The Duplicity of Normal

The norm is not synonymous with “good”.

Too many people are under the illusion that it is, or anything other than that is bad. That is, when referring to societal expectations, of course.

When referring to bodily functions, for instance, you need them all to be normal. You want your organs and other bodily systems to be functioning normally. In this case, it means doing what its supposed to. Healthy.

When people speak of normal in societal expectations, they are under an illusion that it also automatically means “good”, not open to assessment. Just because something has grown to be THE NORM doesn’t make it “good”. And what is considered to be normal changes with the times.

Normal is a problem when people preach it as a limitation. Often times individuals are told to do something or not do something (or behave or feel certain ways) based solely on the normalcy of it all. Again, with the belief that it automatically means the RIGHT way (or only way).

People who have only one reason for telling someone not to do something, “it’s not normal”, are just admitting that they’re sheep. Sheep follow. They like the comfort of doing things the way other people are doing it and indeed despite what people say about “shackles” these chains are fuzzy and the sheep like its cushioning. The numbers of people doing something would be their validation that they’re correct or “functioning properly” (like an organ, perhaps).

That way, they don’t have to think, or assess. And who wants to take a stand against social pressures?

That’s hard work.

Normal is easy.

Which is why it takes some courageous individuals to persist in the Sisyphean task of opening eyes to the duplicity of normal.

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first post on medium in 2019!. “Hello World” is published by tommy chheng.