Normality - What Is It?

[Pifflestick]

I few days ago I was called a freak, and I found myself asking what is normal? What qualifies you as "normal" or "average"? What makes people so sure I'm a freak, and what is the standard I'm not making? Who says that I'm not the normal one? Dictionary.com discribes normal as,

Quote:

conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.

But what is the common type? The usual? And when do we go from "normal" to the so-called "abnormal"? Give me your opinion.  

[MegaTherion777]

normality is relative. by conforming to the common type it means you're being a sheep and doing what the majority of people do and not thinking or acting for yourself. being normal is bad.  

[27x]

Hahahah. this one is easy!

In this world, we live as humans, and have a need to interact with other humans. We make friends. We have stong emmotions for these friends, and feel bound to them. Often times they ask us to do something and we do it without thinking. Since we think so much of these friends, we are also afraid of there ill judgement of us. We don't want to be laughed at or rebuked. We try to live up to there standards. This is peer pressure. In this world almost everyone gives into it. We give into it trying to make other people like us, yet those same people are trying to get us to like them. The world is too stubborn to listen to reason and stop this play acting. We often times give in to this peer pressure so much, that we think those are our real choices. Especially with the gender steriotypes.

At a young age men are taught they are strong and have a need to fight. Men are taught that they should like sports, fighting, vulgar jokes, and such. Men are taught that they dominate the world, and should dominate wemon as well.

Wemon at a young age are taught that it is harder to be a woman. They are taught how to to controll men, and ate told never to give into a mans wants. they are taught that men are sexist pigs and should be treated as such. they are also taught that they are made out of sugar and spice and everything nice, and should like such things. they are taught to use purses, and to want the best cloths, and the cutest jacket. They are taught to talk with there friends all day, despice fighting, and excess physical activity. They are taught to be silent and obedient.

I hate the way society trains one gender to dominate, and the other to be ruled. I think men should be equal to wemon, and wemon to men. I also don't like femenism. femenism not only tries to empower wemon, but to opress men, which is just as bad.  

[aaaaafkp]

Normal is the adherence to social stereotypes.
Normal is the absence, or restraint of pretentious behavior.
We're all pretty normal, whether you want to accept it or not.

Biological repetition of the human figure is another factor of normal.
Normal is a human who falls into those predefined 8 stages of human life.  

[Mallorys Wedgie Friend]

Well, it would depend exactly on what they were specifically adressing about you by calling you a freak. Biologically speaking, less you have a third foot or a finger growing from your nose, I would imagine that you do fit into the defintion of a "normal" human being.

However, if it was more specifically to something like the way you dress, a thought you were communicating, etc., well, then reference some of the above responses.

Unless of course you want to get Aristotlean (sp?) about this.  

[Fredrick-Fuzzball]

There is no such thing as normal.  

[tenchi_no_kashaku]

I think regular is the best way to describe the word "normal." I have also had the same thought. It has alot to do with where one is and conformism. There are different customs in different regions. This is the main source of where abnormality comes from but, is the outskirts of conformism. So if one looks different, as in standing out from the accepted. And because of the source of ignorance that is stereotyping, it makes someone a sort of outcast of society leading to many problems. And because of these "outcasts" it forms a sub-society that has virus-like properties inside the majority society. And these sub-societies have enough potential to, because of its evolving and flexible nature, override the main society. But it rarely does due to a feeling created that makes the sub-society feel trapped or obsolete. When they do recognize their potential(s) then they usually take the form of riots that are short lived because the main society notices that this is not preferable to them. It is actually very detrimental to the main part. And thus, over time, forms anarchy and dooms a society because of their self-destructive nature. And if people take enought time to observe, they will be able to recognize these sub-societies. It's your decision to do what you will.  

[27x]

Fredrick-Fuzzball

There is no such thing as normal.

I hate it when you guys post absoloute truths. We all start out like that. In the beginning I too said everything I said was wrong, and I had to prove to everyone else her that I was wright. eather really loose or really tight up and serious. It is bad to say absoloute truths, because that deneys everyone else their opinion. this is a place to learn not a place to teach. We all learn from eachother, and now I will prove your statement wrong with a paradox( as I allways do with all absoloute truths on any post thread subcetion, or quote)

If there is no such thing is normal. That means you yourself are not normal, however, most people who come on this form post the same thing, that there is no such thing as normal, however if that is so common, then that is the normal thing to say, thus making you normal. Yet if non existence of normality is normal, that means the non existence can't exist.

Hahah. I love paradoxes. I've loved them ever since I was 11.

I am not saying that you are wrong. I am just saying philosophy is a concept of discussable topics, and when you say something is an absoloute truth, with a solid simple statement, then it closes up the discussion.  

[Pifflestick]

I_27_04

Fredrick-Fuzzball

There is no such thing as normal.

