Question About The 'Reality' of LTT in Rand's Head in Relation To Falme/Bk 2

[bronnt]

LTT is bound to the Wheel, just like all of the other Heroes of the Horn.  When in Tel'Aran'Rhiod, between living incarnations, those souls of heroes retain their memories of past lives.  Meaning, the memories don't die with the body, but they remain with the soul.  Under the right circumstances, a soul might gain access to those memories while living.

 

What circumstances are those?  The madness caused by the taint allowed for gaps in Rand's psyche in which the memories could float through.  Plenty of men affected by the madness experience some kind of psychotic break causing them to hear voices.  And the strain on the Pattern caused by the Dark One's influence weakens things further.  So the voice is a coping mechanism-somewhat like a split personality, though the personalities in a dissociative identity disorder do not communicate with each other, and the Host identity generally is unaware of their existence.

 

But it allows Rand to deal with all of the horrible things have been done to him.  He deals with the madness by dis-associating with the aspects of himself that are going mad, and it allows him to cope when he's subjected to being locked in a box.  He could simply slip into that madness, and he wouldn't have to deal with anything on that aspect.

[yoniy0]

If Rand heard LTT's voice because of the madness, why does it persist after he cleansed saidin?

RJ said time and time again that just because saidin was cleansed, that doesn't mean male channelers will get better. Their situation won't get worse (not due to the taint, anyway), but they won't get better either.

[morkhon]

LTT is bound to the Wheel, just like all of the other Heroes of the Horn.  When in Tel'Aran'Rhiod, between living incarnations, those souls of heroes retain their memories of past lives.  Meaning, the memories don't die with the body, but they remain with the soul.  Under the right circumstances, a soul might gain access to those memories while living.

 

What circumstances are those?  The madness caused by the taint allowed for gaps in Rand's psyche in which the memories could float through.  Plenty of men affected by the madness experience some kind of psychotic break causing them to hear voices.  And the strain on the Pattern caused by the Dark One's influence weakens things further.  So the voice is a coping mechanism-somewhat like a split personality, though the personalities in a dissociative identity disorder do not communicate with each other, and the Host identity generally is unaware of their existence.

 

But it allows Rand to deal with all of the horrible things have been done to him.  He deals with the madness by dis-associating with the aspects of himself that are going mad, and it allows him to cope when he's subjected to being locked in a box.  He could simply slip into that madness, and he wouldn't have to deal with anything on that aspect.

I don't see it that way. I'm about to get philosophical here.

 

What makes Rand Rand, and LTT LTT? Two separate beings? Physical body? Experiences? Memories? I see the Dragon as a single soul, with different personalities through the Ages. Yet they all share the same soul. So when Rand hears LTT, who is he hearing? Himself, in a way. But a different personality of the Dragon, from a different time. So is it real? Well, you can both say that it -is- Rand's voice (as he is the Dragon Reborn, so the memories and throughts of the Dragon are a part of him), but at the same time the original Dragon was a distinctly different person and personality. So if Rand has access to these memories of a man dead three thousand years that allows him to create a voice in his head based off those experiences, is that LTT in his head or his own invention? Both? What does it do to a soul to be shoved into a different body? To watch the world through another man's eyes; a remnant of a memory stuck in his head. Would you wish for release from this endless cycle? Consider a few quotes by LTT in LoC, chapter 16 and 17...

 

Where are all the dead? Lews Therin whispered. Why will they not be silent?

Watching. Watching. That was Lews Therin, a hoarse giggling whisper. I see you. Who sees me?

You never escape the traps you spin yourself. Lew's Therin's murmur sounded confused. Only a greater power can break a power, and then you're trapped again. Trapped forever so you cannot die.

 

I think the 'personality' of LTT persists in the Dragon's soul. When Rand hears the voice, he's hearing that trapped personality. Yes, it's part of him. But not entirely. Has Rand considered the possibility that in some future Age he might be trapped in another man's head? How would that weigh on your mind? I'm starting to think the cycle of the soul being Reborn time and time again has to be broken. I think 'the voice' will contribute to that (the third quote I listed I think will have much relevance). The Soul is tired of being trapped. It wants to rest, to be silent, and to be at peace.

[bronnt]

I don't see it that way. I'm about to get philosophical here.

