I’m inspired by madness. Its special allure lies in the fact that a madman is free. He thinks and does however he likes and never cares what anyone thinks. Sometimes when I’m struggling creatively, I like to imagine that I’m simply crazy — before I know it, all kinds of “outside the box” ideas start popping up in my head.
Insanity, being typically a rare occurrence, has an extraordinary number of references in our culture. Think about how many expressions we use daily to describe it. “That’s crazy”, “You’re nuts!”, “He is off his rocker”. It’s a dark fascination to the point of us almost inviting more insanity into our lives. I enjoy and collect images of all things wonky, wacky and oddball — for nothing else but a glimpse of inspiration. Below are some of my favorites.
If you find yourself dancing on air like Lydia from Beetlejuice, you’re probably mad.
If you see double, chances are you’re bonkers.
If you’re inspired by this poster to no end, you’re probably mad.
If you’re Courtney Love, you’re bat sh*t crazy and proud of it.
If you’ve watched every single Johnny Depp movie, including Sweeney Todd, you’re probably mad.
Veils, flowers and glitter… If you’re John Galliano, you’re mad (talented).
And if you know the name of this instrument, you’re most definitely mad!!!
Deerlings: What are some of your favorite movies/images depicting madness? Do you find them inspiring or alluring in any way?
I didn’t find your post on madness offensive in the least and I suffer from certain mental ailments as well. People who are offended need to not be so sensitive and realize you were talking about an artistic interpretation of eccentricity and madness rather than serious illness. Love this new entry. Yes, I most certainly am Mad and proud of it!
Boo Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 4:37 am
totally agreeing with you here
I have Bipolar and Borderline personality disorders and didn’t find this offensive in the least! For one thing, you’re just being playful and talking of sillyness and the ability to use our imaginations. Not to mention, the whole, “mad,” business is a Hollywood fad right now what with the recent, “Alice in Wonderland,” movie coming out. One of my favorite artists is Sara Vandermeulen because her artwork is creepy, mystical, and quite bonkers!: http://www.sarart.be
!*!W0W*!* what if all the people here who are offended are just lost to even themselves and resentful that others are actually able to grasp a reality enough to breathe life into it
I am a person with severe and quite accurate mental disorder diagnoses, but I know that I’m mad and for me this is all just an interesting looking glass; a reflection of every single thought that ever runs thru my many Mindy mind. By all, I mean all of you and the air you breathe. I’ve been spouting my perspective all my life to select individuals and have been mostly dismissed as insane. Now, though; NOW my thoughts are reality. My ideas aren’t even new ones if you study eastern and ancient religion. I fell down a hole every night to another place, an unpleasant place, long before I heard of Alice in Wonderland; from my perspective I created that book…those words are my own. These bits of insanity that some so fear are the very threads that bind us to this; our idea of humanity. You are ultimately limitless god~like beings capable of instant manifestation and infinite love. SOoo, don’t you think you’d have to lose parts of yourself to have this ever expanding experience. I sure think so, but then again I *KNOW* I am god, the one, the all that is creator of time and space, so perhaps my opinion just strikes you as utter non~sense. There is a damn good reason we pay attention, appreciation in it’s every form, to those we view as insane. Soon we’ll all remember that consciousness existed before the ever less and less complex computerized mind did. Do you know what the mind does? All your mind is really there for? I do.
So, yeah, my webs are bein spun as we speak and if any of what I say rings true to you perhaps you are meant to be part of the tapestry. Feel free to check me out on youtube, twitter, buzznet, tumblr, whatevs. My life is nothing if not interesting. My life is an open book…just not literally, yet.
luv*&*light2uALL
I’ve always found this type of stuff interesting too. That quote from Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favorites. A little madness is a good thing… ;)
Check out my blog: Principessa Gabriella
I’m mad without even having to agree with any of the references. I like it that way and I think that’s where a lot of my creativity comes from. And my mom has schizophrenia but I don’t think of this post referencing at all, that’s just something completely different and even if it did sometimes it helps to not think of it like a plague because its something you have to live with forever and shes still a good person! By the way shes extremely creative too ^.^
In my family we have a person diagnosed with schizophrenia, he is in his fifties now, and when he grew up there was not a lot of understanding for him. This caused him and his sister not speaking to each other for twenty years, she was so scared of him. It’s better now, although I don’t think they ever meet just the two of them.
