Everyone claims to want freedom.  Many claim to chafe at the restrictions that ordinary taboos and mores place on their speech, behavior, and appearance.  But who among them ever actually does something about it? 

Crazy street people, that's who. 

It occured to me some time ago that if you walk down the street growling, cursing, twitching, and speaking to someone invisible to others, dressed in rags, caked in dirt, and all a-shimmer with grease - well, people give you a wide berth, and are disinclined to interfere with your distinctive pursuit of happiness. 

Add to this the near-expectation that you will be ranting about odd political, social, or religious ideas, and therefore the ready acceptance of your doing so, and you have a golden opportunity to live as freely as you dare to, and to "freak the mundanes" on a pretty deep level.  "Heh-heh.  I was riding the bus to work, and this crazy dude was ranting on and on about how the Pope is the Antichrist, because he goes against the values of Jesus while claiming to be His voice."  "Wow."  "You know?   He kinda has a point..."

And if you want to wander the streets all night, urinate on banks, sleep in the sun in a grassy park, masturbate in  a phone booth, or spend all day getting high on a bus bench - well, no-one expects any different, and what are they going to do about it?  You may even persuade some of them to give you money without having to do anything in return except look weird.

I would like to think that many of the apparent whack jobs of the world are just carving out a little performance space for themselves.  A sort of self-defending Temporary Autonomous Zone.  Or the psychic equivalent of adult diapers - just let it go, and don't worry about the mess.  Schizophrenia means never having to say you're sorry.  And Tourette's means never having to EAT SHIT! - oops, sorry.  COCKSUCKER!

If I can muster the guts, I'm inclined to try it.