During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.

有個人到精神病院參觀，向院長問起，如何判定某個病人要不要強制治療。

"Well," said the Director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub."

院長回答：「我們把浴缸放滿水，然後拿茶匙、茶杯、水桶給病人，要他 (她)把浴缸的水都弄走。」

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

訪客說：「我知道了。正常人會用水桶舀，因為水桶比茶匙、茶杯大。」

"No," said the Director, "A normal person would pull the plug."

院長說：「錯。正常人會把塞子拔掉。」