Recently, while pondering over the idea of what the society dictates for others to follow, Marie Lianne and myself were discussing the idea of what “normal” means in the society. The concept of normal applies to most of the things in our daily lives, even when we do not use that word. If people consider something to be acceptable by the majority, it seems like a normal thing to do, or a normal phenomenon. If there is anything that many people would consider irregular, or not a naturally recurring phenomenon that can be accepted easily, people consider it to be something far from normal.
Look at the picture in this paragraph for a very gentle example. Would you consider what the guy in the picture is doing a “normal” thing that guys his age and size do? I do, because I would want to do that and more myself. How about you? What do you consider normal about this picture? What do you consider abnormal about this picture?
This is the first in a series of articles revolving around the concept of normality, and what “normal” is considered to be. Today, this article will briefly focus on thoughts that revolve around the meaning of the word “Normal.”
Does the word “normal” have an acceptable, normal meaning?
What does it mean to be “normal“? What classifies as being normal? Do we consider things as being normal if they are acceptable by the majority in the society? Throughout recorded history, and today in our daily lives, we run across people staring at one another if they notice something being done, in any form, that is usually not done, or that is usually not done by them. People will get surprised by those who talk to themselves, and people will also get surprised if they do different things. How does one define what is normal? Are there any requirements that can help classify something as being “normal” or “abnormal“? Do you have a set of rules you think about when you look at any phenomenon in this world?
Standing on the side of a street, you can easily look in any direction and start labeling things as being normal or abnormal. You may consider things to be all right, regular, acceptable, typical, and even “nice!“, and you will still probably be circling around the concept of considering something normal. People do things in order to be accepted into the society, among their friends, into specific groups and in social circles. In such cases, is the focus on doing something normal, or is the focus on doing something that is acceptable by others and maybe yourself?
Is “normal” absolute or relative relative?
One of the most important phenomenons that happen on a regular basis, and that get analyzed and discussed in terms of considering it a normal or an abnormal thing is the concept of having sex under different conditions. Having sex if you are under 18 years old is not considered a widespread and acceptably normal thing in the United States, even if it is a growing trend. The reason for this could be the laws that prohibit some sexual acts for individuals who are under 18 years of age. At the same time, having sex in Switzerland if you are 16 or older is considered normal, because the laws there allow it. Does that mean if a 17 a year old person has sex in Switzerland on a Monday, the society thinks that person and their act should be considered normal and acceptable?
If that same 17 year old has sex in the United states on the same day while that person is still 17 years old, the majority of the public society in the United States thinks that such an act should be abnormal and not acceptable. How is the same act, among the same people, considered normal in one location, and abnormal in another? Morality is usually not a big placard in this aspect, as people usually cite the different laws, explained more below, as the basis for considering something as being bad.
Travel agencies could offer summer trip discounts to Switzerland for teenagers who will be celebrating their 16th birthday during the summer. Would that be normal? Or would that be abnormal?
Is “normal” dependent on the current laws?
Competing with the idea of having sex in terms of something that is considered acceptable and normal in abnormal forms is the idea of drinking alcohol. Less than 80 years ago, it was considered abnormal, illegal, and an immoral act, to drink any alcohol in the United States. Today, drinking is legal, and considered normal by the majority during the Prohibition Era. Al Capone, one of America’s most famous gangster in history, gained fame from the public and caused fear among everyone by doing one main thing: smuggling and selling alcohol. The entire police system at the time revolved around eradicating this non-normal act of pushing and pulling people into alcohol.
That same beer, that the public feared, that the cops and the country told everyone to stay away from, that the country considered an abnormal element in any life, that America went to war against the most famous gangsters in this country’s recent history for during the 30′s, that the mob went to fight to sell in order to make illegal money, is now legal, normal, and on sale for all people over 21 years old all over the country. How can one non-normal thing, that made the society label certain people as being “bad” simply because those “bad” people did the non-normal thing of drinking that non-normal thing, be considered normal today? The human brain still responds in a similar fashion to alcohol as it did in the last 80 years. So what changed? Did something not normal become normal because the law allowed it?
Thousands of people were arrested for drinking alcohol and for selling alcohol during the 30′s. Is it fair to see people before suffer for something that today we allow legally and normally? What changed?
What is normal for you? Stay tuned for more non-normal series!
It can become very complex to differentiate the reasons as to why something may be considered normal and acceptable, two words which are usually use interchangeably to describe the same thing. It is normal to wear a jacket on a rainy day, but it is not normal to wear a t-shirt in the snow. The previous sentence itself is an example of how the concept of “normal” affects our perception of that very word: is normal something that majority of the people do on a massive scale, or is normal something that should be done according to the values of certain societies?
This series will cover these points and more, in order to figure out and share with everyone, and myself, the meaning of the word “Normal“, and how our views on the concept of something being or not being normal affects us, and how such concepts are affected by us also.
Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or thoughts. 
Thank you for reading.
What is this series about? – The concept of “Normal” info
The concept of “normal” is going to be reviewed, analyzed, discussed, and hopefully eaten with an appetizer through these series. I am creating this series with Marie to discuss this topic in greater length. What is normal? What is abnormal? You, me, Marianne, and everyone else are going to think about it and discuss it together. How does that word, “normal”, affect you? How do you use it? How important do you think it is? How important should it be? Join us, and let us see whether this word and concept called “normal” is a blessing, is nothing, or is a disease that should be avoided!
