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My interpretation of the point the author is trying to make: The 'hypersane' are those among us who have realized, for better or for worse, that the traditiona

• aantix 7y ago
  Does innovation come without sacrifice, without yearning, without labor, without constraints? A sincere question. We enjoy innovation, progress, because it seemingly makes our lives more enjoyable. At least I think I do. I think I would take this life over 19th-century farmer. The point is that there appears to be a tradeoff - disparity, constraints, entice us to create solutions. And adopt a certain amount of stress in obtaining that solution. Or we accept everything as-is. Unchangable. Zero stress in striving. But no progress.
  • jotm 7y ago
    It's the opposite, once you realize that going with the flow of society/what's accepted is pointless, you can work, innovate, experiment with much less constraint. Realising and accepting death seems to work. You can then do things that will look insane and impossible to others. Sell everything and be a nomad, spend all your time building something, pursue a degree at 55+, retire to die, go build houses in Africa or something. None of that is comfortable, stable or normal, so it looks crazy to any "sane" person. But is it really? No, because utlimately you're dead, legacy or not.
• crumpets 7y ago
  >Thoughts? Don't preempt people that might disagree with you by claiming they are in cognitive dissonance.
• kerkeslager 7y ago
  > The 'hypersane' are those among us who have realized, for better or for worse, that the traditional things that most in a society strive for - material wealth, social status, conformity to social structures, etc. - aren't really the keys to happiness and that when you "awaken" (and become hypersane, I suppose) you realize that along with those things come stress, anxiety, the rat race, and, well, a pretty boring existence. > I dig it! I expect to see a lot of folks reject this notion outright, because, well, cognitive dissonance. If you've built your life around conforming, it might be tough to hear someone suggest it's all for naught. > Thoughts? Sounds pretty self-congratulatory, like you think you figured out something most people don't figure out. In reality, all those "realizations" are so mainstream that they show up in Disney movies--there's nothing nonconformist about realizing any of that. And in reality, the kinds of people who act on those ideas sometimes flee their country and loved ones and live in Russia (Edward Snowden), blow their brains out with a gun (Hunter S. Thompson) or try to strangle themselves with their underwear in a supermax prison (Ted Kaczynski).
  • nlh 7y ago
    > In reality, all those "realizations" are so mainstream that they show up in Disney movies. and yet...
    • pas 7y ago
      the rat race (material comfort) is addictive. money works wonders. and it's easy to get stuck in a local minimum. (mortgage, kids/family need a lot of resources)
      • throwaway94857 7y ago
        Competition is as innate to animal life as is breathing. It's naive to think we can simply ignore our drive to compete with one another, as naive as thinking we can ignore hunger thirst or sexual desire.
        • JackFr 7y ago
• xkcd-sucks 7y ago
  That sounds like a claim made by people that have enjoyed immense privilege. One could also claim that, while life is intrinsically "meaning"less, the existence of a body is all there is, and making the body comfortable is a worthwhile
  • pluma 7y ago
    Of course it is. This is Hacker News.
• toasterlovin 7y ago
  > the traditional things that most in a society strive for - material wealth, social status, conformity to social structures, etc. - aren't really the keys to happiness > Thoughts? Happiness isn't the point of life. Keep digging.
  • dsego 7y ago
    Is there a point?
    • toasterlovin 7y ago
      I think so. I think it's pretty incontrovertible that the point of life is to perpetuate itself. Whether you choose to do anything with/about that is up to you. For me, personally, it suffuses my life with purpose and meaning. But I am inclined toward family life as it is.
• bdamm 7y ago
  I've lived on the non-conforming side of society. It can be very difficult to live with the cruelty that brings.
  • AnimalMuppet 7y ago
    Clarify, please: Do you mean the cruelty of society to the nonconformists, or the cruelty of the nonconformists?
    • ebcode 7y ago
      It's the first one.
• ravenstine 7y ago
  If that interpretation is correct, then the hypersane really aren't that rare.
  • deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
• foxylad 7y ago
  As I get older, the blindingly obvious principle that we're all different seems to get more profound. In this case we all have different drivers, and different definitions of "sane". Some people love being part of a bigger whole, so to suggest these conformists aren't sane is as patronising as calling the non-conformists insane because they don't get with the program. An important corollary to this principle is that being different is healthy - diversity is strength. So don't be too quick to judge sanity. Except for those who think everyone should be the same - just like them, of course! They really ARE insane.
  • Erlich_Bachman 7y ago
    > and different definitions of "sane" It's even so to a point that it is funny that they use this word in such an argument. Who in their right mind would assume that "sane" (and "hypersane") would be an objective enough of a concept to even dedicate time discussing? Neither science knows what is sane, nor does spirituality teachings use that word often.
