Madness and Sexuality - Essay Example

Some societies like those in China, Japan, and the Arab world used such forms of sexual expression as erotic arts. This included paintings and pictures describing these acts. They expressed the many ways in which these people went about the act. People gained knowledge and experience through openly talking about these issues. They openly confessed their feelings and desires concerning sexuality.

People openly and widely discussed it, and there was a change in conception in people (Poirier, 2015). They began viewing it in a certain way as they looked for ways to benefit more from it. They no longer silenced sexuality and realized its importance other than reproduction. Sexual needs became a prime focus and people stressed the importance of sexual acts. Foucault looked at the issue of madness and sought to find out more about particular perspectives concerning the issue. In the olden eras, madness was not shunned or despised by society as it is today (Foucault, 2015).

Humanity had a soft stance on insanity. People were compassionate to mad people and viewed it as another unknown side of an individual's personality. Individuals put the insane in isolation but within the cities. They were able to interact with other members of society. In the world of art, madness had many significances. In the early sixteenth century, the insane were being taken into solitary confinement far from others (Massey.ac.NZ, 2015). These people could not contribute positively to society, and they were considered outcasts.

There were places for mad people called asylums, and here they underwent torture through hard labor. Those who could not manage were publicly whipped and flogged. As time progressed, Madness was seen as a condition, and centers were put up. These are aimed at trying to help the insane to treat their conditions. Psychiatric units were set up to help these individuals. However, still, much effort focused on trying to find a good side to these people. They emphasized finding a connection between insanity and art (Matos, 2013).

He gave examples of challenged individuals such as Fransisco Goya and Vincent van Gogh, who made exemplary art pieces. He argued that the art was praised and seen as distinct from the personality of the artist who created it (Hunton, 2011). The artwork brings more interest into taking a deeper look at them as they put the effort in discovering what makes them think in such away. Mad people were no longer a spectacle of ridicule by other members of society. They also had a purpose, and the community realized that some of them were uniquely gifted.

People learned how to look more at the positives instead of focusing on their shortcomings.