I know mental illnesses are awful, and that being mad isn’t easy. This doesn’t mean that we can’t be inspired by madness. Madness is intriguing, because we don’t understand it fully. And when we don’t understand something, we can either be afraid, or curious. I think the latter is better.
Some people create wonderful worlds;
but is it madness ..
http://www.geh.org/parkeharrison/index.htm
http://www.veespeers.com/
hmm in my life i would sayi think people like the mad hatter and maybe all the wierd little things. i love the fact that i wear gothic lolita alot and my friend was once telling how mad i was but how she finds the slightly more eccentric you are the nicer you are so i guess things like that
I think there’s a certain madness inherent to the human condition – and if that’s what you’re referring to, I understand what you’re getting at. Actual mental illness on the other hand…well, as somebody who works in a hospital with a psychiatric floor, the last word I’d describe those patients as is “free.” I can accept alternative explanations of insanity as existing in a frame of mind convergent from what we term “normal,” but that doesn’t change the fact that it causes suffering, whether within the patient’s own mind or the resultant reactions of the society around them. I’m not saying I don’t understand what you’re getting at, that there’s a certain hysteria that underlines a lot of the mundane areas of modern life, but you have to be careful not to tread the line into romanticizing something that can be incredibly painful for some people.
Molly Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 6:14 am
Thank you. :-)
“The Cabinet of Dr Caligari” is probably one of my favourite examples of the portrayal into madness.
This one is made in 1918, and if Tim Burton didn’t draw direct inspiration for his own twisted fairytale style from this film, I’d be VERY surprised.
It’s dark and sweet, dreamy, childlike, morbid, grotesque, and at times just plain disturbing. The sets are amazing, like the literal portrayal of a dream- both real and unreal at the same time. And the characters that move through it are so fleeting, so crazed… almost zombified in a way…
This film, to me, is the start of gothic culture. The start of morbid fairytales, and one of the earliest expressionist examples in film of the claustrophobia and sheer overwhelming giddiness that madness brings.
Definitely check it out if you can get your hands on it. If you are a fan of the mad, of Tim Burton, of gothic fairytale culture, this film is worth its weight in gold.
While I can understand, that some people may be offended by your post, I (as a longtime reader) not even thought that you meant mentally ill people when referring to ‘madness’.
I think Mandy put it best. Thank You!
I thought of the fine line in between… The line most of us sometimes sense, but we are not able to name it. Some people intentionally take themselves to this boarder for whatever reason. Many do it to fuel their creativity. Think of The Beatles and St. Pepper.
Here’s a ‘mad/eccentric’ music tip:
Rasputina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHEZEWbiHZA
This is a Velvet Underground cover, who are themselves kind of eccentric. ;)
I think I would probably have to say Tim Burton! I love his movies because of their dark eccentricities.
Also, the singer Kerli. I can’t stop looking at pictures of her and watching her videos(my favorite is, coincidentally, the one for “Tea Party”, which is REALLY inspiring me to do a photo shoot soon). And her voice is very special. :)
When do we get to see your new blue hair?! :D
I must say, I am immensely inspired by this post! I love the idea of being able to do whatever you like, to pull something out of thin air and run with it however you wish, to see the world in a completely different light and to somehow show others how you see things, in a beautiful, mad, twisted fashion!
