1. Introduction
Madness cannot have a definition since it depends solely on whatever we call normal. As normalcy is ever changing and many times overrated it’s foolish to argue about a universal definition. Madness can often be divided into two very different groups. One is the biological madness, a slight difference in our grey matter volume causes schizophrenia and bipolar diseases which I believe we can all agree are not natural and biologically alter our way of reacting to stimuli or our way of thinking. Another one is the chosen madness, this one is way more complex since it lacks a cause, it’s just the discomfort with established societal norms or eccentricity which causes this; sometimes it’s the result of self deception. This second type is the one I am going to reflect on. While I agree that sometimes breaking stereotypes and searching for self dignity and individuality can be the common factor of development and happiness, when it’s not lucid, regulated, or innocent it can be risky or even fatal for society. It’s the case of serial killers or dictators whose happiness comes from imposing their own moral conduct on others. To summarize, humans are to find balance between ideology or dignity in madness and chaos which afflicts a safe and free life.
2. Madness as liberation
Madness is liberating, it allows us to stray from the constricting concept of normalcy and acceptance which is in almost all of the cases the main cause of advancement. Only time proves that all the people we once called mad were in fact right. It’s the case of suffragettes or feminists that allowed us women to vote, have a bank account, drive or exist independently from men. Ignaz Semmelweis (ordered personnel to wash their hands before assisting births), Nikola Tesla (pioneer in alternating current “AC”), Alfred Wegener (proposed the idea of continental drift), Galileo Galilei, The Wright brothers, among others were all called mad for their own reasons. Defying the status quo is the first step for life-changing ideas, and this defiance is what isolates the individual from society. In this case madness is necessary to advance.
But madness doesn’t have to be life altering to be good, it can also be positive if it causes a self liberation from a reality which is causing us pain or discomfort. Creating and living “in our own world” can prevent depression or suicidal behaviour if we don’t let it isolate us.
Madness can also be interpreted as an obsession, a fixation with something. In that case madness can let you master your craft, becoming obsessed with something is deeply judged, however the greatest artists are obsessed. Dali, for example, this admired and recognised artist was convinced that he did his best work when he was sleep deprived. He slept with a spoon in his hand so that when he fell asleep the spoon would fall and the clutter of it awakened him. This though it’s deeply unhealthy proves that madness is a way of development in arts as much as in science and technology.
3. Ethical dangers of madness
It would be foolish to assume madness is good in its totality for nothing is good in its totality. Unconscious madness can lead to harm not only to society but to the individual itself.
Regarding the effects of madness on the individual we can see the following possible effects. The individual might reach a point in which it loses contact with reality, being guided by their own ideas or ethics, losing critical thought and or justifying criminal behaviour. Madness can also erode trust in relationships as the gap between the individual and society grows. It also has legal risks because as I said before madness can lead the individual to want to achieve a goal at any cost, risking not only its own health but the safety of others.
There is also an undeniable repercussion in society for unconscious madness can lead to the spread of misinformation if the madness were to be upon a person of power, also if madness makes the individual create their own moral compass in a way that compromises what society considers ethical it may lead it to cause harm or commit several crimes that in its mind are either harmless or tolerable.
Let’s use Don Quijote as an example. He is so invested in his books of chivalry that he believes he is one of these knights and that gives him the authority to do the following: not paying in roadside inns, liberating criminals, beating whoever he decides is an enemy based on looks or self deception, stealing, doing whatever he sees fit with Sancho in the promise of a territory that he is more than sure he doesn’t have and a lot more. And the worst part of this is not that he commits these crimes, it is that he believes he is in the right.
Maybe if Don Quijote was more conscious in his obsession he could have achieved way more by the power of his will. This is the main reason why the solution is not eradicating madness but having it paired with critical thought and good morals.