 

What makes Rand Rand, and LTT LTT? Two separate beings? Physical body? Experiences? Memories? I see the Dragon as a single soul, with different personalities through the Ages. Yet they all share the same soul. So when Rand hears LTT, who is he hearing? Himself, in a way. But a different personality of the Dragon, from a different time. So is it real? Well, you can both say that it -is- Rand's voice (as he is the Dragon Reborn, so the memories and throughts of the Dragon are a part of him), but at the same time the original Dragon was a distinctly different person and personality. So if Rand has access to these memories of a man dead three thousand years that allows him to create a voice in his head based off those experiences, is that LTT in his head or his own invention? Both? What does it do to a soul to be shoved into a different body? To watch the world through another man's eyes; a remnant of a memory stuck in his head. Would you wish for release from this endless cycle? Consider a few quotes by LTT in LoC, chapter 16 and 17...

 

Where are all the dead? Lews Therin whispered. Why will they not be silent?

Watching. Watching. That was Lews Therin, a hoarse giggling whisper. I see you. Who sees me?

You never escape the traps you spin yourself. Lew's Therin's murmur sounded confused. Only a greater power can break a power, and then you're trapped again.

Trapped forever so you cannot die.

 

I think the 'personality' of LTT persists in the Dragon's soul. When Rand hears the voice, he's hearing that trapped personality. Yes, it's part of him. But not entirely. Has Rand considered the possibility that in some future Age he might be trapped in another man's head? How would that weigh on your mind? I'm starting to think the cycle of the soul being Reborn time and time again has to be broken. I think 'the voice' will contribute to that. The Soul is tired of being trapped. It wants to rest, to be silent, and to be at peace.

 

This experience is specific to Rand, though.  Every person in Randland is someone else reborn.  Souls are recycled repeatedly, but it's only the Heroes who get tired to the Horn where you can really identify them.  Rand is an extremely specific case of one soul, with a given name, being reborn according to a prophecy.  But if you say that this is evidence that the cycle needs to be broken, then every single soul being reborn would carry over memories and personalities to their new bodies, and we only have evidence that this is happening in Rand's case-though Graendal did make allusion to this happening occasionally in cases of madness during the AoL.

 

The soul itself carries memories, and part of those memories are the personality of LTT.  Rand doesn't simply absorb photographic images in his memory, the memory leaking across the soul carries all the experiences of LTT, including his personality.  And that allows Rand to segment them to a seperate voice, distinct from his own, in his head.  He's not actually hearing anything, he's imagining a disembodied voice.

 

Those quotes that you pulled up-they're actually Rand's own thoughts, brought out by LTT's memories of being LTT.

[morkhon]

I don't see it that way. I'm about to get philosophical here.

 

What makes Rand Rand, and LTT LTT? Two separate beings? Physical body? Experiences? Memories? I see the Dragon as a single soul, with different personalities through the Ages. Yet they all share the same soul. So when Rand hears LTT, who is he hearing? Himself, in a way. But a different personality of the Dragon, from a different time. So is it real? Well, you can both say that it -is- Rand's voice (as he is the Dragon Reborn, so the memories and throughts of the Dragon are a part of him), but at the same time the original Dragon was a distinctly different person and personality. So if Rand has access to these memories of a man dead three thousand years that allows him to create a voice in his head based off those experiences, is that LTT in his head or his own invention? Both? What does it do to a soul to be shoved into a different body? To watch the world through another man's eyes; a remnant of a memory stuck in his head. Would you wish for release from this endless cycle? Consider a few quotes by LTT in LoC, chapter 16 and 17...

 

Where are all the dead? Lews Therin whispered. Why will they not be silent?

Watching. Watching. That was Lews Therin, a hoarse giggling whisper. I see you. Who sees me?

You never escape the traps you spin yourself. Lew's Therin's murmur sounded confused. Only a greater power can break a power, and then you're trapped again.

Trapped forever so you cannot die.

 

I think the 'personality' of LTT persists in the Dragon's soul. When Rand hears the voice, he's hearing that trapped personality. Yes, it's part of him. But not entirely. Has Rand considered the possibility that in some future Age he might be trapped in another man's head? How would that weigh on your mind? I'm starting to think the cycle of the soul being Reborn time and time again has to be broken. I think 'the voice' will contribute to that. The Soul is tired of being trapped. It wants to rest, to be silent, and to be at peace.

