Yeah, I’m aware that a guy in a rainbow monkey suit with obvious male genitals appeared in front of children as part of a reading event. Yeah, I think that was insane.

What’s impressive about the incident (aside from how garishly hideous the outfit was) would be that, out of the people that planned the event, any one of them could have objected at any point along the way. Or, at least, determine the idea to have been as insanely idiotic as it was, and promptly dropped association with the organizers, and made considerable physical distance, in an act of self-preservation.

The incident has challenged some people’s belief in a humanity that ever strives for the truth and for something better, as the man in the rainbow monkey suit provided ample evidence to the contrary.

While I do still have the optimistic belief that humanity continues on a path of self-betterment, that perspective isn’t without the understanding that humans have the same basic tendencies that we’ve had for thousands of years.

Insanity can occur in all levels of society, including the very top. One of the biggest civilizations in western history, the Roman Empire, was headed by Caesars who were, for the most part, obviously insane. It’s apparent that there were also insane leaders in east Asia. Those who learn what Mohammad was really like are often disturbed by what they learn. Ordinary people can be insane, as well. Of course, when commoners go mad, it tends to impact fewer people.

It’s because of this outlook that when I see people doing insane things I see it as yet another expression of an old insanity that has been with us. Of course, I’m not making excuses for the man in the monkey suit. What he did might have been illegal. Obviously, what’s a tendency of human nature may be criminal or in some other way bad for society.

Still, it’s something old, expressed in a new way. And if humanity were to continue in its devices, there’s no reason to expect it to stop any time soon. But if you have a blog where you make fun of the stupid things that people do, it’s not hard to find new material.