Marie can be found on her blog “Sweet Tea and a Cloudy Sky“, on her @Marielianne twitter, and her Marie Lianne Facebook.
so youre saying that eeverytime someone points out something wrong in someone its to do with majority of people liking or disliking it?
some thing understood but i could get the complete idea
Mike, thanks for the comment. Usually, yes, when someone thinks of something wrong with someone else, it is because of the way that person is brought up or "trained" in the society: things that are acceptable, things that do not happen a lot, etc. Drinking was illegal and not allowed to the majority at one point, and because of that, it was considered bad and not normal. now, drinking under 21 is not allowed and considered bad for the majority, and thus is not considered normal.
Desonte, thanks for the comment too. Did you mean "couldn't" instead of "could"?
I think you're absolutely right.
Wrong and right have been accepted just the way society dictated it to us. We usually dont stop to think about it ourselves because we just accept it the way its been for a long time. And since its been accepted for a long time, most of us never even question it.
Every person has his/her own points of view on wrong and right. If everyone had the same point of view, we would be living in a perfect world. As you said, the rules that society dictates tend to accepted as right and wrong by individuals.
nice post
thanks for share
Melanie, thanks for the comment.
You have a very good point: society has "dictated" the rules that is accepted as being the sole reasons for figuring out whether or not something is wrong or right, and it is something that is usually thought as being something that must be done.
Do you notice some things from your daily or regular life that may revolve around that, including other people doing that?
Zerona, thanks for the comment too. In your view, if everyone had the same point of view when it came to different things, would people tend to think similarly and choose things that are "eight" for everyone? Can "right" be completely absolute?
Deni, thanks.
What do you think of what Melanie & Zerona said above?
very person has his/her own points of view on wrong and right. If everyone had the same point of view, we would be living in a perfect world.. thanks
.-= mirc´s last blog ..Hamile Kalýnca Ýþini Kaybetti =-.
The term 'normal' is a very disputable nature. People have different understanding and evaluating things. The normal flow of life affect many things such as financial situation, society, culture ..
.-= Dana´s last blog ..Yuor Best Bet for Earning Your Degree =-.
Normalcy, or what economists call "equilibrium" is not only undefinable, it doesn't actually exist–at least not in a pure sense.
To be normal is to work within the confines of certain social orders; however, normal exists on a inherently disequilibriated continuum.
In effort to avoid becoming tautological, I won't stoop to saying "normalcy is everything that is abnormal"… instead, I will use the economist's view of equilibrium as "normalcy" and proceed hence forth.
Equilibrium is a theoretical framework for so-called economic "normalcy" that can only be achieved by the exogenous influence of academics and mathematicians (that's supposed to be funny). Indeed, the whole idea of bringing a complex system such as human life (human existence) to the infinite realm of an artistic inquiry and into a normative analysis of "normalcy" is, at first glance, thought provoking. However, in the end, this method of inquiry is wholly without meaning. What "should" be normal doesn't really lend itself to argument because it simply relies on a value-judgment of taste.
Economists build models to simplify their explanations of real systems; however, experience dictates that those models will never resemble human experience because they move too close to the wanton realm of what it means to be in a state sans flux–that is, to be conventionally "normal." A model of normal doesn't actually represent normal… it represents a stripped down version of the antithetical "normal."
So, I strive to approach a definition that seeks to depart from the cliche, "chaos is order." To be normal is to be labeled as such by an unwise adjudicator. And thus the impetus falls unto the individual to determine their level of normalcy.
A wise individual will see that, in a system as complex as life, the achievement of normalcy is without meaning… for to be normal in any system one has to fully understand the breadth of that system; otherwise, we are simply speaking in models.
Rather stoically, I accept that to fully understand normality of life is in itself a defeated agenda.
If it is merely a model of normalcy one seeks I beg them to consider with approbation the idea that the models of morality, justice, and freedom approach an ideal of normalcy for which beings should strive. Without such intangible models I doubt one will ever find a sound argument within the normative approach.
Therefore, it is my argument that to be normal is to work within the confines of certain systems (morality, justice, freedom)–judging full while that these systems are inseparable from each other and from the society in which we most desire as "normal."
.-= mason_anton´s last blog ..A Recommendation to the Wise =-.
So, I strive to approach a definition that seeks to depart from the cliche, “chaos is order.” To be normal is to be labeled as such by an unwise adjudicator. And thus the impetus falls unto the individual to determine their level of normalcy.
good post. Thank you…
There are certain rules of etiquette and behavior. But there are no clear rules how to dress or make funny and not ordinary behavior. Everyone is an extraordinary, creative, emotional personality. We want to stand out as something to show their emotions. Because of this, so we dressed and doing spontaneous things. For us it is normal, but for others it is a wonder.
All people are different. Tastes all different, so judge clearly impossible. For one it is normal for no other. Who then is like, who is interesting.
People are divided into classes. Each class has its preferences and ideals. In connection with this uniquely judge what is normal and what is not impossible.
All of us at heart creative individuals. We tend to express themselves and it is not always understand the other. And there’s nothing wrong funny and selfless acts.
I agree with your all opinions given by you in your post.Thanks for discussing about.Waiting for your next post like this.
Good article it's including helpful informations.
They meet strange things begin to happen in the normal is not normal.
Perhaps I’m with you do not agree, everyone is different and not similar to each other. We want to stand out from the crowd and be different (bright, interesting and attractive).
I think people wanted to do within a certain framework. Life becomes more enjoyable and fun. I got my baby walker çekinmiştim picture.