 

This experience is specific to Rand, though.  Every person in Randland is someone else reborn.  Souls are recycled repeatedly, but it's only the Heroes who get tired to the Horn where you can really identify them.  Rand is an extremely specific case of one soul, with a given name, being reborn according to a prophecy.  But if you say that this is evidence that the cycle needs to be broken, then every single soul being reborn would carry over memories and personalities to their new bodies, and we only have evidence that this is happening in Rand's case-though Graendal did make allusion to this happening occasionally in cases of madness during the AoL.

 

The soul itself carries memories, and part of those memories are the personality of LTT.  Rand doesn't simply absorb photographic images in his memory, the memory leaking across the soul carries all the experiences of LTT, including his personality.  And that allows Rand to segment them to a seperate voice, distinct from his own, in his head.  He's not actually hearing anything, he's imagining a disembodied voice.

 

Those quotes that you pulled up-they're actually Rand's own thoughts, brought out by LTT's memories of being LTT.

I would say I put a lot more significance into the fact Rand is the Dragon Reborn than you do. It's not just a title. It's not just access to memories and past experiences. It's sharing a soul. They are connected. And not every soul in Randland is so. RJ has said there's a normal afterlife. Anyway, I think 'the voice' is the Soul of the Dragon trying desperately to break the cycle. You say my quotes were Rand's throughts brought about my LTT's memories. What's the difference? He IS LTT Reborn. The personality is distinct, but the soul is the same. A voice of LTT based off the experiences and memories shared by a person sharing the same soul. Does that make it any less real?

 

My first two quotes struck me that LTT was perhaps saying he had someone in his head. He's saying why will they not be silent. 'I see you. Who sees me?' Is Rand in LTT's head? There's a link going on here. Consider some more quotes. LoC, chapter 21...

 

I remember at last killing Ishamael. There was a sense of wonder in the voice, at a new discovery. He deserved to die. Lanfear deserved to die, too, but I am glad I

was not the one to kill her.

Was it just happenstance that the voice seemed to speak to him? Was Lews Therin hearing, answering? How did I--did you kill Ishamael? Tell me how.

Death. I want the rest of death. But not here. I do not want to die here.

 

Later in the chapter...

Duty is heavier than a mountin, death lighter than a feather.

Lews Therin had to have that from him--memories passed both ways across the barrier, it seemed--but it cut to the heart.

 

What we have here is LTT accessing Rand's memories...a reversal. There are some very strange interactions going on here. I have a very hard time believing the voice is just an invention of Rand's to cope with things. It's far too complex. It's far too...simplistic to think that. He is the Dragon Reborn. Being the Dragon Reborn has much more significance.

[Charles Mahan]

Putting the debate about whether the voice was real or some kind of remnant of LTT's personality that came with the memories aside for a moment, is there concensus on whether or not Rand has now achieved the kind of reintegration that Graendal described?  It would seem likely that he has.

[Lord D]

Putting the debate about whether the voice was real or some kind of remnant of LTT's personality that came with the memories aside for a moment, is there concensus on whether or not Rand has now achieved the kind of reintegration that Graendal described?  It would seem likely that he has.

I think this is what is meant by Min's vision of two men becoming one.  Rand now has LTT's complete memories, so there's now no need for the voice.

 

For those who think the voice is a figment of Rand's imagination, how do you explain the voice helping Rand destroy the Trollocs at the manor in KoD and wriggle through the tied off weaves at Dumai's Wells in LoC?

[Calderis]

Putting the debate about whether the voice was real or some kind of remnant of LTT's personality that came with the memories aside for a moment, is there concensus on whether or not Rand has now achieved the kind of reintegration that Graendal described?  It would seem likely that he has.

I think this is what is meant by Min's vision of two men becoming one.  Rand now has LTT's complete memories, so there's now no need for the voice.

 

For those who think the voice is a figment of Rand's imagination, how do you explain the voice helping Rand destroy the Trollocs at the manor in KoD and wriggle through the tied off weaves at Dumai's Wells in LoC?

 

You over simplify the "figment" comment. It's the taint madness, combined with the memories he does have, combined with him fighting for individuality. They're things he already knows, he just never remembered learning them, and he can't accept it, so the "voice" guides him.

 

If you at this instant, started remembering a past life, and had the memories of another person in your head, are you telling me you'd just accept it without question? Even telling yourself that that person was you at the very core of your being, can you really say you'd just be able to be like, "oh hey, I remembered some really cool stuff" and not feel a little crazy?

