John’s Briefs: What Does It Mean To Be Sane? 

To me sanity is taking the time to think things through and not reacting on every urge. And also being able to react very quickly but in a rational calm manner.

First thoughts: Being sane is having clarity of thought. Having peace of mind. Not harboring hate or anger. Not having a chaotic thought process or state of mind. Follow up: First-I'd like to say I just recently discovered the channel and really enjoy the content and am actually binging this series. Second- I definitely learned a lot about what exactly sanity is and I'm very curious to watch the video on being moral now. I think at the beginning of the video my basic understanding of sanity was based more in that sense of mental health rather the connection to your world and that basic concept of cause and effect.

I've watched probably a thousand videos of ASP Extra and ASP but this video sticks with me the most because of how eye opening your philosophy of, "Is what I am feeling, thinking, true and based on reality." is something I am always working on. The idea of sane is more than just mental stability but also true clarity. Great work as always John.

I love it. Thanks for the video! John your ability to speak and convey simple or complex ideas is fantastic. You could have done a video on defining what cheese is and I would have watched it all the way through. God bless.

One of the best videos yet John. Outstanding!

John this is awesome!! So in depth and thought provoking. I agree with you 100% but could not have described it that way

Your channel is easily my most watched and I appreciate it so much. This series is wonderful food for thought. TLDR: (paused and commented at the beginning like you said) I believe sanity is a healthy grasp on the actual and likely conditions of reality including likely cause/effect relationships. I grew up in the church. Dad was an elder and a bio-sciences academic whose reconciliation of faith and science was as two approaches to God’s truth. Mom was a social worker who taught me more about the depth of human dignity than anything or anyone else I’ve encountered. Now 51 with an adult kid of my own who continues to teach me lessons about life, I’m agnostic but respect the beliefs of others provided they don’t spill over into proselytizing or controlling others lives. I appreciate the way you seem hold to your faith as Christ commanded, without judgement of those on another path. Thank you.❤

My change in definition is, to act in a way that uses my experiences to make better outcomes and to be willing to learn from the current experience without bias, as much as possible. I haven't decided yet how to further my training but I will and thank you very much for the presentation!!

I already thought it was understanding cause and effect like you said, but didn't think about the map part of it thanks. I glad you are touching on all of these so we see where your coming from when to say these often and how to better myself. Thanks so much for working hard to make everyone better

This was brilliant, John. The use of a map analogy was excellent. This was easy to follow and gave a lot of "dialing in" of something I have thought of for many, many years about my "map." I recently went through a rough patch (no meds, holds, etc. but a lot of pain nonetheless) where I slammed up against the reality that my map was off by quite a bit regarding family and how I spend my time, energy, and money. Over the course of a month or so I made some swift and sweeping changes in my life and almost immediately my happiness and level of enjoyment of life really took off in a good direction. My relationship with my son improved and things have really gotten better across the board. I even sleep better than I had been. I had been banking on a map with some serious flaws and over time, it took me away from many things that are of critical importance to me. Thanks for walking us through these definitions. You do so in an easy to follow and very well-argued manner. Keep it up. And let us not forget that the good things, the blessings (like this channel), and the lessons all stem from the love, grace, and authority of our Father in Heaven. He provides the ultimate compass on which we should base so much of what we do. We are blessed each and every day by Him. Thanks, John. Keep it up.

My initial definition: The ability to reason and plan for an optimal outcome and act in accordance with that plan. I like how you brought in the connection with [objective] reality.

Sanity: forming a coherent world model which is internally consistent and also consistent with all (really vast majority of) observations. Edit after video- add: and using that model; forming plans and taking actions which plausibly lead to accomplishing your goals

My understanding of "sane" pre-video: The ability to process reality. Post-video: I think I had a pretty good foundational thought and understanding of sane. :) I would say I have to add what you talked about which is the appraisal of actions. I think wisdom is very much used in this point as well. I also want to say I am loving this video series. It reminds me of an old school Bible study I would have in my teenage years talking about various topics on a more intellectual level. Thank you for these and sharing your knowledge and wisdom with us.

Sane. Great episode. Thank you. I appreciate the prompt to pause and reflect.

Initial response, Effort to: - to be objective - to not abuse people or take advantage of people - to admit weakness, failures, mistakes and wrong doing - to practice kindness, gratitude and humility

Great video, John. Love you.

