Is Rand CRAZY!

[Davram]

Is Semirhage AND Cadsuane both liars?

[Guest cwestervelt]

Semirhage may be lying.  I wouldn't trust her if she said the sky looked blue unless I was in a place I could where I could check for myself.

 

Cadsuane is not lying, just stating what she believes to be true.  Her experience has shown her that male channelers often hear voices.  Being as sane and rational as most Randlanders, she considers that to be a sign of madness.

 

As it is, Rand is not in mentally healthy.  If he has been pushed over the edge a little or just needs a break is questionable.

[Davram]

Thanks that clears things up.

[Luckers]

Crazy is a rather inaccurate term since there is no possible way of juding where the line is between sanity and insanity. Psychologists more look for mental instabilities and oddities... unstable mental states that influence the ability of the individual in their normal social interactions and personal existance.

 

Under that Rand definately has a mental condition, though he is perfectly functioning.

 

And I doubt that Semirhage lied. Not because she's so sweet and cuddly, but because she had no idea what the others did and did not know about Rand's state, and being caught in a lie at that stage would have looked like bluster. Moreover, not only was everything that she said that we could verify true, but she also cited a source that we know to be an expert on the matter.

[Davram]

Rand does seem to be in a mental state I guess, but his condition probably won't become worse.  I read in a Q and A round thing with RJ.  Someone asked if, when the taint was cleansed, did it erase the taint from everyone completely or does it prevent any future problem for future channelers. Also, he asked if, for present channelers, is the taint gone or it will not become worse.  RJ said it was the latter.

[Jambo]

I know he's hearing the LT in his head but I don't know if that should really be considared crazy. When you think about it, if you had just a simple alter-ego type voice in your head would it be telling you and showing you things most people including yourself have never heard of? For instence at the farmhouse when LT takes over and makes the death portal and all that, neither Rand nor Logain had ever seen that before. IF it really was Rand being crazy, when LT takes over would he not use only the weaves that Rand know's? Although Rand is not crazy, it's obvious that LT is so he's pretty screwed anyway. :)

[Guest cwestervelt]

The voice of Lews Therin is not a part of any madness that Rand might be suffering.  At least not in any usual way.  He really does have Lews Therin's conscience in his head.

[Jambo]

The voice of Lews Therin is not a part of any madness that Rand might be suffering.  At least not in any usual way.  He really does have Lews Therin's conscience in his head.

 

Exactly, that's why I can't understand when ppl keep saying he's mad. Besides LT being in his head and trying to take control of Sadin, what else about him could be concidered madness... Nothing that I can see.

 

On the other hand ppl in Randland think he's mad too but I really don't see how he's mad.

[inkubate]

I think that Rand has been pushed to the edge and is just sitting there, thats why during times of extreme stress he...snaps.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Rand's complete emotional detachment could possible be seen by some as a form of madness.  I'm not a psychiatrist so I can't really say.  He is rational although prone to excessive fits of rage.

[Jambo]

Well you can't really blame him. If someone's not trying to kill him or someone he loves, they're trying to trick, cheat, and force their way into power so I think you can forgive him for getting a little angry... a lot angry :D

[Mr Ares]

The voice of Lews Therin is not a part of any madness that Rand might be suffering.  At least not in any usual way.  He really does have Lews Therin's conscience in his head.

It's just a very unusual madness. LTT may be a real person, but that doesn't mean that Rand having his voice in his head is a good thing.

 

I know he's hearing the LT in his head but I don't know if that should really be considared crazy. When you think about it, if you had just a simple alter-ego type voice in your head would it be telling you and showing you things most people including yourself have never heard of? For instence at the farmhouse when LT takes over and makes the death portal and all that, neither Rand nor Logain had ever seen that before. IF it really was Rand being crazy, when LT takes over would he not use only the weaves that Rand know's? Although Rand is not crazy, it's obvious that LT is so he's pretty screwed anyway. :)

The fact that Rand has someones voice in his head shows that he is crazy. Indeed, we are told that it constitutes a form of madness, although we may choose not to trust the source. Everything Semi said that we can check is true, and the truth would be far more damaging than a lie could be. But like Luckers said, Rand is functioning.

[ApostleofJordan]

2 points here...

1) obviously Rand is going to be in a delicate mental state! He's gone through so much, it is impossible for him not to have picked up a couple of mental problems! For examle, after his experience with the box and the Aes Sedai, he's probably suffering from post-traumatic stress, wich would explain why he was getting so freaked out in the dungeon in Far Madding. Add that to feeling guilty for every woman whose death he has caused, which likley is a serious mental problem in and of itself. Rand has so much stress, constantly, that he has had no chance to recover from his ordeals, or come to terms with himself over the dead women. And there is still another problem, one more adressed in the later books, how emotionless and hard he has become (on the outside, anyway). I believe that this is what Cadsuane is going to teach Rand (as she promises she will to Sorillea), she is basically going to become his shrink.

 

2) As it pertains to LTT in his head, Rand isn't crazy. You cannot apply current phyciatiric theories and ideas to this particular problem because it does not lie in the realm of mental health. LTT is a metaphysical problem, because he is an actual seperate entity inside of Rand's head, with knowledge and memories that are not Rands. The issue is further tangled by the fact that LTT is a seperate entity, but theoretically, the same soul as Rands. So what Rand has is Metaphysical Schytsophrenia (or however you spell it). Some advanced cases of schytsophrenia show evidence of low degree multiple personalities (basically an extreme form of hearing voices), along with the standard paronoia and other assorted symptomes.