Okay, bare with me for a few, and follow these instructions.

Think of some words, or slang, that has to do with cancer, maybe five or ten, write them down if you want, actually, please write them down.

Now put a star next to the ones you think people may find funny, the general public, you dont neccesarily have to find them funny, or comic.


Now that thats over with, think of some words, or slang, that has to do with insanity, maybe five or ten, and write them down too.

Now put a star next to the ones you think people may find funny, the general public, you dont neccesarily have to find them funny, or comic.

post your answers to both questions, and when 3 or four people have replied, i'll post the question regarding the answers. I'm forced to add, THIS DOES HAVE A POINT, its not mindless dribble that belongs in the free thoughts portion, it has an psycological point.

Okay, i'll get this party started


Think of some words, or slang, that has to do with cancer, maybe five or ten, write them down if you want, actually, please write them down.

tumor
lump
growth


Now put a star next to the ones you think people may find funny, the general public, you dont neccesarily have to find them funny, or comic.

tumor
lump *
growth

Now that thats over with, think of some words, or slang, that has to do with insanity, maybe five or ten, and write them down too.

crazy
cookoo
fucking nuts
skrew loose
psycho

Now put a star next to the ones you think people may find funny, the general public, you dont neccesarily have to find them funny, or comic.

crazy *
cookoo *
fucking nuts *
skrew loose *
psycho


Alright, now you guys :D

why do you trash the science forums? request the post moved please

how is this trash? theres is a point to it, check your pms

growth
sickness
tumor
parasite
death


growth*
sickness
tumor
parasite*
death



psychology
french
nuts
pyscho
killer



psychology
french*
nuts*
pyscho
killer

theres been some lack of response :( but anyways ::

Okay, now that i have some replies, most people find that their answers to the "insanity" question are on the whole, more funny. Why is this? Their both serious illnesses, so why do people find it easier to laugh about insainity, but not about cancer?

umm
cos nutcases are fun to screw with? easy to identify with? insanity doesnt usually kill?

Think of some words, or slang, that has to do with cancer, maybe five or ten, write them down if you want, actually, please write them down.
tumor
death*
metastasis
growth
lump*
hospital
research
radiation




Now that thats over with, think of some words, or slang, that has to do with insanity, maybe five or ten, and write them down too.

mental*
idiot*
mongol*
brain*
misunderstood*
life*
restraints*
local*
poo*

now...what do I win?

oh...i'm too late...insane...I'm like a cancer invading a perfectly good thread.

Insanity can result in farcical behavior; cancer usually doesn't.

This is a fascinating thread. I can't belive some one wanted it killed.

I would suggest cross cultural surveys to see if this result prevails. I suspect it would across Europe.

One possibly reason for the typical outcome is the use of "insanity" as a plot device for slapstick and other forms of comedy.

Another would be that, while various forms of cancer readily threaten huge demographics, insanity is *usually* very evidently constricted to certain at-risk groups (People with ill relatives, people with severe personality disorders, past trauma, or brain damage).

Yet another, if I may, could be the lack of specificty concerning insanity. People are undereducated about mental illness, but the average man knows a little something about cancer. Down to the wire, I doubt many people would find schizophrenia or psychotic mania hilarious if they knew about it (Well, manics are sometimes very funny actually, but it passes and becomes scarier quite often).

maybe cancer is not so humorous, because it is obviously deadly and it can happen to anyone.

Everybody can get insane also, but somehow you have the feeling that it is more unlikely (if there are no problems with insanity in your family). You feel more in control and not automatically doomed. This whole feeling might change of course when you are actually insane or have to deal with an insane person.

Personally, i think the media has had a large part in influencing peoples views on the appropriatness of "making fun" with the issues of insanity and cancer. Most often, issues concerning insanity are taken lightly, joked about. The term "insane" has become, in our youths vernacular, a term which carries the feeling of accomplishment, or awe. While cancer has fundraisers, commercials, and collection buckets at gas stations. On the whole, cancer is taken much more seriously then mental illnesses. Maybe its the physical symptoms, maybe its the realization that it can happen to anyone, maybe its the fact that mental illness has always been with us, but only recently have people become aware of cancer on the whole

anyways, more thoughts when im more coherent,
faf