Accepted Quote by Antonin Artaud
“And what is an authentic madman? It is a man who preferred to become mad, in the socially accepted sense of the word, rather than forfeit a certain superior idea of human honor. So society has strangled in its asylums all those it wanted to get rid of or protect itself from, because they refused to become its accomplices in certain great nastinesses. For a madman is also a man whom society did not want to hear and whom it wanted to prevent from uttering certain intolerable truths.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Theatre and its Double, 1938
A madman chooses authenticity over societal honor, rejecting conformity and exposing uncomfortable truths.
In simple terms: Choosing truth over conformity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace authentic dissent.
Themes
authenticity
conformity
truth
societal pressure
Mood
defiant
reflective
Type
philosophical
provocative
When to use this quote
- activism
- artistic expression
- personal integrity
- social critique
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
political critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What truths are you silencing?
- How does conformity harm authenticity?
A Different Perspective
Society may suppress dissent, risking loss of vital perspectives.
![“[defines a madman as] a man who preferred to become mad,in the socially accepted sense of the word, rather than forfeit a certain superior idea of human honor.” quote by Antonin Artaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c74/antonin-artaud-3802_accepted_defines-a-madman-as-a-man-who-preferred_2126473.jpg)
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
![“I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become so accepted now, and somebody said, 'You know the Oprah show, I think has had a big impact.'" I said, I don't think so. We did several transgender [shows], but we didn't…” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd3/oprah-winfrey-186_accepted_i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said_25645.jpg)
