The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg Pleading Insanity | Interview: Emmett Rensin
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Aug 20, 2025 Emmett Rensin, author of The Complications: On Going Insane in America and a voice for mental health advocacy, joins for an insightful dialogue. They delve into the history and complexities of the insanity defense, sharing personal experiences with schizoaffective disorder. The conversation highlights societal neglect of mental health, the challenges of identity politics, and the delicate balance between civil liberties and public safety. They also explore the phenomenon of auditory hallucinations and the intersection of mental illness with conspiracy theories, encouraging a deeper understanding and care.
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Language Reflects Real Treatment Practices
- Language norms matter because institutions can treat people as their diagnosis rather than as persons.
- Being in a public hospital changes how useful 'person-first' language feels in practice.
Deinstitutionalization's Bipartisan Failure
- Deinstitutionalization combined good motives with poor follow-through, creating streets full of untreated people.
- Historic asylums were brutal, but releasing patients without supports produced predictable harms.
Fund Community Care And Ensure Medication Access
- Fund robust community mental health and universal healthcare to reduce untreated illness and medication gaps.
- Address cost and continuity of care so people can afford and access necessary meds and follow-up.
