Bad or mad?








I must start by saying that I will use the word “mad” quite a lot in this post. Absolutely no offence to anyone is intended. I am only using it in a tongue in cheek manner, as it rhymes with bad. Please treat the term as nothing more than a euphemism for mental incapacity.

 

Anyway – why a picture of Jane Eyre? 

 

Don’t panic – this post isn’t an attempt at some form of literary critique. It is just a few thoughts that arose, when thinking about an aspect of one of my favourite books.

 

That said, familiarity with the story is unnecessary.

 

Suffice to say, that Mr. Rochester really fancies Jane and plans to marry her. He does however have a bit of a problem, in the shape of an insane and existing wife called Bertha, who is confined upstairs. Bertha is kept under control (ish) by a servant called Grace. Nevertheless, Mr. Rochester tries to achieve his marital aspirations until he is found out, at the last moment.

 

In the last paragraph, I used the suffix “ish”. This is because Grace is rather partial to a drink (or 10!) and on occasions, when intoxicated isn’t very effective and Bertha gets out.

 

Whenever this happens, she wreaks some havoc. Objectively speaking, it seems fair to say that this is bad behaviour. I don’t think that actions, such as setting fire to Mr. Rochester’s bed or ripping up Jane’s wedding veil, can be described in any other way!

 

So is Bertha bad or mad.

 

I do think that she can be described as a bad person.

 

It is also clear though that she is a very mad person – on the face of it, both bad and mad.

 

What is not absolutely clear though, is whether her mental incapacity is so severe as to wholly negate any badness IE, is she wholly incapable of acceptable behaviour and the matter is so completely outside of her control, that she can’t be blamed for her actions. For what it’s worth, I strongly suspect this to be the case and she is mad not bad.

 

Moving on, why is all this of, personal relevance?

 

In short, the same question can be asked of me – is Phil v2.0 bad or mad?

 

Although, I am oft in denial, I think that some of the things that I have done, can be described as bad. For the most part, this has been, inappropriate and very extreme expressions of my adverse moods (together with actions taken, following such feelings having arisen).

 

Mercifully, these episodes are becoming much less frequent. That is not to say, that they are a complete thing of the past. I am at least potentially bad. 

 

 Now, what about mad?

 

There is no doubt as to the existence of my mental illness and that such actions can on occasions, arise from duly influenced misjudgements. BUT – is my mental incapacity of such a nature and extent, as to absolutely absolve me from blame?

 

In short, it might have been once, but it isn’t now.

 

My cognitive abilities are now, such that, I normally know, the difference between right and wrong! Bad behaviour might be tainted with mental incapacity, but this should not constitute anything more than partial mitigation. So far as my behaviour is concerned, unlike Bertha, it is a case of bad not mad.

 

Note to self:

 

I really must try to avoid excusing (to myself and to others) wrongdoing on the basis of being Phil v2.0 - and be prepared to take any consequences!

 

So, given Bertha’s upstairs (and sometimes inadequate) “incarceration”, is Grace her carer or gaoler? Who knows? But as for those who “look after” me – don’t get me started!!

 



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