Discuss Definition of insanity

[Ayat paarsa]

Definition of insanity?
"You can't keep doing the same things in life and expect to get different results. Do you want to live a life of torment? Then keep doing what you are doing, and you will keep getting what you are getting."
Do you agree with this idea of insanity by the author? I know you can do it, but will you do it?

[Sirajuddin A]

Definitely, I agree with the author on this point that, if we don't get a positive result then there is a need to change our approach or mindset towards the goal we want to achieve.

[Sicily Joy]

I agree that if something you are doing isn't working or isn't improving the situation, it is time to try new tactics. Yet, I don't think people who keep doing the same things are necessarily insane. Insanity, in my opinion, is when your behaviors are causing devasting results in your life and you felt a lack of control to do otherwise.

[Waragu Samuel]

I can define insanity as thinking that you know and heading in the right direction while the direct opposite is true.

[Bavithra M]

I agree with your view about insanity.

[cpru68]

I agree with it because we often don’t take responsibility for our actions and don’t want to change. Human nature isn’t always excited about trying new things and it looks like craziness when we still don’t get results and we keep doing the same unfavorable things repeatedly.

[Jsovermyer]

If what you are doing is not working, and you aren't getting what you want, then you need to change your actions. You may need to look at the situation in an entirely different way. I don't think you are necessarily insane. You may just be stuck in a rut.

[Alicia09]

I think this line was meant to show that sometimes it is easy to keep making the same mistakes over again. So I will say yes, I do agree that this is a good definition of insanity by the author. As far as real life is concerned, I don't know if it will be that easy for me to truly change my habits. I could try, but I think it would take a lot of self monitoring in order for me to be able to truly change the mistakes I keep making. I would almost need to look at myself from an outsiders perspective, which is hard to do because not everyone has my best interest in mind.

[MKRichards]

The direct quote from Einstein: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." The author may not have been aware of how close it was to his (or he did, and chose not to cite it).

[Sakilunamermaid]

That is in fact the technical definition of insanity. The point is that you will keep experiencing the same discouragement, failure etc. If you do not learn from the experience. The outcome will not be the positive one that you want it to be. It takes action and choice/ decision to change your life and make a difference.

[jgraney8]

The definition reflects the labor of Sisyphus condemned to push a rock up a hill for eternity. The expectation of a different result would be a delusion, so it seems to describe one type of insanity. The definition is too narrow, but it does fit many situations. The question then seems to me to be when does insight arrive? If it never does, then it is insanity. If one arrives at the insight of the futility of the repeating the action, does that mean one is sane?

[M Zee]

The definition reflects the labor of Sisyphus condemned to push a rock up a hill for eternity. The expectation of a different result would be a delusion, so it seems to describe one type of insanity. The definition is too narrow, but it does fit many situations. The question then seems to me to be when does insight arrive? If it never does, then it is insanity. If one arrives at the insight of the futility of the repeating the action, does that mean one is sane?

Yeah, this particular adage has been around for a long time. It's not really anything new in terms of self-help. It's probably helpful to younger readers who haven't been exposed to the concepts in a philosophy or even history class, though.

[Vlinstry]

I agree. The definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results'. If you don't change your approach to something then the outcome will never change and you will just end up in a loop.

[Katherine Smith]

I agree with the author's definition of insanity and his advice on how to end the cycle. I think that it's hard to stop this cycle especially if you have been doing something for a long time. An example I thought was when your at work and you keep trying to do more work then everyone else to get noticed by your employer. If you change your outlook on the situation, then you can achieve those positive results.

[Juliar252]

I have been told that insanity is: "doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." While that may be true, I also acknowledge that habits are difficult to break, so it takes more than just self-discipline to break those damaging cycles.