"the insane run the asylum" whats this from? iv heard it in a nofx song but is it from somthin else?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not sure what this comes from, but I've heard an expression like "the prisoners run the prison", and other likes it. It means that the inmates, patients, etc. are the ones who actually control the institution, not the guards, etc.

When I worked in a high school, it was pretty obvious that the students pretty much "ran" the school, not the administrators.

When the people being controlled outnumber the people controlling, then there is a power imbalance. The critical mass is reached when the people in the majority (patients, inmates, students) decide that change is needed, they can effectively make that happen in whatever method is available to them...civil disobedience, outright rebellion, etc.

Hope this makes sense.

Peace<3,
Jay

September 4, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Anonymous said...

Oh, and the actual line might be from something like "Clockwork Orange" or another movie like that. I know I knew that info at some point, but oldtimers disease is preventing further recollection.
Peace <3
Jay

September 4, 2010 at 9:05 PM
A Wandering Pom said...

Hi there, Spys

I think the phrase might be "the inmates [are] running the asylum", and I think it's been around for quite a long time.

To me, it refers to a place or organisation where the rules are irrational or insane - as you would expect of a lunatic asylum being run by the lunatics, rather than those who are supposed to be in charge.

Take care

Mark

September 5, 2010 at 11:46 AM

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