My definition of sane is to be in a stable psychological state. Edit: Very interesting points sir. My new definition of sane is to be in a stable psychological state, while matching my map to reality 😁

Sanity is the ability to make rational decisions and consider realistic consequences within the framework of observable reality and the broader societal context within which one lives.

As a psychology major I can confirm that the term is not used in my line of work. Thank you for touching on that Mr Correia.

You have been coming out with some really good content on both channels. Thankyou. I just got my CCW because of a hold up with the FLDACS. I also just did a class for my armed security license.

My initial response to what sane is being able to look at and think about whatever situation I may potentially face with a logical mindset.

I have siblings who are horribly mentally ill, so I will start with that. INsanity is when you never know how that person is going to think, act or react - they're always coming out of left field - always leaving you feeling on edge, uneasy, vulnerable & having to be on guard all the time. I think that's where most of my PTSD comes from - NEVER being able to RELAX and NEVER feeling SAFE. So when I think about how I want to always be sane, I don't ever want others to feel on guard with me. I think it's important to communicate how you're feeling or what you're thinking, so others can understand at least where a strong feeling or reaction is coming from. I never felt free to speak with my mentally ill siblings, so I want others to feel as though they can speak what they're thinking or feeling with me. I want to always be approachable, open & genuine - not cut off, scared, paranoid or fearful / fear mongering. My reactions can be intense, so I have to remind myself to just chill if nothing else & wait it out. I also take from the "Four Agreements" book - try not to assume & try not to take anything personal.

My definition of "sane'". A state of mind where a person's thought process follows a line of discernible logic that a common, reasonable people would be able to follow and agree that this person's thought process is founded in reasonableness and sound, grounded logic. Behaviorally, this "sane" thought process would beget behavior that would seem - to most any common, reasonable person - to be logical and proportionate to the person's circumstances at the time the person's actions are undertaken.

I appreciate you outlining this. Abstract thinking is the hallmark of human intelligence. But it is a bit of a velvet trap. It is the thing that helps us figure out that, if a spear is good, an atlatl is better. But it is also the very thing that lets us live inside our own heads, trapped in our own illusions or ideologies. So I really appreciated your point of continually adjusting our mental map to our actuality. In my world of mechanical design we think of it as matching outputs to inputs. In the five values of good, sane, sober, moral and prudent, I like to think of sane as the keystone and moral as the foundation stone.

I just want to say thank you for all that You do here and on the main active self protection channel. These videos really help as reminders even if I previously thought that I understood and had a handle on these ideas. Helping provoke thoughtful discussions over these topics is amazing work. God bless

Before: That you know what you are doing and it holds up to a standard most other people would consider coherent. Even if you're doing the wrong thing you're in control and have a motive.

I'm not real sure what being sane is, BUT I know how insane has been explained to me and that is "To do something over and over again expecting a different outcome." for which I have failed miserably. Thank-you for explaining further what being sane is and corresponding it along with less-than-lethal means of self-defense. I really need to get some OC spray to go along with my EDC things so I can defend myself (or others) by way of shooting or cutting the aggressors.

I would say sanity is the ability to understand and differentiate required levels of response to external stimuli.

AS JOHN FARNAM SAYS, "IF REALITY AND YOUR MAP DISAGREE, YOUR MAP IS WRONG !" FUNNY BUT TRUE !!!

In the beginning I thought same/insane is a way to define if a person is mentally well and capable of understanding their decisions. But now I learned it is more the concept of does my subjective understanding match the objective reality. Like a city map that does or does not match the real streets of the city it's supposed to depict.

Therapist here. Legally sanity is defined by Daniel M'Naghten's rules in the US save 4 states. It involves awareness impaired by disease or disorder, even if temporary and is defeated by any kind of attempt to conceal preparing or committing the act and never by an impulsive act such as a response to a suprise attacker. Except for police officers blame/cause of which is assigned to the perpetrator of the crime as in; wouldn't have happened if not for their actions.

My dictionary indicates: sane _adj_ 1 of sound mind; not mad. 2 (of views, etc.) moderate; sensible. So what does it mean to be of sound mind? I'll suggest that it is the capacity to make reasonable prediction of the consequences of an action AND assign reasonable value-judgements to those consequences. That's two "reasonable" statements and I'm uncomfortable about the subjective nature of my definition. Back to the video. Edit: "Adjust my mental map to better match reality." is a new favorite. When you have finished this series, may I take the 5 (I hope there is a sixth as synopsis or some compendium of heads.) to my shrink? This is more valuable than rubies.

