--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Psychotics are consistently inconsistent…" description: "\"Psychotics are consistently inconsistent. The essence of sanity is to be inconsistently inconsistent.\" — Larry Wall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/larry-wall-1576_consistently_psychotics-are-consistently-inconsistent_1883401.png" --- # Psychotics are consistently inconsistent. The essence of… ![“Psychotics are consistently inconsistent. The essence of sanity is to be inconsistently inconsistent.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/larry-wall-1576_consistently_psychotics-are-consistently-inconsistent_1883401.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/larry-wall-1576_consistently_psychotics-are-consistently-inconsistent_1883401.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a1/larry-wall-1576_consistently_psychotics-are-consistently-inconsistent_1883401.png) > “Psychotics are consistently inconsistent. The essence of sanity is to be inconsistently inconsistent.” [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sanity involves embracing paradox, allowing flexibility rather than rigid consistency. **In simple terms:** Sanity is flexible paradox. Key Takeaway Accept inconsistency. Themes paradox flexibility sanity Mood thoughtful playful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - software design - personal growth - philosophical debate Key Concepts cognitive dissonance creative thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance consistency and flexibility? - When is inconsistency beneficial? A Different Perspective Inconsistency may cause confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Psychotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychotics/) [Sanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanity/) ## Related quotes > [There are certain societal laws that are just accepted, things that are arbitrary. I think the fun thing about psychotics is that they question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harbour/there-are-certain-societal-laws-that-are-just-accepted-things-that/) [David Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harbour/) > [Somewhere in the '60s, actors became wimps and basket-case psychotics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-morrissey/somewhere-in-the-60s-actors-became-wimps-and-basket-case-psychotics/) [Paul Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-morrissey/) > [“Pscyhos: they always love comics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-meloni/pscyhos-they-always-love-comics/) Chris Meloni > [Most of us aren't crazy psychotics, but most of us are a whole bunch of different people. I think when you are in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hyde-pierce/most-of-us-aren-t-crazy-psychotics-but-most-of-us-are-a-whole-bunch/) [David Hyde Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hyde-pierce/) > [I am quite sure that a good number of "cures" of psychotics consist in the fact that the patient has decided, for one reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/i-am-quite-sure-that-a-good-number-of-cures-of-psychotics-consist-in/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [“Let the psychotics take over. They alone understood what was happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard-2/let-the-psychotics-take-over-they-alone-understood-what-was-happening/) [J.G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard-2/) > [Psychotics, say what you want about them, tend to make the first move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/psychotics-say-what-you-want-about-them-tend-to-make-the-first-move/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“Censors tend to do what only psychotics do; They confuse fantasy with reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/censors-tend-to-do-what-only-psychotics-do-they-confuse-fantasy-with/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Neurotics, who cause less distress to themselves and their neighbours than those in the other category, are at war with their own natures. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/neurotics-who-cause-less-distress-to-themselves-and-their-neighbours/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them. My mother cleans them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/neurotics-build-castles-in-the-air-psychotics-live-in-them-my-mother/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [“Do you know the difference between neurotics and psychotics?” “Neurotics build castles in the sky; psychotics move into them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-thompson/do-you-know-the-difference-between-neurotics-and-psychotics-neurotics/) [Tanya Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-thompson/) > [“You cannot consistently perform in a manner which is inconsistent with the way you see yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-cannot-consistently-perform-in-a-manner-which-is-inconsistent/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [We cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with our beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/we-cannot-consistently-behave-in-a-way-that-is-inconsistent-with-our/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“My parents were consistently inconsistent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-o-connell/my-parents-were-consistently-inconsistent/) [Jenny O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-o-connell/) > [The point is this: If God does not exist, then life is objectively meaningless; but man cannot live consistently and happily knowing that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/the-point-is-this-if-god-does-not-exist-then-life-is-objectively/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) ## More by Larry Wall > [Not that I have anything much against redundancy. But I said that already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/not-that-i-have-anything-much-against-redundancy-but-i-said-that/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perhaps you should compile your Perl with long doubles one of these megaseconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perhaps-you-should-compile-your-perl-with-long-doubles-one-of-these/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I'm reminded of the day my daughter came in, looked over my shoulder at some Perl 4 code, and said, 'What is that, swearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-m-reminded-of-the-day-my-daughter-came-in-looked-over-my-shoulder/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Yes, but I did