I have a lot of ideas over what this song means. I love Pink Floyd because they deal with something that I think still is not dealt with enough and that is metal illness. I recently read a couple of essays from a book called Speak To Me: The Legacy Of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon. Again, I do not any finite interpretations of this song. However, I thought it interesting that the book talked a lot about the anti-psychiatry movement. Specifically it mentioned the ideas of such figures as R.D Laing and Thomas Szasz who are both well known for there unique view on mental illness and the entire field of psychiatry. I also found it very interesting that the members of Pink Floyd actually went to R.D. Laing himself to see if he could help Syd Barret. This leads to believe that the members were no doubt influenced by R.D Laing's ideas. Laing was very critical of psychiatry. He did not believe that people suffering from mental illness were really suffering from any illness at all. Rather, he believed that the people who society is quick to call "insane" and throw into an institution, lobotomize, or give a pill too were really people who were suffering from some existential crises. Laing further asserted that it should be the ultimate goal of psychiatry to help a patient find the root of this crises. I don't want to go any further for I feel like I don't no so much about Laing as to feel confident in explaining his unique view of mental illness. I will give those who might be interested in his views a link to a Wikipedia explanation of the anti-psychiatry movement and another link to R.D. Laing in particular even though Laing never identified himself with the anti-psychiatry movement. Nevertheless, form my own interpretation of The Dark Side Of The Moon I do think the album is asking an interesting question. What right do "sane" people have to call other people "insane"? I think Waters really wanted to bring to light how the people who deem themselves "sane" might be even more insane than the "insane". Furthermore, it just might be the "insane" who are more "sane" for not being able to live in the place that Roger Waters lives amongst himself, in his case England. A modern industrialized world where people strive to be fulfilled through money ("Money") or making enemies to win wars ("Us And Them")as they live their lives in conformity watching the time fly by ("Time") never daring to be an individual to seek a deeper and more lasting fulfillment. I am with Roger in thinking that the masses have no right to call those who never conform "insane". If you look at the way most people live their lives in my country of America as well as his country England I would never want to be considered "sane".
wow i really like the post. i seem to have always shared a similar view with this lang fellow about how insanity is truly a result of the existential.
wow i really like the post. i seem to have always shared a similar view with this lang fellow about how insanity is truly a result of the existential.
as for your views on the album itself, i agree with what your saying. pink floyd are some deep thinkers, as am i, so am i insane because i tend to think outside the box? Its as if waters is encouraging us to feel comfortably mad, to accept that fact we are all insane! we don't know what the hell is going on, we all comprehend abstract thoughts, why are we here? the purpose and meaning of life... everyone thinks about these things... right? waters wants us to drop the front and expand on inner insanity.
i feel this attitude of letting go and exploring the corners of the mind is directly responsible for why this album is one of the greatest artistic creations of the past century.
An excellent answer indeed,while the simpleton always says this song is in reference to Syd i.e."and if the band your in starts playing different tunes...",I think that that's only part of the story.
An excellent answer indeed,while the simpleton always says this song is in reference to Syd i.e."and if the band your in starts playing different tunes...",I think that that's only part of the story.
I used to take R.D. Laing seriously years ago. I read "The Politics of Experience".
I no longer see much validity in his ideas but he is still interesting. Thomas Szaz is perhaps more relevant today. What an amazing post, JP. I commend you -- seven years after the fact ha ha ha ha
I used to take R.D. Laing seriously years ago. I read "The Politics of Experience".
I no longer see much validity in his ideas but he is still interesting. Thomas Szaz is perhaps more relevant today. What an amazing post, JP. I commend you -- seven years after the fact ha ha ha ha
I have a lot of ideas over what this song means. I love Pink Floyd because they deal with something that I think still is not dealt with enough and that is metal illness. I recently read a couple of essays from a book called Speak To Me: The Legacy Of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon. Again, I do not any finite interpretations of this song. However, I thought it interesting that the book talked a lot about the anti-psychiatry movement. Specifically it mentioned the ideas of such figures as R.D Laing and Thomas Szasz who are both well known for there unique view on mental illness and the entire field of psychiatry. I also found it very interesting that the members of Pink Floyd actually went to R.D. Laing himself to see if he could help Syd Barret. This leads to believe that the members were no doubt influenced by R.D Laing's ideas. Laing was very critical of psychiatry. He did not believe that people suffering from mental illness were really suffering from any illness at all. Rather, he believed that the people who society is quick to call "insane" and throw into an institution, lobotomize, or give a pill too were really people who were suffering from some existential crises. Laing further asserted that it should be the ultimate goal of psychiatry to help a patient find the root of this crises. I don't want to go any further for I feel like I don't no so much about Laing as to feel confident in explaining his unique view of mental illness. I will give those who might be interested in his views a link to a Wikipedia explanation of the anti-psychiatry movement and another link to R.D. Laing in particular even though Laing never identified himself with the anti-psychiatry movement. Nevertheless, form my own interpretation of The Dark Side Of The Moon I do think the album is asking an interesting question. What right do "sane" people have to call other people "insane"? I think Waters really wanted to bring to light how the people who deem themselves "sane" might be even more insane than the "insane". Furthermore, it just might be the "insane" who are more "sane" for not being able to live in the place that Roger Waters lives amongst himself, in his case England. A modern industrialized world where people strive to be fulfilled through money ("Money") or making enemies to win wars ("Us And Them")as they live their lives in conformity watching the time fly by ("Time") never daring to be an individual to seek a deeper and more lasting fulfillment. I am with Roger in thinking that the masses have no right to call those who never conform "insane". If you look at the way most people live their lives in my country of America as well as his country England I would never want to be considered "sane".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-psychiatry
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_David_Laing
wow i really like the post. i seem to have always shared a similar view with this lang fellow about how insanity is truly a result of the existential.
wow i really like the post. i seem to have always shared a similar view with this lang fellow about how insanity is truly a result of the existential.
as for your views on the album itself, i agree with what your saying. pink floyd are some deep thinkers, as am i, so am i insane because i tend to think outside the box? Its as if waters is encouraging us to feel comfortably mad, to accept that fact we are all insane! we don't know what the hell is going on, we all comprehend abstract thoughts, why are we here? the purpose and meaning of life... everyone thinks about these things... right? waters wants us to drop the front and expand on inner insanity.
i feel this attitude of letting go and exploring the corners of the mind is directly responsible for why this album is one of the greatest artistic creations of the past century.
An excellent answer indeed,while the simpleton always says this song is in reference to Syd i.e."and if the band your in starts playing different tunes...",I think that that's only part of the story.
An excellent answer indeed,while the simpleton always says this song is in reference to Syd i.e."and if the band your in starts playing different tunes...",I think that that's only part of the story.
I used to take R.D. Laing seriously years ago. I read "The Politics of Experience". I no longer see much validity in his ideas but he is still interesting. Thomas Szaz is perhaps more relevant today. What an amazing post, JP. I commend you -- seven years after the fact ha ha ha ha
I used to take R.D. Laing seriously years ago. I read "The Politics of Experience". I no longer see much validity in his ideas but he is still interesting. Thomas Szaz is perhaps more relevant today. What an amazing post, JP. I commend you -- seven years after the fact ha ha ha ha