I hate it when you guys post absoloute truths. We all start out like that. In the beginning I too said everything I said was wrong, and I had to prove to everyone else her that I was wright. eather really loose or really tight up and serious. It is bad to say absoloute truths, because that deneys everyone else their opinion. this is a place to learn not a place to teach. We all learn from eachother, and now I will prove your statement wrong with a paradox( as I allways do with all absoloute truths on any post thread subcetion, or quote)

If there is no such thing is normal. That means you yourself are not normal, however, most people who come on this form post the same thing, that there is no such thing as normal, however if that is so common, then that is the normal thing to say, thus making you normal. Yet if non existence of normality is normal, that means the non existence can't exist.

Hahah. I love paradoxes. I've loved them ever since I was 11.

I am not saying that you are wrong. I am just saying philosophy is a concept of discussable topics, and when you say something is an absoloute truth, with a solid simple statement, then it closes up the discussion.

Say whaaaaaaat?  

[27x]

Pifflestick

I_27_04

Fredrick-Fuzzball

There is no such thing as normal.

I hate it when you guys post absoloute truths. We all start out like that. In the beginning I too said everything I said was wrong, and I had to prove to everyone else her that I was wright. eather really loose or really tight up and serious. It is bad to say absoloute truths, because that deneys everyone else their opinion. this is a place to learn not a place to teach. We all learn from eachother, and now I will prove your statement wrong with a paradox( as I allways do with all absoloute truths on any post thread subcetion, or quote)

If there is no such thing is normal. That means you yourself are not normal, however, most people who come on this form post the same thing, that there is no such thing as normal, however if that is so common, then that is the normal thing to say, thus making you normal. Yet if non existence of normality is normal, that means the non existence can't exist.

Hahah. I love paradoxes. I've loved them ever since I was 11.

I am not saying that you are wrong. I am just saying philosophy is a concept of discussable topics, and when you say something is an absoloute truth, with a solid simple statement, then it closes up the discussion.

Say whaaaaaaat?

What can I say, Paradoxes, in my opinion, are one of the greatest boons to a philosopher, but can also be the worst enemy.  

[AbrAbraxas]

Pifflestick

I few days ago I was called a freak, and I found myself asking what is normal? What qualifies you as "normal" or "average"? What makes people so sure I'm a freak, and what is the standard I'm not making? Who says that I'm not the normal one? Dictionary.com discribes normal as,

Quote:

conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.

But what is the common type? The usual? And when do we go from "normal" to the so-called "abnormal"? Give me your opinion.

normal is a funny thing, it is a matter of option and relation. you may be normal among your family but abnormal in school, you havent changed but the people have different standards. it might be one persons opinion or the convention of a group. i have long been proud to be called a freak, not that i think i am a freak but because i like to be reassured that others know that i am not like them. in my studies i have found a term which i believe best describes my status in relation to normality, that is post-conventional. my thoughts and actions are not determined by an adherence to or rejection of the conventional world view, i use reason and intuition as opposed to agreement to determine myself.  

[Neptunian_nymph]

Paracket

Normal is the adherence to social stereotypes.
Normal is the absence, or restraint of pretentious behavior.
We're all pretty normal, whether you want to accept it or not.

Biological repetition of the human figure is another factor of normal.
Normal is a human who falls into those predefined 8 stages of human life.

I agree with you. And I also think that the normality is defined by each culture's social stereotypes and habits.  

[H20edDownAzn]

My philosophy:

Everybody has zones of comfort. Graphically, you can view yourself as the center of two concentric circles dividing out three regions. Inside the first zone can be found your friends and your habits. Everything about this first zone one can enjoy and sympathize with. The next zone is a little further out and represents your tolerance zone. This zone represents acquaintances and things that you don't have strong feelings either way about. The final outer zone is a zone of distress. You feel very uncomfortable with the things that fall into this zone. People that you hate or cannot understand fall into this zone. Now to bring normality into this. While everyone has these zones, each person's has zones of differing size and that incorporate different things. So what does this mean? Well people say that normality is based on stereotypes and societal views. I say that normality isn't really normal, in fact it is highly individual. "Normal" is anything that falls into the inner circle and, to a lesser extent, the middle circle of tolerance. The reason that it seems to be societal is because people tend to identify with other people that fall into their inner circle. The concept of "United States citizen" falls within my inner circle, so I tend to identify with other US citizens. However, I think that it is perfectly normal to like rock music, while my brother thinks that rap music is highly preferable. I think that he's crazy because he falls out of my zone of comfort, but because he's my brother we both find the seating arrangement around the dinner table normal. So, while you may have been called a freak, all that means is that you fell outside his definition of "normal." The key thing is that it is his definition of normal and his alone. Go forth and be happy!  

[Amenubis]

Normality has a tendency to evolve, in whatever form or another. Generally, when in reference to human behavior, the self, etc, it is determined by that persons ability to accurately simulate both societical truths, and scientific truths. For instance, you didn't have a choice on what a "chair" was to be named, your only decision was whether or not to accept the chair and it's uses as such. It is also true to say "what was normal 20 years ago, is no longer normal". It's somewhat pointless to try and "unlearn" your normality, because to get this point of communication with others, you had to learn proper english to even imply your predicament, which i'd say is fairly normal to me.  

[Ketsuyin]

Take heart, nothing good ever came from being a normal person. If someone calls me odd, or a freak, I take it as a complement.