Great video! My initial response would’ve defined sane alike to compliance to a societal standard of laws and morals but there’s some obvious holes in that one 😂

I think to be sane is to be able to think clearly. Being able to think rationally in critical situations. To have the mental capacity to acknowledge and understand The effects Of your actions on yourself and others.

My definition of "sane" is so chaotic and unorganized that I have exactly no idea how to type it out... (before the clip)

Being sane means making decisions and taking actions that are based in reality and that account for the plausible outcomes of said actions. Edit for thoughts after watching: good to know I was mostly on the money, but the framing is a little different. Still the same general idea.

John, I cheated and made this comment at the end, and thank you for this series…very eye opening and great cause to pause and think. My initial thought, after going back and watching all of your main channel videos, is sanity (in the self defense world)is realizing the world is really mot as bad as at times I have thought, that someone is not waiting to attack around every corner. Bring it to normal life, that many of my fears (little ones) are not real, likely never will be, and so my reaction to things, are real, rather than what May have been imagined. Example, I may think based on my thoughts that a friend is turning on me, when in fact that is not the case, and so being sane is not reacting to my thought but a sane view of the situation. After viewing the video, the idea of the map has gotten me to think if my map truly fits my world, and what adjustments need to be made so my reactions fit reality rather than my map. Thank you so much John!

Sanity is considering the consequence of the choice you are about to make, considering your actions impact on the immediate environment.

I believe sanity is a combination of understanding your actions and outcomes combined with community acceptance and standards. After watching... I'd change my definition to say an exaggerated misunderstanding of one's own actions and expected outcome combined with community acceptance, standards, and tolerance. I didn't think of kids and elderly. Maybe that's part of community acceptance. We don't put 5yr olds in jail for stealing a candy bar. We also don't assume they are insane.

To me a saint person is one who does not take unnecessary risks (be it physical or relational), and who reacts reasonably and calmly to the actions of others.

I know I'm late, but my preemptive definition of sanity is: a frame of mind in which one's actions are based on logic and thought as opposed to impulse, instinct, or emotion, and in which one recognizes and takes into account the potential consequences of their actions.

Having dealt with insane people, I would define sanity as being able and willing to recognize reality (within limits of observable) - and acting in accordance with reality. That said, the old adage that it is easier to mislead someone then it is to convince them they’ve been mislead holds true - meaning the majority of us are to some extent insane. To be rational requires adjusting world view and actions as new evidence comes in, without restricting oneself to previously held beliefs. Rationality without sanity is truly the worst as such a person can switch attitude and behavior instantly with whatever voice is in their head at the moment. Nothing wrong with evaluating reality and reaching considered conclusions, then sticking to those conclusions absent hard proof - but many jump to conclusion and refuse to reconsider, ignoring additional information as it comes in. Not sure at which point this becomes irrational or insane. There is clearly a spectrum upon which we are all distributed.

RATIONAL AND RESONABLE !!!

I thought (and still do, though to a lesser extent) that in addition to rationality, sanity includes a degree of emotional stability. But perhaps you will cover that in "Sober"?

My view on sanity would be letting go of toxic pride and instead appreciate yourself genuinely My view did change a bit, this was just as helpful as I thought it would be, if not more

Yeah you said what I did, but you said it better. Doesn't surprise me. I'm not the best with words.

Yea Sane means that my understanding is sometimes far from reality and that i have to be careful with that. Facts from Fiction

Before watching definition: being able to think in a rational manner where your able to make a decision based upon data provided.

Qualities of being sane: to maintain an understanding connected to physical world including people on a way that is close to a universal understanding and universal law.

I have a friend who suggested that John's map of reality doesn't fit very well. We watched a few videos on the main channel and she says that it's such a low probability for her to be involved in something like those attacks, that it doesn't make sense to prepare for them or carry a gun. I think it's clear that reasonable people can disagree about what a strongly corresponding map looks like.

Sane is the ability or judgement required to understand and match actions to a required event or situation. In a wider sense is would be an accurate world view, in a way, somehow, sort of, if I have to.