 

He's fighting to stay sane, and that denial, and inner turmoil created a partition in his mind. the memories he has that he couldn't face were filtered through the voice. LTT couldn't be any thing other than a part of rand's own consciousness, because they are the same person.

 

It's much more than a "figment." It's in a fear/taint driven mental illness that Rand has finally manged to overcome. If he'd come to this breakthrough earlier he'd never have NEEDED LTT's voice to guide him, because he'd have accepted the memories and already have had the knowledge.

[Lord D]

Putting the debate about whether the voice was real or some kind of remnant of LTT's personality that came with the memories aside for a moment, is there concensus on whether or not Rand has now achieved the kind of reintegration that Graendal described?  It would seem likely that he has.

I think this is what is meant by Min's vision of two men becoming one.  Rand now has LTT's complete memories, so there's now no need for the voice.

 

For those who think the voice is a figment of Rand's imagination, how do you explain the voice helping Rand destroy the Trollocs at the manor in KoD and wriggle through the tied off weaves at Dumai's Wells in LoC?

 

You over simplify the "figment" comment. It's the taint madness, combined with the memories he does have, combined with him fighting for individuality. They're things he already knows, he just never remembered learning them, and he can't accept it, so the "voice" guides him.

 

If you at this instant, started remembering a past life, and had the memories of another person in your head, are you telling me you'd just accept it without question? Even telling yourself that that person was you at the very core of your being, can you really say you'd just be able to be like, "oh hey, I remembered some really cool stuff" and not feel a little crazy?

 

He's fighting to stay sane, and that denial, and inner turmoil created a partition in his mind. the memories he has that he couldn't face were filtered through the voice. LTT couldn't be any thing other than a part of rand's own consciousness, because they are the same person.

 

It's much more than a "figment." It's in a fear/taint driven mental illness that Rand has finally manged to overcome. If he'd come to this breakthrough earlier he'd never have NEEDED LTT's voice to guide him, because he'd have accepted the memories and already have had the knowledge.

Having the knowledge of a past life only happens to Rand in the series, so why not the LTT personality as well?  You are using a convoluted split personality theory to explain something that defies logical explanation.  The simple explanation is that both LTT's knowledge and voice are unique to Rand, and there's no need to explain the voice using psychobabble.

[mossman87]

Think of all the memories Mat got implanted in his head.  Now imagine if he also had the world on his shoulders and had the taint in his head along with all the other horrible things Rand has had to deal with.  I'm sure Mat would has an issue grasping the reality of all those thoughts and ideas now in his skull.

 

It certainly seems like a coping mechanism to me, but we'll never know for sure because that's how RJ wanted it.

[mossman87]

LTT is bound to the Wheel, just like all of the other Heroes of the Horn.  When in Tel'Aran'Rhiod, between living incarnations, those souls of heroes retain their memories of past lives.  Meaning, the memories don't die with the body, but they remain with the soul.  Under the right circumstances, a soul might gain access to those memories while living.

 

What circumstances are those?  The madness caused by the taint allowed for gaps in Rand's psyche in which the memories could float through.  Plenty of men affected by the madness experience some kind of psychotic break causing them to hear voices.  And the strain on the Pattern caused by the Dark One's influence weakens things further.  So the voice is a coping mechanism-somewhat like a split personality, though the personalities in a dissociative identity disorder do not communicate with each other, and the Host identity generally is unaware of their existence.

 

But it allows Rand to deal with all of the horrible things have been done to him.  He deals with the madness by dis-associating with the aspects of himself that are going mad, and it allows him to cope when he's subjected to being locked in a box.  He could simply slip into that madness, and he wouldn't have to deal with anything on that aspect.

 

Should have read the whole thread before I posted, this says it much better than I did.

[Calderis]

You don't have to agree Lord D.

 

The words in Veins of Gold are pretty blatant in the fact that LTT's voice is Rand and always has been.

 

My belief of the voice works within the context of the story so far, and unless something comes up in the next two books to contradict what was shown in the end of TGS, I'll just have to continue to disagree.

[yoniy0]

Calderis, you're not alone.

For me, the very fact that the memories came before the voice did (though there weren't a lot of them then, just the odd mention of something weird Rand said), and that he didn't hear the voice until he lost Moiraine (remember, in Veins of Gold we learn that in his mind, his being put in all sorts of boxes is tied to losing her. Frankly, I can see why), is proof enough that there isn't anything 'supernatural' about it (if you don't count remembering the life of someone 3k years gone as being supernatural, that is).

