"Have you ruled out stupidity?" The Mania Theory

Cal · 01-14-2014, 04:15 PM

The title of this thread is drawn from a Peanuts cartoon featuring Linus and Lucy. In it, Linus is deeply considering why a certain person could have done a certain baffling thing. He posits a few explanations, each profound and plausible in its own right. Lucy quietly listens and finally drolly asks, "Have you ruled out stupidity?"

People do stupid things. Particularly in groups. Manias and delusional movements account for much of the history of mankind. But such phenomenons rarely seem irrational to those inside them in real time. In fact, the deluded participants often believe they have discovered some hidden secret or special purpose that outsiders have yet to appreciate. The feeling of "being onto something" pervades. Invigorated and reborn by rarefied ideas and experiences, they seek converts high and low.

Recently I've been reading about monetary reform. There are various ideas for it in circulation. One is the school that believes that the creation of money should be solely performed not by taxation, borrowing or earning it, but simply by government spending it into existence! A nutty idea? Probably. But no nuttier than the idea that the Dow Jones Industrial Average would go to 100,000 by 2010. Or that tulips were the best investment in the world. Or that Jesus would return on Dec. 12, 2012. Or that Witness Lee was the Minister of the Age and that his movement would end the church age.

The point is not the idea themselves, but that people are so willing and eager to believe them and champion them. People seem to need to believe in something, believe it's good, and believe that other people should believe it. This is the beginning of delusional manias. They are rooted in the charmingly flawed mentality (read stupidity) of people, particularly when they operate in groups.

This, when all is said and done, explains the Lord's Recovery. And it is really all the explanation you need. It was yet another mania in the long history of human delusion. Whether it be Internet stocks, brown rice diets, Iraq invasions, Cabbage Patch dolls, Justin Bieber, or Witness Lee, the wave of maniacal fervor can come from any direction. We are susceptible because we have a deep need for reassurance, and we are just stupid enough to seek it from the wrong places.

Why did Watchman Nee do the baffling things he did? Answer: He was deluded. Why did Lee? Same reason. Were they evil, cynical or power crazy? Probably no more than you or I were. No, the real reason is most likely simply delusion and mania. So also with us. We went along with it because it felt right at the time and people tend to get caught up in those kinds of things. That's human nature, which is why we need God's mercy, wisdom and salvation.

My wife tells me I tend to get obsessed with new hobbies and interests. I never thought of it that way. I just liked the invigorating feeling of "being onto something," like I'd discovered "the answer." But I see her point now. This personality characteristic probably made me susceptible to the religious delusion of the Lord's Recovery.

Note: Believing this post could lead to delusional mania.

01-14-2014, 04:15 PM	#1
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	"Have you ruled out stupidity?" The Mania Theory The title of this thread is drawn from a Peanuts cartoon featuring Linus and Lucy. In it, Linus is deeply considering why a certain person could have done a certain baffling thing. He posits a few explanations, each profound and plausible in its own right. Lucy quietly listens and finally drolly asks, "Have you ruled out stupidity?" People do stupid things. Particularly in groups. Manias and delusional movements account for much of the history of mankind. But such phenomenons rarely seem irrational to those inside them in real time. In fact, the deluded participants often believe they have discovered some hidden secret or special purpose that outsiders have yet to appreciate. The feeling of "being onto something" pervades. Invigorated and reborn by rarefied ideas and experiences, they seek converts high and low. Recently I've been reading about monetary reform. There are various ideas for it in circulation. One is the school that believes that the creation of money should be solely performed not by taxation, borrowing or earning it, but simply by government spending it into existence! A nutty idea? Probably. But no nuttier than the idea that the Dow Jones Industrial Average would go to 100,000 by 2010. Or that tulips were the best investment in the world. Or that Jesus would return on Dec. 12, 2012. Or that Witness Lee was the Minister of the Age and that his movement would end the church age. The point is not the idea themselves, but that people are so willing and eager to believe them and champion them. People seem to need to believe in something, believe it's good, and believe that other people should believe it. This is the beginning of delusional manias. They are rooted in the charmingly flawed mentality (read stupidity) of people, particularly when they operate in groups. This, when all is said and done, explains the Lord's Recovery. And it is really all the explanation you need. It was yet another mania in the long history of human delusion. Whether it be Internet stocks, brown rice diets, Iraq invasions, Cabbage Patch dolls, Justin Bieber, or Witness Lee, the wave of maniacal fervor can come from any direction. We are susceptible because we have a deep need for reassurance, and we are just stupid enough to seek it from the wrong places. Why did Watchman Nee do the baffling things he did? Answer: He was deluded. Why did Lee? Same reason. Were they evil, cynical or power crazy? Probably no more than you or I were. No, the real reason is most likely simply delusion and mania. So also with us. We went along with it because it felt right at the time and people tend to get caught up in those kinds of things. That's human nature, which is why we need God's mercy, wisdom and salvation. My wife tells me I tend to get obsessed with new hobbies and interests. I never thought of it that way. I just liked the invigorating feeling of "being onto something," like I'd discovered "the answer." But I see her point now. This personality characteristic probably made me susceptible to the religious delusion of the Lord's Recovery. Note: Believing this post could lead to delusional mania.