Insanity
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| Because people seemed to be so unfamiliar with people who acted this way, it caused scientists and other people to become more involved with studying them. It eventually caused people to study parts of the brain and how they function with resulted in many scientific achievements. This was also why the word "insane" is no longer used as a medical term, but "mentally ill" is. People have researched and discovered that someone is not just insane, but something has caused them to be that way. Insane is now either used as a slang term or used in law. | Because people seemed to be so unfamiliar with people who acted this way, it caused scientists and other people to become more involved with studying them. It eventually caused people to study parts of the brain and how they function with resulted in many scientific achievements. This was also why the word "insane" is no longer used as a medical term, but "mentally ill" is. People have researched and discovered that someone is not just insane, but something has caused them to be that way. Insane is now either used as a slang term or used in law. | ||
| + | ==Slang usage== | ||
| + | In [[popular culture]], "insane" could also refer to something extremely [[stupidity|foolish]], while persons may be deemed "insane" if their behavior strongly deviates from accepted [[social norm]]s; in the past, insanity has been used to refer to individuals who have exhibited [[Apathy|apathetic]], [[Cruelty|cruel]], [[Hypersexuality|hypersexual]] and [[Homosexuality|homosexual]] behavior. The term is typically negative, but departure from established norms may also be seen as a positive quality; in this case, being "insane" is being daringly unconventional or [[individualistic]]. This use of ''insane'' is illustrated by the following quote from [[Henry David Thoreau]]'s ''[[A Plea for Captain John Brown]]'', an essay supporting the well-known [[militant]] [[abolitionist (slavery)|abolitionist]]: | ||
| + | {{quotation|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.}} | ||
| + | In this sense, "insanity" is not implied to be an actual disorder, let alone severe. | ||
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Insanity, or madness, is a general term for a semi-permanent, severe mental disorder.The concept has been used in a number of ways historically. Today it is most commonly encountered as a generic informal term, or in the more narrow legal context of criminal insanity. In the medical profession, it is nowadays avoided in favor of specific diagnoses of mental illness. [1] [May 2007]
Historical Treatment
During the 18th century, in England and France, humane treatment of the insane was introduced and mental hospitals were built. The first mental hospital in America was built in Williamsburg, Virginia around 1773. Before the 19th century, these hospitals, or asylums, were seen as a place to hide these people from the view of others. Pictures from these dark times portrayed them as tied up and bed ridden. Straitjackets and chains controlled patients and forced them to be seen as inferior. Depression, a very understandable issue for people who have been through tough times, was often a factor in the “insane.” The sadness would force people to do things which others did not understand. Things like self-mutilation and suicide were misinterpreted and misunderstood. These people were locked up and treated unfairly which caused them to lash out and become even more mysterious.
Results
Because people seemed to be so unfamiliar with people who acted this way, it caused scientists and other people to become more involved with studying them. It eventually caused people to study parts of the brain and how they function with resulted in many scientific achievements. This was also why the word "insane" is no longer used as a medical term, but "mentally ill" is. People have researched and discovered that someone is not just insane, but something has caused them to be that way. Insane is now either used as a slang term or used in law.
Slang usage
In popular culture, "insane" could also refer to something extremely foolish, while persons may be deemed "insane" if their behavior strongly deviates from accepted social norms; in the past, insanity has been used to refer to individuals who have exhibited apathetic, cruel, hypersexual and homosexual behavior. The term is typically negative, but departure from established norms may also be seen as a positive quality; in this case, being "insane" is being daringly unconventional or individualistic. This use of insane is illustrated by the following quote from Henry David Thoreau's A Plea for Captain John Brown, an essay supporting the well-known militant abolitionist:
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. {{#if:|– {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}}}
}}
In this sense, "insanity" is not implied to be an actual disorder, let alone severe.
