Sanity is knowing exactly what you want to do in any given situation—from an hour in a book store to a long weekend with your family at the lake, to a career in public relations.
Mind you, sanity is not in getting what you want all the time, or even most of the time. It's just knowing what you want. It's the people who don't know what they want—usually because they can't manage to sift out what they want from what they think their friends, lovers, children, bosses or living or dead parents want—these are the people who have a hard time in life.
In life, and in communication: You can't communicate what you don't know, and if you don't know your own interest, you can't tell others.
Which makes you feel lonely.
And others want to know what you want, otherwise they can neither negotiate with you, nor even give you what you want.
Not knowing what you want makes them feel resentful, because they think you're hiding it from them.
Now you're lonely, and resented by everyone around you.
So if you want to be sane, you have to do one thing: You have to figure out what you want, and describe it in plain English. First, to yourself. And then, if you have the courage, to us. Whether it's world peace you're after, or oral sex: What's the worst that can happen?
The worst that can happen is you'll be on the road to a happier life.
And don't let me tell you, but isn't that what you really want?
POSTSCRIPT: No, the world is not made up of people who know what they want and people who don't. It's made up of people who usually know what they want, and people who often don't. So if you think you can't relate to the other guy who I'm describing here, try harder.
POST POSTSCRIPT: Yes, it's also terribly important to know what others want. But that's never been your problem, has it?
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