GENIUS ON THE LEFT, MADMAN ON THE RIGHT

The world is wondrous, vast, and boundless; it's very systematic, rigorous, and rule-bound. Unfortunately, although we exist in this world, most of us can only perceive a small part of it.

Talented people have their own complete and rigorous systems of thought, built through countless refutations and refinements. But there are also many who just think without practical application, except for a few who have reached a level of detachment from reality.

Facing the unknown, there's no need to be afraid; we need to learn to respect its existence, giving ourselves a chance to try to understand, analyze, think, and explore.

Human beings are countless different individuals, communicating with each other through language, writing, and gestures, but these all have limitations. Humans cannot completely overcome differences in perception, cannot fully empathize with each other, and cannot fully express their confusion, problems, pressures, and anxieties, leading to mental illness. Being able to see the world from another person's perspective is incredibly valuable.

If one day you think I'm crazy, perhaps you are the crazy one.

Most of us – people living in a highly developed society – tend to live and conform to billions of rules, millions of regulations, tens of thousands of rules… complicated and boring. Meanwhile, there are those who are crazy, rebellious, and defiant… who are the ones creating difference and change. Right now, if you're feeling restless, irritated, and on the verge of going crazy, welcome to the world of the insane – "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" by Cao Minh.

AUTHOR INTRODUCTION:

Cao Minh (born in 1974 in Beijing). Previously, Cao Minh wrote "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" (published in Vietnam), a collection of observations from people with mental illness. In 2016, the work was on Amazon's bestseller list. Cao Minh is known as an author who dedicates himself wholeheartedly to each work, is deeply passionate about his profession, and especially possesses an "extraordinary" intellect…

Cao Minh always claims to be an objective observer of society, which may sound a bit arrogant, but his works have shown us that this is entirely accurate. His works, whether purely psychological like "The Hypnotist's Handbook," mind-bending and overwhelming like "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right," or terrifying and fantastical like "Heavenly Soul," all share one common point: they reflect the heart of the author, meticulously crafted in every detail, polished in every word, and always revealing the author's own thoughts and reflections on life and humanity.

SUMMARY OF THE WORK:

"Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" is a book for the crazy, the troublemakers, the rebels, the mismatched pieces in the squares… those who see things differently, who don't care about the rules. You can agree, disagree, honor, or insult them, but the only thing you cannot do is deny their existence. These are the people who always create change while most people live like machines. Most people think they're crazy, but if you look at it from a different perspective, you'll see they're geniuses. Because only those crazy enough to believe they can change the world are the ones who actually do it. Many people will say, "What's the point of listening to what the patients say? Aren't they crazy? Only the crazy end up in mental hospitals."

But after reading the book "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right," I realized they weren't crazy. Perhaps their way of thinking is simply different from the mainstream. They are a minority, different from the majority, so they are considered "crazy."

To explore these unique perspectives, the author chose to interact with mental health patients. The author often guides patients to exchange and share their thoughts and perspectives. That's why "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" was created.

The book is a collection of interviews between the author and mental health patients. By asking very skillful and intelligent questions, the author attempts to penetrate the worldview of psychiatric patients, thereby experiencing their perspective.

PERSONAL REFLECTION:

Ultimately, what does madness mean? In this world, who is truly insane? Does telling people about something they don't know or haven't verified automatically make you crazy? How can we use what we know to explain what we don't know? Mistakes aren't human errors; they belong to the times. Everything in life is relative, and life is impermanent. Many geniuses before were once considered insane when their ideas contradicted the understanding of their time; some were even sentenced to death. Was the girl in the story truly insane?

There's a saying I really appreciate: "Look at life with one eye; use the other to examine yourself." Let's stop judging others, respect differences, and stop labeling others as crazy or mentally ill. Perhaps we are the truly insane ones without realizing it.

For me, this is a great book; it gives me a very different perspective on issues I didn't know before.

"Genius on the left, madman on the right" - a thin line like a thread between the ostracized and the revered…

Author Cao Minh clearly shows us the worldview of mental patients by directly interacting with them, putting himself in their shoes, thinking and writing…

"When you walk a path different from everyone else, if you succeed, you are a genius; "If you fail, you're insane."

Genius or madness, they are both individuals with novel ideas, profound insights, deep thoughts, and especially unique knowledge in a specific field. The only difference is that one has proven and gained societal acceptance of their worldview, while the other remains a sad, open-ended question… Genius or madness, left or right, it's just a thin line that each person needs to perceive with their own thoughts and feelings.

During the course of interaction, the author realized something very interesting: many mental patients are capable of quickly finding a way to explain things. Regardless of whether it's demons, foxes, fairies, monsters, or physics and biology, they all steadfastly confirm it.

When reading this book, you will learn about all kinds of mental patients with different problems. Some are humorous and interesting, while others will surprise the author and the reader. Reading it is shocking and even frightening. Many patients have such a complete logical system that the author has to ask himself:

Is the author himself, one of those considered normal, the one who is wrong?

Are they really mentally ill patients? In some interviews with mentally ill patients, the author asks questions to guide the story. But in the end, it turns out that the one being led is the author, the hunter suddenly becoming the prey.

Reading the book, the genius on the left, the madman on the right, I often wonder: what is in the middle?

Perhaps in the middle are ordinary people, living lives in a rigid, machine-like manner. When seeing those with novel ideas, if you look to the right, they seem mentally ill, but if you look to the left, they are geniuses. Whether mentally ill or genius, we cannot deny that they are people full of courage, daring to break the chains of rules, overthrowing all barriers with their dreams of changing the world.