This post makes me want to dress up, do my hair, and dance! I’m currently on a couch in my new house, and I find I get so dragged into the day to day routine of house, work, study and family that I don’t allow myself to open my mind (and literally, it feels like opening a box, or untying a present!) to feel the colours and scents around me. If my mind isn’t open, I can’t see all the beautiful bubbles that have the most amazing of ideas – so I try to let go a little each day by reading your posts. And this is one I’m going to have to share with everyone, and save for a rainy day. ^_^
Thanks Doe! You’re always an inspiration! (p.s. really looking forward to seeing your hair!)
I just realised, I didn’t even answer your question! What inspires me… Well, nature is relaxing, my house is comforting, and my clothes are beautiful. The things that make me dream though, are usually movies and books, or other beautiful people. Usually, the older the book, and the kookier, the more it sends me off into a dream land. Like, Steven King’s (and Peter Straub’s) Black House – a very dark, disturbing book, but amazing in it’s imagery, it really inspired me (not to actually do anything, I find I’m still klunky there, but more to dream). Another would be the movies by Studio Ghiblio (or Hiyao Miyazaki) – the colours, the pictures, the people, the sounds – everything about those movies I find to be dreamlike and very evocative of creativity and life. Sometimes it’s stuff people say, sometimes it’s things people do. Usually, I only create something for someone else, because I never find I can live up to my own expectations for something for me. I’ll give it a shot one day – hopefully these upcoming summer holidays! Anyway, enough from me – I have study to go do. Actually, my Economics study really inspires me to do good for the world, try and think of new and feasible ways to help the worlds poor, the homeless, and those who want to better themselves but have trouble finding a step up. It might not be social work, but I hope that one day I’ll be able to influence just a few people so that they have the ability to be more.
Again – I’m waffling on! Love your work Doe – really looking forward to the next post, it’s my little slice of escapism everyday!
I think it’s nice that you’re celebrating madness. I don’t think “madness” should be tiptoed around. I think it should become normalized. IT SHOULD BE. It has bad stigma attached to it. People lose jobs and friends because of this stigma. Let this girl celebrate madness.
Great post! There are so many fun, crazy characters in film to choose among… My preference is for eccentric people who are wildly different from normal folk but not so odd as to be unrecognizeable.
My top two are Pee-Wee Herman (in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure) and Auntie Mame (from the movie “Mame”).
Dear people who felt offended by this post:
Wow – you really are mad. I know of that stuff. Your madness is called STU-PI-DI-TY.
Only a crazy ass drama-queen suffering from an extreme case of stupidity could find a post that’s just all about the uncanny offensive.
And just like Flip said – I hope my post really offends you. Oh. Holy cow. Terrible. Go running to your psychiatrist office now.
Oh wait. You’re crazy.
When I think the blogazine is not satisfying my daily need of schadenfreude you actually go and write a post celebrating mental disease and drug abuse. Never change, these ragingly offensive posts are what make this blogazine special instead of just a boring log about your face <3
I’m sorry people, but like many others I have a serious mental illness, and I can say to myself that I’m ‘mad’ as the day is long. I think we all need to put on our big girl panties here and realize that no harm was intended or done.
Flip Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 10:25 pm
<3
I only recently found out that Emilie Autumn actually did spend some time in an asylum, and I have to say that that only made me even more uber-fascinated with her and her music.
Do you know of Tom Waits? He’s essentially God in my book, and definitely mad. He has a whole album inspired by the real behind-the-scenes parts and the added fictional parts of the Alice in Wonderland story, called ‘Alice.’ This song [] is from that album, and I LOVE it.
Edgar Allan Poe, rather renowned for being a bit mad, is one of my very very favorite people, and I agree with you on the John Galliano front. I’m actually doing my final project on him for fashion this semester.
LOVE Addams Family and Addams Family Values–my absolute favorite part is when Wednesday says she does want to be in the thanksgiving pageant and you see her very painstakingly pull her muscles into a smile (My musical stage name, Lovely Wednesday, is partially named for her!).