    • dsego 7y ago
      The terminology is used to paint a picture, not to introduce a new branch of science, it's not meant to be objective. It just poses a question, how can regular person tell the difference between someone who's lost their marbles and someone who is actually thinking more clearly than them by rejecting established norms.
• ThomPete 7y ago
  Tell that to those who are trying to get food on their tables.
• koonsolo 7y ago
  > material wealth, social status, conformity to social structures, etc. - aren't really the keys to happiness So what makes you think not having those things will make you happy? Material wealth can make you both happy and sad, and so do all the other things. For all I know, it seems pursuing happyness is not the best strategy to become happy.
  • feanaro 7y ago
    It's not about not having those things, it's about not desiring them.
• fnord123 7y ago
  >I dig it! I expect to see a lot of folks reject this notion outright, because, well, cognitive dissonance. If you've built your life around conforming, it might be tough to hear someone suggest it's all for naught. Be careful accepting the siren call of 'special truths' that put you in the in-group. This is the path of antivax, religion/cults, flat earthers, conspiracy theorists.
  • feanaro 7y ago
    Isn't wealth and social status chasing the special truth just another in-group? Albeit, one that is dominant in some parts of the world.
  • djmips 7y ago
    I wouldn't lump conspiracy theorists in with the others because conspiracies abound. There will be good theories and bad ones but you cannot dismiss all theories outright.
• antisemiotic 7y ago
  Sounds like either Buddha or Max Stirner.
• Cthulhu_ 7y ago
  What you're describing is more what I would call "woke", as in, "wake up sheeple"; the ability to zoom out a bit from the day to day consumerism, political struggles, reality TV, social media etc that most people (seem to) be stuck and content in. Hypersane as described in this article is (what I read) when people go legitimately insane (like masturbating in public and eating only onions insane) BUT manage to come up with good philosophical treatises. Jung was fortunate to "bounce back" from his episode; others aren't so lucky and end up in care homes or homeless.
• thom 7y ago
  As much as I have tried to internalise this over the years, all the really good stuff in life comes with worries as well. Parenthood isn't easy, working on a relationship for 20+ years isn't easy, and even if you're working nice hours from home, you're still plugged into and interacting with all the complex, aggressive and frightening processes that rule everywhere else.
• joncrane 7y ago
  My thought is that it is a very lonely existence. I generally eschew most of society's social signalling. I drive only modest cars, I live alone in a sparsely furnished house (and love it!), try to eat right, keep a regular sleep schedule, try to act as rationally as possible, etc. I realize that after my bouts of "hyper sanity," that I have to then intentionally relax some of my standards and try to selectively buy in to some of society's "insanity" in order to be happy. Because studies show that the happiest and longest lived people have strong social networks. So while I love the idea, it's not the most fun, and it becomes counterproductive at a point.
  • SolaceQuantum 7y ago
    Eschewing society's social signalling at sacrifice to personal wellbeing (ie. acknowleding we are social animals and thus thrive with a strong social net) is actually irrational behavior. By relaxing standards enough to maintain a strong social network you are behaving rationally IMO.
• ixtli 7y ago
  I’ve also seen this phenomena you describe: a strong desire for a thing you’ve committed to to be true, to the point where you’ll make continued poor and harmful decisions to avoid acknowledging you’ve been very wrong.
• bovermyer 7y ago
  I think this quote sums up my thoughts pretty well: > Seek the company of those who search for truth; run from those who have found it. In the end, the cosmos don't care what we believe, or value, or strive for. We will die all the same. Our species will become extinct. And the universe will end.
  • 52-6F-62 7y ago
    And 600 years ago most people in existence were certain that the earth was flat. Just over 100 years ago we had no understanding of quantum physics and just over 65-70 years ago we had no idea that DNA existed. The way you wondered your remark places you in that second camp. Irony can be a clever tool, but I’m left wondering if it was intentional.
• alchemism 7y ago
  There's a famous Zen koan which applies here, I think: “Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.”
• pcstl 7y ago
  >The 'hypersane' are those among us who have realized, for better or for worse, that the traditional things that most in a society strive for - material wealth, social status, conformity to social structures, etc. - aren't really the keys to happiness and that when you "awaken" (and become hypersane, I suppose) you realize that along with those things come stress, anxiety, the rat race, and, well, a pretty boring existence. "Society is wrong and bad and you should stick it to the man and do things the way you want" is not a particularly clever or original point. Next to every single teenager thinks themselves very bright for thinking something along those lines. They later figure out life is a lot more complicated than that.