--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wonder sometimes whether a person has…" description: "\"“I wonder sometimes whether a person has to become insane these days in order to feel certain things. Lessing once said, “Who doesn’t become insane ove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/erich-fromm-367_quote_i-wonder-sometimes-whether-a-person-has_1253702.jpg" --- # I wonder sometimes whether a person has to become insane… ![“I wonder sometimes whether a person has to become insane these days in order to feel certain things. Lessing once said, “Who doesn’t become insane over certain things, has no sanity to lose,” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/erich-fromm-367_quote_i-wonder-sometimes-whether-a-person-has_1253702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/erich-fromm-367_quote_i-wonder-sometimes-whether-a-person-has_1253702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/459/erich-fromm-367_quote_i-wonder-sometimes-whether-a-person-has_1253702.jpg) > ““I wonder sometimes whether a person has to become insane these days in order to feel certain things. Lessing once said, “Who doesn’t become insane over certain things, has no sanity to lose,”” [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage suggests that feeling intense emotions may require a loss of conventional sanity, implying that madness and deep feeling are linked. **In simple terms:** Intense feelings can feel like insanity, risking one's sanity. Key Takeaway Embrace emotional depth cautiously. Themes sanity emotion philosophy Mood thoughtful philosophical Type reflective introspective When to use this quote - Therapy - creative writing - personal crisis Key Concepts Existentialism psychology human experience Questions to Reflect On - Is losing sanity necessary for true feeling? - Can we balance sanity with passion? A Different Perspective Insanity may be a metaphor, not a literal state. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Sanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanity/) ## Related quotes > [There are things we want, and things we may have… Sanity lies in knowing the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/there-are-things-we-want-and-things-we-may-have-sanity-lies-in/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [“Attending a funeral would leave the average person insane, if they truly believed that sooner or later they are also going to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/attending-a-funeral-would-leave-the-average-person-insane-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“I think it was Lessing who once said, 'There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/i-think-it-was-lessing-who-once-said-there-are-things-which-must/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [Sanity - that which is within the frame of reference of conventional thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/sanity-that-which-is-within-the-frame-of-reference-of-conventional/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [When God wants to drive a person insane, he grants that person's every wish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-god-wants-to-drive-a-person-insane-he-grants-that-person-s-every/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The worldly person is insane from the point of view of the spiritual person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-thurman/the-worldly-person-is-insane-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-spiritual/) [Robert Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-thurman/) > [A sane person to an insane society must appear insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/a-sane-person-to-an-insane-society-must-appear-insane/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Sometimes the person who is the most logical is the person whom we call insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/sometimes-the-person-who-is-the-most-logical-is-the-person-whom-we/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [“When I write, I bring joy in my readers face In my face, peace and complete happiness But hardly I give any such reflection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/when-i-write-i-bring-joy-in-my-readers-face-in-my-face-peace-and/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [“The difference between a normal person and an insane one is precisely that the normal person has all the diseases of the mind, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-musil/the-difference-between-a-normal-person-and-an-insane-one-is-precisely/) [Robert Musil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-musil/) > [A person who is insane has no sense of their place; they've lost that ability, which our friend don Juan describes as the tonal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-person-who-is-insane-has-no-sense-of-their-place-they-ve-lost-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There is considerable danger that a man will be crazy between dinner and supper; but it will not directly answer any good purposethat I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-is-considerable-danger-that-a-man-will-be-crazy-between-dinner/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Sanity was statistical. It was merely a question of learning to think as they thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/sanity-was-statistical-it-was-merely-a-question-of-learning-to-think/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Temporary madness may be necessary in some cases, to cleanse and renovate the mind; just as a fit of illness is to carry off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/temporary-madness-may-be-necessary-in-some-cases-to-cleanse-and/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [“Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/too-much-sanity-may-be-madness-and-maddest-of-all-to-see-life-as-it/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) ## More by Erich Fromm > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Freedom does not mean license.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-does-not-mean-license/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fact-that-the-ability-to-love-as/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Well-being is possible to the degree to which one has overcome one's narcissism; to the degree to which one is open, responsive, sensitive, awake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/well-being-is-possible-to-the-degree-to-which-one-has-overcome-one-s/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The wealth of data to be found in social and political life. The belief that people do not want to make sacrifices is notoriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-wealth-of-data-to-be-found-in-social-and-political-life-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [By equality, one once understood equality in the very same sense in which the Bible speaks of equality: that we are all equal, inasmuch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/by-equality-one-once-understood-equality-in-the-very-same-sense-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Human beings had two basic orientations: HAVING and BEING HAVING: seeks to acquire, posses things even people BEING: focuses on the experience; exchanging, engaging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/human-beings-had-two-basic-orientations-having-and-being-having-seeks/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Most people are not even aware of their need to conform. They live under the illusion that they follow their own ideas and inclinations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/most-people-are-not-even-aware-of-their-need-to-conform-they-live/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Just as modern mass production requires the standardization of commodities, so the social process requires standardization of man, and this standardization is called equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/just-as-modern-mass-production-requires-the-standardization-of/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [To respect a person is not possible without knowing him; care and responsibility would be blind if they were not guided by knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/to-respect-a-person-is-not-possible-without-knowing-him-care-and/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Love is an active power in man; a power which breaks through the walls which separate man from his fellow men, which unite him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-an-active-power-in-man-a-power-which-breaks-through-the-walls/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Perhaps most trivial talk is a need to talk about oneself; hence, the never-ending subject of health and sickness, children, travel, successes, what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/perhaps-most-trivial-talk-is-a-need-to-talk-about-oneself-hence-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) [Explore all 558 Erich Fromm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More Madness quotes > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) > [“Madness,” he exclaimed to himself, in astonishment, faltering. “Madness! What do they want? Once again, once again!” War once again, war that had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/madness-he-exclaimed-to-himself-in-astonishment-faltering-madness/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [“the characteristics the modern mind prides itself on are precisely those of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/the-characteristics-the-modern-mind-prides-itself-on-are-precisely/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Impulse arrested spills over, and the flood is feeling, the flood is passion, the flood is even madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/impulse-arrested-spills-over-and-the-flood-is-feeling-the-flood-is/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“No man is normal without a tinge of madness in him! Madness in a person is a sign of intelligence, whoever they are. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fahad-basheer/no-man-is-normal-without-a-tinge-of-madness-in-him-madness-in-a/) [Fahad Basheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fahad-basheer/) > [“I swam across the torrent of my madness, and pulled myself upon the shore of a new and better sanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/i-swam-across-the-torrent-of-my-madness-and-pulled-myself-upon-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“One person's strange is another person's normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/one-person-s-strange-is-another-person-s-normal/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? We lose consciousness, lose control, things happen with no apparent logic and abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/why-is-it-my-shadow-striding-friend-that-we-don-t-fear-dreams-we-lose/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [Let your love drive you mad, mad about life, mad about the smell of Jasmine. Mad about the painting that reminds you of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/let-your-love-drive-you-mad-mad-about-life-mad-about-the-smell-of/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [But what struck me was the book-madness of the place--books lay scattered across the unmade bed and the top of a battered-looking desk, books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-millhauser/but-what-struck-me-was-the-book-madness-of-the-place-books-lay/) [Steven Millhauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-millhauser/) > [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) [Browse all 3,501 Madness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I wonder sometimes whether a person has to become insane these days in order to feel certain things. 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