4. Society, evolution and resistance
The main reason why balanced madness is so rare is because in a world that claims to be advanced in technology and life improvements we seem to be stagnant in terms of respect. When someone is different in the least we tend to isolate them, this is a natural reaction that perhaps we adopted from early years in which isolating the weak was necessary for evolution but it has apparently stuck with us all throughout our existence to a point where it feels irreversible. If we isolate the different we condemn them to become an unhealthy type of mad, we deprive them of communication which might as well be an important aspect for developing critical thinking. The mad and isolated can only communicate with other mad people, accentuating and aggravating the possibilities of creating an individualized concept of good and bad and eventually revolting and causing damage to society. This is not a problem if these people revolt against a society that lacks coherence, or it’s a revolt driven by a just cause that is chosen and thought. But throughout history there have been some absurd revolts that ended up causing harm. The dancing plague for example. In this revolt a woman started dancing in Strasbourg and around 400 people joined within a month; the authorities thought more dancing was the cure and hired musicians, they danced themselves to death.
Let’s go back in time to the witch hunts. In the late 15th century, the witch hunts were catalyzed by religious figures like Heinrich Kramer, whose obsession with a perceived Satanic conspiracy led to the publication of the Malleus Maleficarum in 1486. This manual, supported by Pope Innocent VIII, institutionalized the «madness» of self-deception by shifting the legal focus from minor superstition to a capital crime involving a pact with the Devil. The resulting century of persecution targeted marginalized individuals—primarily women—using coerced confessions and mass hysteria to enforce religious and patriarchal control. In this case madness was internalized by a whole society, led by a person who was in fact mad. In this period of time madness was considered normalcy and what would be considered mad would be to criticize this judicial process. Criticizing this process in its madness was good. That is why revolts and madness are good and justifiable if their goal is to cause good and its methods do not inflict pain or permanent damage on society.
5. Don Quijote as case study
Let’s pretend that Don Quijote is an experiment. What would’ve happened if Don Quijote used all that passion for justice and valor in a way that helps society?
Alonso could’ve decided in his madness to join the military; in the era that Don Quijote lives in, Spain was interested in recruiting men to fight in wars. Even if we can question the morality of wars, we can’t ignore the fact that this is a much better option than beating people in the street. He could’ve also decided to form part of the Holy Brotherhood, which is more similar to what he does in the books. In any of the cases this Don Quijote is definitely changing the world for the better, for he is not harming anyone or going against the law, in the second option he is even part of the law.
So yes, there is a way in which Don Quijote can use his obsession for society in a way that allows him to fulfil his dream and be more useful than problematic.
6. External thesis support
There are philosophers that defend this point of view. Nietzsche, for example, defends that madness is necessary to break imposed realities and it creates a world in which the individual can break free from morals, however he says that it must be a madness that comes from the abundance of life and not from sickness. This is what he calls “Great Health”—the capability to transition through madness and then come back and create new values.
Foucault also defends this. He says that the mad had a social and ethical function because they dared to speak truths no one dared to speak. Madness is an act of political resistance against normalization.
Erasmus of Rotterdam argued that without a certain degree of madness human life would be unbearable and that it enables marriage, friendship and communal joy. He divides madness in two: the one sent by rage that leads to war, greed and murder; and the amicable one that frees the spirit and provides it with the necessary pleasure for survival.
7. Conclusion
The exploration of madness reveals its complex nature as both a driving force for progress and a potential threat to societal stability. Defined by ever-changing societal norms, madness reflects our struggle between individuality and conformity. Through the lens of Don Quijote, we see how poorly managed madness can result in chaos, yet it also embodies the passion and valor necessary for societal advancement.
The challenge we face is to cultivate a balanced form of madness, one that fosters creative defiance while remaining grounded in reality and ethics. Historical examples illustrate that unchecked madness can lead to destructive revolts, but when guided by critical thought and moral integrity, it can inspire true and necessary change.
To finish, navigating the complexities of madness requires an understanding of its dual potential for both good and harm. By fostering a society that values open dialogue, embraces diversity, and encourages thoughtful discord, we can harness the liberating aspects of madness while minimizing its dangers. In this way, we can create a future where individuality flourishes alongside collective well-being.
Alicia Varela Riaño
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