ME MAD? YOU MAD! Defining and Surviving The Collective Madness

markthemysticactiv
2 days ago
4 min read

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OR READ HERE... THE USUAL DEFINITION

Madness is usually defined as a state of disassociation from reality.

Such a state is usually portrayed in the cinema, and described in literature, as being accompanied by a person´s inability to manage their so-called “not-reality” – resulting in behaviour that is unstable, inappropriately reactive, overwhelmed, insecure, compensatory, absurd even.

But that need not be the case. Someone might be completely mad (disassociated from the collective perception of reality), and perfectly capable of managing their so-called “not-reality”. In fact, whether due to their innocence or astuteness - their madness might even go unnoticed by those around them.

I, for example, am one such madman. One of the astute ones, perhaps. I do not live inside the collective reality. I see almost everyone does - but I don´t bother them. Anyway, in my experience, most of them aren´t interested in the state of Absolute Not-Knowing, the state of Sacred Mystery, in which I live – my exquisite, blessed so-called “not-reality”.

ME NOT-REALITY? YOU NOT-REALITY!

To say someone (or a society) is mad (because they are “disassociated from reality”) presumes knowledge as to the nature of reality.

To say “you are disassociated from reality” means we think we possess accurate knowledge as to the absolute nature of reality, or existence. If we didn´t - how could we say someone (or a society) was disassociated from it, and therefore mad?

But do we? Do we really know reality? Or do we perceive reality through limited and fallible faculties (physical, intellectual, etc) - and are we therefore only able to arrive at limited and fallible conclusions as to its absolute nature?

And can we therefore only conclude (sanely) that reality is a mystery, beyond our conceptualising?

And can we therefore say it is presumptuous and inflated; deceitful or at best foolish; and ultimately insane (mad) to claim to know the absolute nature of reality?

And since all of the dominant cultures in the world today claim to know the absolute nature of reality – can we not say they are all mad?

Yes, I think we can.

Scientific Materialism (the concept of reality shared both by Western Democracies and Centralised Communism), and Monotheism (the concept of reality shared by the Islamic States and the pockets of Christianity remaining in the ´western´ world) both claim to know the absolute nature of reality.

Different cultures might have differing realities (which, by definition, means they see each other as mad), but in the terms in which we are talking – they are all mad! They all, ridiculously, despite the self-evident limitations of human perception at every level – physical, intellectual, emotional and intuitive - nevertheless self-deceive, ignore the limitations of our conceptualising, fabricate and inhabit arbitrary concepts of reality - and then propagate them as existential certainty. If thats´s not nuts – what is!?

SANITY WILL SAVE THE WORLD

So what am I saying? That if everyone was as mad as me the world would be sane? Yes!

That if people were honest with themselves and each other and admitted they didn´t know – that this reality in which we find ourselves is beyond our capacities to define – that we are inside and part of A Vast Mystery – there would be unity on Earth? Yes!

That if people truly embraced Not Knowing they would realise that we all don´t know – equally? That they would realise we are all in the same existential situation... That we are all equally here... That nobody exists more than anyone else... That we are all equal? Yes!

And do I believe that is going to happen? No! Well, not tomorrow. And even if every one of the world´s dominant cultures began existential education tomorrow – beginning to help people face their Fear of The Unknown, and embrace their fear, and be kind to their fear – even then, it would take various generations, I believe, for sanity to save the world.

Meanwhile, as I say, I don´t bother those who don´t want to be bothered. And I write this for you, the person who has read to the end – and clearly, therefore, wants to be bothered!

And to you I say: I find it clarifying to acknowledge that as I walk through the towns and cities of our era I am walking through a State of Collective Insanity – in which most people´s thinking, feeling and behaviour is arising from a delusional understanding of reality.

And I ask myself “would people who were living inside The Great Mystery have co-created such unnatural urban-industrial ugliness, and an atmosphere that is so functional and superficial that I find it frightening?” I don´t think so.

So be clear. See where you are. Stay sane!

And from my own experience I can tell you: the more and more I let go of “knowing” - the more sacred everything seems to me. The less I try to explain - the more deeply I surrender to Not Knowing - the more the powerfully and joyfully the mystery of life breaks my heart!

Mark Josephs,

"Mark the Mystic Activist",

Aragon, Spain,

Autumn/Fall 2025

"I feel The Conscious Tribes Movement carries something beautiful,

profound, powerful and important.

I try to convey this in my articles, stories and poetry."

www.tribusconscientes.com

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