What is insanity?

Answer

To be sane is to have your wits about you, to understand what you're doing and where you are and be able to be a normal and functional member of society. Being INsane is the opposite. An insane person might hallucinate, not know who they are, where they are, what the year is, might indulge in compulsive behaviours etc.

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To be judged insane, you must have no clear definition of right or wrong, and no recognition of the existence of those other than yourself.

Also there is a marked difference between being mentally ill and being insane. Someone who is mentally ill might hallucinate, someone who is insane would have no concept of the world around him/her, or have a concept that is extremely removed from the current reality.

However, your level of functioning within society is NOT a measure of sanity.

Ex. If we went back a few thousand years, and a group of us got down on our knees three times a day and bowed repeatedly for 20 minutes, had conversations or talked with a being we could not see, smell or touch and turned down all pork or pork produce, we would not be seen as normal, we would almost certainly be seen as a little crazy/insane.

It's all about context.