>>221045We do appear mentally ill to them, which I think is very sad. Whereas in truth of course we are not so, but their brains know no other way of making sense of the observed difference, and just reflexively supply the assumption of madness. Really we were born to the wrong people. I can't figure out whether our natal placement was a targeted punishment from the demiurge or thoughtless neutral chance. In either case, it is extremely painful. There's a quote from Erasmus that I remember reading when I was younger where he discusses the difference in behavior between "normal people" and quiet pious monks, it is thus:
"Contra, vulgus sacrificium nihil aliud esse credit, quam adesse altaribus, idque proxime, audire vocum strepitum, aliasque id genus cerimoniolas spectare. Nec in his tantum, quae dumtaxat exempli gratia proposuimus, sed simpliciter in omni vita refugit pius ab his quae corpori cognata sunt, ad aeterna, ad invisibilia, ad spiritalia rapitur. Proinde cum summa sit inter hos et illos omnibus de rebus dissensio, fit ut utrique alteris insanire videantur."
Contrariwise, the rabble believes sacrifice to be nothing other, than to be present at altars, and it most nearly, to hear the rattling of voices, and to spectate other ceremonies of that sort. Nor in these things only, which merely by the grace of example have we proposed, but simply in all life, the pious man flees from those things which are cognate to the body, to eternal things, to invisible things, to spiritual things he is seized. From thence since there may be the greatest disagreement betwixt those persons and these persons concerning all things, it happens so that each may seem to be insane to the other."