And, I have to admit, my life would be incomplete without Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Sherlock Holmes (who’s clearly somewhat mad! <3), Professor Trelawney, Hamlet and Ophelia, and my mother (definitely a madwoman ;-D).
Mirror Mask is an amazing movie. The music is so good and the visuals are so creative. I highly recommend watching it. Fits in perfectly with what you are talking about. Pretty much any Tim Burton film fits the bill. And I also adore Labyrinth and Edar Alan Poe.
My only hope for those who found this post offensive because of the us of the word “mad” in it’s varying forms take the time to go to webster.com or pull out a dictionary and look up both it’s definition and origin. It is not just a word used colloquially to describe mental illness.
Jesus Christ I wish some people would pull the stick out of their ass. I think this post is cute and simply meant to be just that. Madness has always been a point of inspiration for hundreds if not thousands of years. It’s a double edged sword as some said. On one end of things you can have huge bursts of amazing creativity but at the end of the day you’re haunted by your own mind. I’ve gone through moments of madness myself. I’d never say I’m truly insane because if any of us truly were we would not be writing comments on a fucking blog. Being clinically insane is a frightening thing. I’ve been locked up with them. It certainly made me see that insanity is not as cute and funny as I thought as a teen but I also know that touches of madness do not have to ruin you life. They can bring hard questionable times but can bless you with the ability to think intelligently outside of things as well. Everything has a positive and negative and it’s a really bully move for some people to just jump Doe like that. There is a difference between having a different opinion VS being a straight up asshole and not asking questions before you have diarrhea of the mouth.
I’m not entirely sure Doe is talking about having a DSM diagnosis, but that seems to be where the comments are going, so I’ll work with it. I’m looking at this as someone who is getting a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and who actually sees patients for therapy. Given my experience, I can really see the value in this post. One of the key problems when dealing with mental health is the stigma. People can talk about having cancer or a cold or a slew of other purely “body-based” medical conditions. When it comes to mental illness, the world stops talking. There is so much shame associated with it, which often negatively impacts people’s willingness to seek treatment. There are so many negative, degrading ideas about people with mental health problems.
This is not a glamorous topic and there are discrepancies between Doe’s descriptions and real disorders (although, I am sure she wasn’t trying to diagnose anyone). Looking beyond those things, it is so refreshing to see mental illness portrayed in a positive light, to say that good can come out of “madness”. That is not really a point that many people hone in on. It says “This can be good too!” When you view something as good or beneficial I believe that helps foster acceptance. Acceptance is crucial if we want to normalize mental health issues and decrease stigma.
Doe Deere Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 8:19 pm
I absolutely agree with you about the stigma, Alison. I was surprised to see people supposedly with disorders wanting to re-enforce that stigma and shut me up. I talk about madness because I’ve encountered and experienced it first-hand and it has inspired me in unexpected ways. It’s a positive spin on something that’s typically portrayed in a very negative light.
You know, I have been a fan of Doe since the very beginning, and I always will be. I don’t have to agree with everything she does. I understand that she hasn’t meant this post offensively, as she suffers from bipolar disorder herself, but I think there is a fine line between glamorizing mental illness and simply liking the aesthetics of eccentricity. I can see this post from both sides, and think everyone posting angry comments about those who are offended need to be a bit more gleeful. I don’t like this post, I think it can give off the wrong message, but I know that Doe didn’t write it with that intention.
And also, this is the first time I have commented on this blog despite reading it since day one… and I think the way everyone just turns on others who are “offended” or have a different opinion will probably discourage me from commenting again…
Flip Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 10:30 pm
Well thats a damn shame.
But fact is those who are offended really have no reason to be and are over reacting. I play devil’s advocate quite often but in this case I can not see where they are coming from.
Im sorry but I don’t bow down to others insecurities especially when they are calling someone outright offensive when all they did was post something that was beautiful and inspiring. I say suck it up and get over it.
Time moves on, we all do.
