Insane versus Idiot

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

I know that the real meaning of the given quote has to do with these two words, i.e, insane and idiot.

Could you please shed some light on the given quote? What, in fact, the author is trying to say?

“Once I talked to the inmates of an insane asylum in Hartford. I have talked to idiots a thousand times, but only once to the insane.”

Tom

2

Hi Tom

I see you’re working on Sam quotes now. :wink:

He’s spoken to “officially” insane people only once — the people in the insane asylum he visited. But plenty of “normal” people act just as crazy and idiotic as the “officially” insane.

Amy

3

Amy

:smiley: What are Sam quotes?

By the way, Amy, I would like to ask another question regarding the quote: I just want to make sure if I got it correctly.

Is it a sarcasm? Is the author trying to say that those outside the asylum and those who are inside it (inmates), have only one difference between them–that is, the ones inside are officially insane and the ones outside are unofficially idiots/ insane.Do we agree?

Tom

4

Hi Tom,

The quote comes from the American humorist who wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain

It is a sort of sarcasm but it’s more elevated and drier than that. I would have said wit and satire.

Anyhow you seem to have got the gist of it in your summary.

Alan

5

Hi Tom

More quotes from Sam (on the same topic):

The way it is now, the asylums can hold the sane people, but if we tried to shut up the insane we should run out of building materials.

Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

Amy

6

Hi Tom,

Read this today in a national newspaper:

Alan