Turning the pages, the reader is first captivated. The book captivates readers with its chosen subject matter. Cao Minh is not a psychologist, a scientist, or a neuroscientist… but simply a person passionate about exploring new paths and breaking through personal limitations.

“The world is wondrous, vast, and boundless; it is systematic, rigorous, and rule-bound. Unfortunately, although we exist in this world, most of us can only perceive a small part of it. Do you understand what I mean? Our understanding is universally limited and one-sided.”

This very thought ignited a “spiritual encouragement,” opening up a bolder idea than ever before: interacting with mental patients to learn and contemplate more about the human worldview. This is the key, the foundation of the unique “Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right,” which makes readers rack their brains and abandon their temporary thinking. Together, they venture into the “land” of the insane.

This book is not filled with empty platitudes or satirical pronouncements, but rather records dialogues between the author, Cao Minh, and a diverse range of characters. Through clever and insightful questioning, Cao Minh offers us a new perspective on the worldview of geniuses and deranged individuals, drawing upon knowledge of biology, history, culture, quantum physics, and more, opening a new door to the human psyche.

“That proves this is a fundamental human issue, something already ingrained in the heart, passed down through generations, forever so! Give two newborn babies a bottle of milk, do you think they'll share it? Nonsense! Humans are fighting animals, fighting against nature, fighting against other creatures, and then fighting against humanity itself. Can you tell me if there's ever a day in the world without war? Only in One Thousand and One Nights, right? Unless it was before humans existed! Am I naive? You're ridiculous! I believe in the devil, so what? What's wrong with voluntarily falling? My existence is to prove the existence of light; without me, there would be no comparison, no light. Human nobility will never be stimulated outwardly; there will only be inferiority, filth, and depravity! Some people willingly choose God, some people willingly choose the devil! If there were only devils in this world, then there would be no other "Even demons, it's the same principle: if there were only God in this world, there would be no God. That's the meaning of my existence!"

"You are all Gods, I willingly become a demon. Even if you all choose light, to prove your light, I will be the last Satan. This! This is my existence!"

-The Last Satan- The Tail of the Soul - This is a story about the author's encounter with a young patient. She was hospitalized because she went around telling everyone that humans have souls and that souls have tails. She explained that all living things are filled with souls; without a soul, everything is just an empty shell. Many people see ghosts because their souls have revealed their tails, which attracts other souls. Many believed, but many did not. Among those who didn't believe were the girl's mother and teacher, who forced her to get tested. She tried to convince the doctor that souls were real, and as a result, they admitted her to a psychiatric hospital.

After a conversation with the author, more than two months later, the girl was discharged. The author simply told her that if she truly wanted to leave the hospital, she should do as the souls did: wrap her tail around herself and crawl into an empty shell to become human again. “To avoid being considered a mental patient, you must carefully conceal certain thoughts and not casually reveal them to others; that way, you will be safe.”

Ultimately, what is madness? In this world, who is truly insane? Does telling people about something they don't know or haven't verified make you crazy? How can we use what we know to explain what we don't know? Mistakes don't belong to humans; mistakes belong to the times. Everything in life is relative, life is impermanent. Many geniuses in the past were once considered insane by others when their ideas contradicted the perceptions of their time; some were even sentenced to death. Was the girl in the story truly insane?

There's a saying I really appreciate: "Look at life with one eye; use the other eye to reflect on yourself." Let's stop judging others, respect differences, and not label others as crazy or mentally ill. Perhaps we are the truly insane ones without realizing it.

GENIUS ON THE LEFT, MADMAN ON THE RIGHT, SO WHAT'S IN THE MIDDLE?

It could also be ordinary people living monotonous lives like machines, like mindless individuals. When you see someone with bizarre ideas or unconventional thinking, if you look to their right, they might be mentally ill. But if you change your perspective and look to their left, they are geniuses – revered, even divine. Whether mentally ill or genius, we cannot deny that they are all individuals of great courage, daring to break countless complicated rules and rigid frameworks, rising up and overcoming all obstacles to achieve their dreams of changing the world around them.

Reading the book "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" will give you a different perspective on the world of these people. It's not just simply abnormal, it's strangely abnormal yet scientifically incomprehensible. Simply because this world doesn't belong to them; they probably exist in a world very different from ours.

I think they are lonely people. Whether geniuses or truly insane, reading their confessions is enough to show how lonely they are in their current world and in their own worldview. No one understands them, because no one has reached the level of knowledge to comprehend what they offer. Perhaps we should only read this book from the perspective of an ordinary person with a multifaceted view:

This world still has so many unknowns, and what you know is only a very small part of the rest;

Don't rush to criticize, condemn, or reject anyone. Observe them first;

If you want to be a genius, accept that your world will oppose you, even reject you. Understand that loneliness is very normal;

Empathize with those who are different because they are not at fault, they are simply in the wrong world;

Don't try to devour the words in this book without first gaining some knowledge. It will only lead you from one ambiguity to another.

This book will no longer be difficult to understand or comprehend if you read it with a clear, calm mind. I mean, like in a meditative state, allowing your mind to be free, then you will find it easy.

CONCLUSION:

The book "Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right" is suitable for young people who enjoy contemplating the world, exploring the deep inner world of human beings, possessing an open and creative mindset, always embracing new things, and not afraid to break through their own barriers and those of the world around them.

Read this work once to see that everyone's thinking is different, but not everyone dares to break the rules and constraints of society. Try once to overcome those barriers to reach something new and unattainable for others; after all, rules are made to be broken…