manage to increase the amount of virginity in the world by that method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/yes-but-i-did-manage-to-increase-the-amount-of-virginity-in-the-world/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-won-t-mention-any-names-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-sun4-s-into/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [And besides, if Perl really takes off in the Windows space, I think the rest of us would just as soon have a double-agent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/and-besides-if-perl-really-takes-off-in-the-windows-space-i-think-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [In general, they do what you want, unless you want consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/in-general-they-do-what-you-want-unless-you-want-consistency/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [I suppose you could switch grammars once you've seen 'use strict subs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-suppose-you-could-switch-grammars-once-you-ve-seen-use-strict-subs/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [While I have historically been a late worker, you know, sometimes I even like to get up early and see what's happened in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/while-i-have-historically-been-a-late-worker-you-know-sometimes-i/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [All language designers are arrogant. Goes with the territory...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/all-language-designers-are-arrogant-goes-with-the-territory/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [Part of language design is perturbing the proposed feature in various directions to see how it might generalize in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/part-of-language-design-is-perturbing-the-proposed-feature-in-various/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [We can debug relationships, but it's always good policy to consider the people themselves to be features. People get annoyed when you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/we-can-debug-relationships-but-it-s-always-good-policy-to-consider/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [The whole intent of Perl 5's module system was to encourage the growth of Perl culture rather than the Perl core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-whole-intent-of-perl-5-s-module-system-was-to-encourage-the/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) [Explore all 226 Larry Wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More Consistently quotes > [I have always worked really hard off the court. I think it's helped me play more consistently on the tour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/i-have-always-worked-really-hard-off-the-court-i-think-it-s-helped-me/) [Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/) > [David Cronenberg is the most provocative, original, and consistently excellent North American director of his generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-hoberman/david-cronenberg-is-the-most-provocative-original-and-consistently/) J. Hoberman > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [If I do the same thing consistently, no matter how I feel, I'm probably going to produce a consistent result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-seager/if-i-do-the-same-thing-consistently-no-matter-how-i-feel-i-m-probably/) [Corey Seager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-seager/) > [I think if you look all across the country, the so-called Blue Dogs are all gone to kennel. There are no more Blue Dogs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-if-you-look-all-across-the-country-the-so-called-blue-dogs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If you see someone lying out knives and forks consistently, but then one day those knives and forks become weapons you're not sure if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/if-you-see-someone-lying-out-knives-and-forks-consistently-but-then/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I'm fortunate in one way and I can take pride from the fact that I've consistently performed for 10 years, which is something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cavendish/i-m-fortunate-in-one-way-and-i-can-take-pride-from-the-fact-that-i-ve/) [Mark Cavendish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cavendish/) > [“Leadership is producing a standard in someone that they will live by to produce higher level results consistently.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/leadership-is-producing-a-standard-in-someone-that-they-will-live-by/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [One of the great qualities of Chancellor Merkel is that she is steady. She analyzes a situation. She's honest. Sometimes we've had disagreements, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-of-the-great-qualities-of-chancellor-merkel-is-that-she-is-steady/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Bush Administration's failure to be consistently involved in helping Israel achieve peace with the Palestinians has been both wrong for our friendship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-bush-administration-s-failure-to-be-consistently-involved-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Mental Toughness: The ability to consistently perform toward the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of the competitive circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-loehr/mental-toughness-the-ability-to-consistently-perform-toward-the-upper/) James E. Loehr > [No parent can consistently teach faith in Christ who profanes the name of Deity. Profanity is never heard in the well-ordered home. Swearing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/no-parent-can-consistently-teach-faith-in-christ-who-profanes-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [Vision gets the dreams started. Dreaming employs your God-given imagination to reinforce the vision. Both are part of something I believe is absolutely necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/vision-gets-the-dreams-started-dreaming-employs-your-god-given/) [Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/) > [Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/success-doesn-t-come-from-what-you-do-occasionally-it-comes-from-what/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) Browse all 868 Consistently quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Psychotics are consistently inconsistent. 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