Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Societal and cultural impact on "normal"

This week has been less than interesting. Tyler came over but, I would've had more fun if he wasn't here. I don't know why I invite him over. Maybe it's more that he invites himself over and I have no good reason to say no except because of myself. The cell phone broke, ordered a new one. Nothing really happened, which gave me a lot of time to think - my number one focus, what makes us normal, what effects our personal perception of normal, what is our general consensus of normal, what has culture taught us about normal, what do we still hold to normal that isn't - what makes normal, normal?

Picture this:
A normal person.
Describe them.


Can you? Technically "normal" is the "average or mean." What does that mean? Applied to society, what is normal? Is it conforming to society's standards? Is non-conformity conforming to a group? Is it bad to be a non-conformist? Is it hypocritical? What is normal/average to one isn't to another. Is there a set of rules or guidelines to normalcy? Not particularly. And why do we worry about being, looking, and acting normal? Is it our social dependancy on other humans? That we actually do need each other to survive?

We need a certain set of boundaries for normal, but everything else, goes. I do think that the "treat others as you'd like to be treated" goes a lot further than just kindergarten. However, a lot of people think the rules in kindergarten stay in kindergarten. They don't. The person on the street who just dropped all their paperwork would appreciate it just as much as you or me for you to stop and help them. Why do we, as a society, turn a blind eye to those small kind acts of consideration? Why don't we do things just to make other peoples days? I don't know how many smiles I've seen just by saying hi to, waving at, or smiling at someone. Happiness is contagious.

I've learned that your immediate society has a direct impact on your perception of normal. The small Christian, redneck town I came from frowned upon me supporting gay rights, dying my hair every color, wearing ripped up jeans, and even thinking about piercings. It was is ridiculous. I had someone from the south tell me that it was okay that she hated a certain girl that her ex/current boyfriend slept with because she was black. These prejudices still are held. What makes me, at birth, different from anyone else in the world? Nothing. Our actions define us as people, our prejudices define our future. What we deem acceptable as a society today, paves the path for tomorrow. It's time we open our minds, not teach hate, but love.

2 comments:

  1. The litmus test for being "normal" is when you finally notice that most everything you do is the opposite to everyone else...then, my dear, jknMilan, you have reached normalcy!!!

    Cordially, (If Not Entirely Sober!)
    MsBurb

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  2. hey im from the south and i resemble that remark, now whut you need to be normal is a normal stick from walmart, aint nuthin normal there either

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