the idea is mad, we need to know how he reacts to contrary arguments.

This is why I always use dictionary terms. So we can at least be on the same page regarding definition of terms. As for contrary arguments, I have been known to blame demons at times, but they may simply be the hobgoblins of my little mind.

Rahvin writes:

I think many of those we call "crazy" are simply firmly convinced that their beliefs are accurate. They might be wrong...but if we define "crazy" to include everyone who holds a false belief after being shown invalidating evidence, we'll wind up labeling so many people "crazy" that the term will lose any and all useful meaning.

The problem I have is providing evidence. People think that my belief is based on a faulty foundation of wisdom, but I am getting better at articulating myself, if not defending my belief. Besides...I think the invisible Creator of all seen and unseen needs no defending, anyway.

Rahvin writes:

Most people are not accustomed or even particularly interested in critically examining their own beliefs. Most people, when entering an argument or debate, are not interested in changing their own minds...they're interested in changing someone else's.

How true, Rahvin!

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