I can’t say I’ll see you posting again Molly, but if you do, chat with you then. Perhaps our topic will be far more warm and friendly and less confrontational.
-F.
OH AND FOR THE RECORD. [Because I just love causing a scene and ruffling peoples feathers while presenting actual facts.]
Mental illness/Insanity and Creativity have been SCIENTIFICALLY linked.
The term ‘tortured artist’ has more than drama behind its history.
Just thought you all should know.
Also, please check out some Outsider Artists like Henry Darger or Judith Scott. Wonderful works by the mentally unstable.
-F.
Clara Reply:
October 21, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Sure, I can certainly agree with that. I’m not starting that there is any lack of fact in that. However. That is a dangerous, glamorizing stigma that keeps people from getting the help they need because if they do, they will loose their ability to create. False, I know. That doesn’t keep it from being held as true in the eyes of many.
Regardless, what I opposed was the casual use of a powerful word and concept. This link sums it up better than I could hope to… but I’ll summarize here.
“Using disability as a metaphor tends to come from one basic problem: linguistic laziness. There are SO many other words that can be used! Foolish, ridiculous, thoughtless, senseless, hampered, troubled, restrained, naive. Just to name a few. When you use disability metaphors, you hurt those of us who actually have disabilities. I am NOT your metaphor. Find a new one.”
Maybe Doe doesn’t see her mental illness as something that she needs to hide or fear (which I respect! To the utmost!), perhaps she could of a new way to frame the positive eccentricities of her favorite designers, artists, filmmakers, and so on. These people are wonderful and inspiring, and unusual. They deserve to be celebrated–with words that do them justice.
Kris Reply:
October 22, 2010 at 7:54 am
This is exactly the point, Clara. Thank you! :)
MonsterFace Reply:
October 22, 2010 at 9:12 pm
hmm… i read that blog post, too. However, I disagree with it. Words have a myriad meanings, both literal and not.
But here’s the rub: words like cripple, blind, insane, lame, etc. are, if we do what that blog post recommends, in danger of becoming extinct. Why? well, we’re not supposed to use those terms metaphorically, because it’s insensitive. And yet, we can’t use them to describe people WITH those disabilities, because that’s just mean, don’t remind them of their problems, just pretend there IS no problem. Sounds like a bit of doublespeak to me. “treat me differently, but don’t you dare treat me differently! 2+2=5! And don’t you forget it!”
There’s a linguistic movement that’s been gaining for at least 20 years or so, to change language into something fluffy and pink and devoid of anything negative, ever, JUST IN CASE someone decides to be overly sensitive and start crying about it. I mean, people who are handicapped want to be called “handi-capable”, people who are disabled want to be called “differently abled”.
I understand the desire to be independent, to not be pitied, but this is not the way. Missing a leg? don’t bitch at people who call you handicapped. Bitch at the morons who call you ‘handi-capable’, because it’s patronizing. Hamstringing the language, stripping it of its innuendos, flexibility, metaphors, and hyperboles cripples our ability to communicate in an evocative and powerful way.
That post, which pretty much advocated stripping anything even marginally negative from common vernacular reminded me frighteningly of the forms of speech used in the book 1984. Doubleplusungood.
Clara Reply:
October 22, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Well, then there isn’t very far we can go in understanding one another. To me, it does a disservice to the language to rely on a few words that do not perfectly convey the meaning we hope to assign them. Instead of limiting the language, as you suggest it would, to remove from our vocabulary these tired and over used words, I believe it would force a better understanding of the language, a more whole look at how our words affect those around us, and respect for the history and etymology for the words we use. As I quoted above, it is only linguistic laziness that keeps us from dropping these words from our every day mistreatment.