John's Briefs - Hanes vs Fruit of the Loom

Respond, do not react, allow logic and a view of the larger picture to influence your daily choices.

Good discussion. Very informative non of the cutie RU-vid catch phases 💩

“Appreciating and appraising future of action” What is the difference between an insane person and someone suffering from “affluenza”?

I can acknowledge the nuance and details of the differences between Good, Sane, Sober, Moral and prudent but at some point it becomes an exercise in minutia. Why not add wisest, most efficient, intelligent ? Good, reasonable and legal may be the fewest with legal being the biggest factor as there are plenty of "Lawful but awful" incidents covered on ASP. Incidents that may meet some but not all the criteria are no less valuable for learning. Then there are the common instances where an incident is not necessarily legal or justified but not prosecuted. Just look at The Armed Citizen reports in NRA literature for examples.

To me, sane is rational.

To answer your question(s): BEFORE: Sanity is having a state of mind where deductions are based on logical progression of facts, and would further constrain it in this context to actions derived from deductions which include values supporting the betterment and longevity of civilized society. For example, it is not sane to step in front of a bus thinking I'm invincible and it can't hurt me, but it might well be sane to step in front of a bus to push a younger person out of its path, despite the risk to myself, if I assess they have more potential to benefit society than I do because they have more life in front of them than I do as a reduced-capacity Old Guy™. There's lots of corners in there, but we don't have space for a Philosophy 310 course on the matter LOL. AFTER: Basically, drop the "benefit society" constraint; that is likely going to fall under the "Moral" discussion. This requires the re-inclusion of a phrase I took out because it seemed redundant at the time. Thus: Sanity is having a state of mind where decisions are based on deductions which are themselves based on logical progression of facts.

Before watching the video my understanding of sane would be to accurately understand information and be able to think reasonable thoughts about the information given.

Ok I'll play. Sanity is basically having a good understanding of reality. Not really a total understanding. Just a decent grasp of it. You know gravity works but maybe you don't know how. You do know that you can't fly though.

Not having contaminated thinking. Not being impaired by drugs, alcohol, and or strong emotion.

We're all insane.

i see gotta be good to everypoe including self

To follow the instructions and leave the comment before I watch the video: I think sanity has to do with realizing that my thoughts and actions have consequences; and that Insanity would therefore be that lack of realization that my thoughts and actions have consequences.

Latin… you made me laugh…

After listening to your other series on self-defense realities for women, it seems to me that the main channel, while a good repository for what really happens in gunfights creates an unrealistic map of the level of violence that I'm likely to encounter in the world. Each individual encounter is real, and the commentary and dissection is excellent, but seeing 365 a year creates a unrealistic feeling of the likelihood of being in a violent encounter. The news and "Crime Drama" shows do too, catching more serial killers in a season then there are in the country. For me, limiting my study and intake of that media help make the map more like what the world is like. I appreciate your emphasis on empty hand, less-lethal, and I'll like to see more on avoidance and de-escalation. But I think as gun people, we're too focused on $400 flashlights and rifles and plate carriers and need to re-prioritize on the skills and tools we are actually likely to use.

Sanity is being able to distinguish fantasy from reality. There are moral elements to it as well. I've seen people on the other channel that I thought were crazy because of how immoral they acted. There's also a good bit of being able to reason. That's probably not the best way to put it. I know I'm not crazy. My mother had me tested.

If a person commit a crime and they are found insane. They can't stand trail. For They can't be held accountable for their actions. But a sane person can. Isn't an insane person more dangerous to Society then a same one ?

Ask Allan Watts lol

Sane would be not buying into your Ego, your Side, your Team, your Economic Standing. Not being hooked into that will provide an opportunity to walk away, or maybe run, if you can. Ok, after watching presentation, admit I never addressed Cause and Effect, which is important, very. How I would adjust behavior to goals? I guess going back to what I said at start. I know many who believe in Magic and Magic Words. If someone says your Momma is a Bum, they react as if those words had the power to change Momma into a Bum, like something out of Grimm's Fairy Tales, b/c Dude has magic and is incanting Momma into a Bum, "you shall not suffer a witch to live", or at least, administer an EBD. I will avoid a belief in Magic.

Too bad you left the pulpit.. But most times okay to do Gods work . At the end of a weapon. I load every magazine reciting the Saint Francis Prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