[The Fisher King]

yoniy0...so, i would just like to make sure i am clear on what you are saying:

 

just above, you are reiterating that it is your view that LTT was a ''Coping Mechanism'' that Rand's Mind came up with for him shortly after Moiraine's death?

 

 

Fish

[mossman87]

yoniy0...so, i would just like to make sure i am clear on what you are saying:

 

just above, you are reiterating that it is your view that LTT was a ''Coping Mechanism'' that Rand's Mind came up with for him shortly after Moiraine's death?

 

 

Fish

 

That's pretty much the theory, that Rand's 'women death list' and Moiraine importantly was the last grasp of old Rand that he was holding onto, not killing women and such (Hello Ilyena!!), and it made him crazy, especially with the taint and unexplained memories from 3,000 years ago distant in his mind.

[yoniy0]

just above, you are reiterating that it is your view that LTT was a ''Coping Mechanism'' that Rand's Mind came up with for him shortly after Moiraine's death?

That's the gist of it, but calling it so makes it seem all calculated and stuff. He was in a bad place, everyone wanting a piece of him, knowing he's going to die in a year or so, all that stress... Plus the Taint. He just snapped. Hearing voices isn't that uncommon for crazy people. Cadsuane's seen it before, for one.

 

And yes, I think Moiraine was a link to reality for him. And a comrade. And he was responsible for her death, in a way. That's your stressor right there.

[Dreamwalker]

I agree that it was a coping mechanism (per my earlier post) but I did want to point out that this is a debate which will probably keep going on even after the series is over. RJ wouldn't tell anyone, and even after tGS BS has been reluctant to say anything about it. I don't think this is b/c it's going to come back up, because tGS is probably the last we'll hear of it, but I think since it's one of those things that neither Rand nor anyone else would ever be able to know for sure, it is something that he won't talk about. He's said before that he usually doesn't answer stuff that no one in the world of the story could have the answer to, so I think we're going to be left debating forever. Because it comes down to - if someone is crazy, how do you know what is the craziness and what is real? It's pretty much impossible, and the reincarnation thing just makes it even more complex, so you can really argue either side. I personally go with the "LTT voice was really just part of Rand" idea, but I can see both sides and everyone will probably just have to decide for themselves. No consensus likely on this one.  :-\

[bronnt]

I agree that it was a coping mechanism (per my earlier post) but I did want to point out that this is a debate which will probably keep going on even after the series is over. RJ wouldn't tell anyone, and even after tGS BS has been reluctant to say anything about it. I don't think this is b/c it's going to come back up, because tGS is probably the last we'll hear of it, but I think since it's one of those things that neither Rand nor anyone else would ever be able to know for sure, it is something that he won't talk about. He's said before that he usually doesn't answer stuff that no one in the world of the story could have the answer to, so I think we're going to be left debating forever. Because it comes down to - if someone is crazy, how do you know what is the craziness and what is real? It's pretty much impossible, and the reincarnation thing just makes it even more complex, so you can really argue either side. I personally go with the "LTT voice was really just part of Rand" idea, but I can see both sides and everyone will probably just have to decide for themselves. No consensus likely on this one.  :-\

 

You're probably right.  That ending for tGS is as clear as we're going to get, aside from the question about just how sane Rand is presently-which we'll find out later.  This is one of those things that is not meant to express explicitly.  It's like whether Frodo died or not.

[JakeBarnes]

It seems like most of the posts agree that the voice was something Rand made up, correct?

If this is the case, can we make the assumption that Rand has been passively controlling the flow of knowledge/memories from past lives to his active conscience? 

 

[Dreamwalker]

It seems like most of the posts agree that the voice was something Rand made up, correct?

If this is the case, can we make the assumption that Rand has been passively controlling the flow of knowledge/memories from past lives to his active conscience? 

 

 

Perhaps his brain is subconsciously - that seemed to be how it worked with his memories before the voice - his brain would draw on the memories without him consciously making an effort to, they would just pop up according to the situation. Sort of like if you smell popcorn your brain might randomly pull up a childhood memory of a movie theater. I'm really interested to see how his memories are going to work in the next book - now that he's accepted the memories as his own (as him being the same man as LTT) I want to see if maybe he can now consciously remember things, or if he'll go back to the way he was before (randomly triggered memories) since those memories were after all from a previous life.

