"I voluntarily inflicted a certain level of insanity on myself"

This quote by Jonathan Franzen speaks to the idea of self-inflicted suffering. It suggests that he has actually selected to put himself in a situation that is psychologically challenging and difficult. He has actually chosen to put himself in a state of "madness" in order to achieve a specific objective or to acquire a specific level of understanding. This could be translated as a metaphor for the struggles of life, and how we typically pick to put ourselves in difficult situations in order to grow and discover. It could likewise be translated as a commentary on the power of the mind and how we can utilize it to press ourselves to our limitations. Ultimately, this quote speaks to the concept that we can select to put ourselves in difficult situations in order to acquire something valuable.