I think the thoughts that have emerged in the story of 'Ward No 6' have been true for ages. If a person wants to be like himself, loves to read books, is indifferent to work in the family, then everyone conciders him crazy and sends him to the asylum.
And if someone else pays attention to the madman or talks to him, then he is also pushed into the madhouse thinking he is mad. This idea is true in all ages, in all centuries.
First madman is Gromov and the second is Andrei Yephimich.