[morkhon]

 

The words in Veins of Gold are pretty blatant in the fact that LTT's voice is Rand and always has been.

 

I wouldn't call it blatant. I take it to mean simply that they share the same soul, hence they always were one. But that's a statement from one perspective. You could also say they were two as two distinct, different personalities. So why won't he hear LTT's voice again?

 

My answer is: because LTT has finally forgiven himself. The Dragon's soul is at peace.

 

Edit -

For me, the very fact that the memories came before the voice did (though there weren't a lot of them then, just the odd mention of something weird Rand said), and that he didn't hear the voice until he lost Moiraine

The bolded is an innacurate statement. He starts hearing the voice before Moraine disappears. It intensifies as TFoH ends and into LoC, but personally I attribute that to battle in Tel'aran'rhiod -in the flesh- vs. Rahvin.

[yoniy0]

The bolded is an innacurate statement. He starts hearing the voice before Moraine disappears. It intensifies as TFoH ends and into LoC, but personally I attribute that to battle in Tel'aran'rhiod -in the flesh- vs. Rahvin.

Hmm, interesting. You're the first I've seen to contest that. Could you help me find the first instance, then?

 

Edit:

So, I did some research. Troughout FoH Rand does have thoughts that he recognizes as Lews Therin's, but that's more like memories surfacing than a voice talking. The closest reference I found was this:

Rand felt impatience as the procession continued, one by one up to kneel before him, Cairhienin succeeding Tairen succeeding Cairhienin, as he had decreed. This was all necessary, so Moiraine said-and so agreed a voice in his head that he knew for Lews Therm’s-but to him it was part of the delay. He must have their loyalty, if only on the surface, in order to begin making Cairhien secure, and that beginning, at least, had to be made before he could move on Sammael. And that I will do! I have too much to do yet to let him go on stabbing at my ankles from the bushes! He will find out what it means to rouse the Dragon!

Now, I'm not sure that qualifies as a voice actually talking in his head. The problem is, during his fight with Rahvin I found this little piece, that implies I've missed something before that:

It came to him, as he trotted along another colonnade, sensing for Rahvin, that he had not heard the voice crying over Ilyena since he channeled balefire. Perhaps he had somehow chased Lews Therm out of his head.

[mossman87]

Mato: Did the meeting between Rand and Moridin for sure happen in Tel'aran'rhiod or could it have happened in a vacuole?

Sanderson: I...well. I'm going to partially RAFO this. I will not say it for sure happened in Tel'aran'rhiod, and I'm not sure whether the other instances of this were Tel'aran'rhiod either.

Mato: Can you elaborate on why the voice of Lews Therin was not speaking when Rand and Isha--I mean Moridin were talking? Is it becau--

Sanderson: Ah. Yes, well, I'm going to have to RAFO that one...too close to dealing with the specifics of the voice, sorry.

 

With the way TAR seems to be the afterlife for souls, or at least Hero souls, it could be that going there in the flesh would bring you closer to your past lives, it may have made it easier to access those memories, in which caused him problems to differentiate once all the stress and taint kicked in.  *shrug*

[Vermillion]

IMO it was a mix of him being crazy from the taint, memories surfacing, not wanting to face who he was and what he did which cause him to cope by forming a persona of his past life.  I think the memories are taint induced if I remember correctly as well.

 

It was his way to keep himself sane really.  He pushed all the insanity into the other person who was already insane.  Though he still was crazy enough to talk to himself and lose control.

[mossman87]

IMO it was a mix of him being crazy from the taint, memories surfacing, not wanting to face who he was and what he did which cause him to cope by forming a persona of his past life.  I think the memories are taint induced if I remember correctly as well.

 

It was his way to keep himself sane really.  He pushed all the insanity into the other person who was already insane.  Though he still was crazy enough to talk to himself and lose control.

 

Well said.

 

Also to reference what you said:

http://www.theoryland.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2566

Question: Was the taint influential in the creation/development/existence of the voice of Lews Therin in Rand's head?

Brandon answered that the taint was influential, but not the only factor. He referenced Semirhage, that of course we can't believe the Forsaken always, but yes, that the taint was an influence in the the voice. That we have to accept that in fact, in a way, Rand is going insane (as in as the books progress).