Yes, it is absolutely true that madness and creativity are linked. This is what I am getting at. I can understand the allure to the artwork and the creative aspect, but we must remember that a lot of art in these circumstances are inspired by dark and often sad thoughts. My favourite band, Sparklehorse, fronted by Mark Linkous are very eerie and lots of the lyrics sound like they were written on an acid trip. However, Mark recently committed suicide when he shot himself through the heart, and I and many fans are devastated. Many highly creative people have suffered the same fate, and Thom Yorke (sp?) of Radiohead, who is bipolar, has often stated in interviews that his depressive episodes often lead him to contemplating suicide, even though it is at this time that he is at his most creative. All I am saying is that regardless of talent, lots of “tortured artists” do suffer and I don’t think this should be taken
lightly or glamorized, especially by those who do not have a mental
illness or have no experience of what this suffering is like. So before you get angry at people who were offended by this post, remember that they DO have a right to be offended if they feel this issue is taken lightly. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone has a different perspective. So please, enough with the rude comments, all of you. I think you’ll find that the “offended” people on here have merely stated their opinion, and it is in fact those defending Doe’s post that are the most hostile!
This probably won’t make any sense to you.
But at my school we partake in this big dancing/acting eisteddfod called Rock Eisteddfod. Pretty much, the idea, is to create a story or ‘borrow’ one from a movie/book and depict the story in ten minutes through just dancing and acting.
Its a big event and we practised every week for nearly nine months.
And this year our performance was called ‘Dreams Realty’ and it was loosely based on the movie ‘Requiem for a Dream’.
In the performance I got a mohawk made out of red tulle, blue glittery lips and painted black eyes.
I was playing a drug hallucination, so I think for me that would’ve been the maddest thing ever for me.
Also we won, so that was pretty mad to. (:
Okay, I’m pretty sure you are all adults.
May I just say, that I’m fifteen and I think you’re overreacting.
And I thought teenagers were meant to be all about the drama.
Why let a blog like this ruin your day? You’re really just making something out of nothing.
Its obvious it wasn’t meant like that, so why bother commenting like that?
I suddently remembered this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoglB5NRxTo
ABOFAL <3
I totally get what you mean by all this I think I am inspired by the same kind of “Madness.” I fall into the eccentric & eclectic category and I think geekiness is a fun type of madness! I want to always stay in touch with my inner child.
Mad things that are awesome… Alice in Wonderland (nice use of the Cheshire Cat quote at the top!), and Invader Zim is a bizarre TV show, but I LOVE it! Ruby Gloom is another good one, it’s a mini-show (I watch it on YouTube).
I completely agree that madness and creativity make a connection! =D
Sorry, late to the party! :D
But I have to say THE BELL JAR! Oh how I love that book! And a book called Tender is the Night by F Scott Fitzgerald. And I love the madness of Ophelia in Hamlet, so beautiful and tragic.
I liked the post, and I agree, I think the allure of ‘madness’ is the lack of boundaries, and all the danger that that implies.
Definitely the latest version of Alice in Wonderland is my favorite. But generally, I think all of us have at least a little madness in them. I mean, we cannot really define what is ‘normal’, it is different for everyone. Everyone have their madnesses. Sometimes I seriously feel like I am mad about discipline or about work, but so are many people around me.
Not to jump on the criticisim train but as a person with such a popular blog you should set a better example and show your image sources! xx
I enjoy the artwork of Hieronymus Bosch, such as his ship of fools painting.
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by “If you’ve watched every single Johnny Depp movie, including Sweeney Todd, you’re probably mad.” Are you suggesting every movie that Mr. Depp has starred in has some sense of madness in them? I don’t mean to come across as rude, but that’s far from the truth. What about the movies Finding Neverland, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, The Brave, or even the upcoming The Tourist? Sure, Mr. Depp is probably mostly known for his crazy characters from Captain Jack, to Sweeney, to Willy, to Raoul, even back to Edward. But not all of his movies have “madness” in them. As a die-hard fan, it just urks me a little to read that. That and this article does come across as a little insensitive. Maybe some of the best art does come from those with madness. But there’s no need to glamourize it.