Saturday, April 11, 2009

Weird vs. Normal: Does the Problem Even Exist?

I'd like to call to your attention the difference between Weird and Normal:

There isn't one.

Yeah, yeah, I know you're thinking, "Um, yes, there is. Example: YOU are weird, and the rest of the world is normal."

Not quite true.

Think about it. What is the definition of weird? Something abnormal, right? Something or someone that goes against the trend or social patterns of the world today. And normal is what the majority does, says, and thinks, right?

Well, by those standards, weird and normal change every day, every year, on different continents, countries, and even just states.

Take the 60s for example. Think about the hippies. They were WEIRD. But not to everyone. Some people thought so, some didn't. But either way, they were not nearly as weird then as they would be now, right? Because after all, in the 60s, you at least saw them around. Nowadays, if you saw a hippie-looking person, you would think, "OMG, WHAT A WEIRD-O!" In the 60s, it was more just like "Oh, another weird-o."

But, were hippies weird among other hippies? No. . .

Take peace-signs, too. They originated during the Hippie Reign, and they were actually pretty cool. Little circle with lines through it, whatever. But it was cool. Then, as quick as it came, it was a thing of the past. It was weird again. In the early 2000s if you saw someone wearing a peace sign, you'd probably have though "Uh, hate to burst your bubble, but hippies went out like FORTY YEARS AGO." Now, peace signs are back. A bunch of people are wearing them. It's cool again--normal.

See, here's the thing: Normal and Weird are relative. Weird today, normal tomorrow. Normal today, weird tomorrow. And then normal again. Normal to you, weird to me. Weird to you, normal to me.

Ah, the beautiful of relativity. (Thanks, Einstein. Haha, just kidding.)

Normal doesn't necessarily go out with the times either. It goes out with the place, too.

Weird in the North (sweet tea) is normal in the South. Normal in the North (raspberry tea) is unheard of in the South. Weird in the USA, normal in China. Normal in the Middle East, GET-AWAY-FROM-ME-TERRORIST in the USA.

Weird and Normal are so passing and relative, that there's really no such thing. At all. You're version of weird is different from your neighbor's version, and your neighbor's version may be different from your mom's version.

Normal: the constant average of how people act, think, and speak.
There is no "constant" average of how people act, think and speak.
Therefore, there can't be such thing as a normal.

Or weird.

Weird is the outrageous way of being people don't normally be.
There isn't a way to "normally be"
So there can't be a way people DON'T normally be.

Confusing? Definitely. True? Probably.

Weird vs. Normal. Does the problem even exist? If someone seems weird to you, they may be bringin' in the new trend of twenty-ten. Saying "Omg!" and "lol!" seem normal to you?

In ten years, it'll be our equivalent of "Groovy!"

Think about THAT.

11 comments:

  1. Wow! those are some really deep, good thoughts that i never really thought of that way before :) it's a very cool way of looking at it. i kind of agree with you, from looking at it that way :)

    ~BM~

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  2. Ha ha ha, Kendra we have talked this over and over. Or at least you and Ellie have! :D


    Like it!

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  3. I agree with your arguments, but not with your conclusion... normal and weird are relative and constantly change, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. it just means that what's normal and what's weird is always changing

    about "the constant average of how people act, think, and speak": that kinda screws my point up. if that is the definition of normal, maybe the definition should be changed. maybe before it was like that, but now I believe the idea people have of normality is simply "the average of how people act, think, and speak"


    wow, that's confusing. now, in order not to go through this again and prevent my head from blowing up, I'll just post this comment without changing it. please tell me if you don't understand what I tried to say ^_^

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  4. Lol, I understand what you're saying perfectly!

    I like your definition, but mine could work, too. It depends on what you're trying to say. The lack of a good definition almost proves my point, though. Since normal and weird are changing so quickly, by the time someone becomes "normal", they're weird again. And what's weird here in the US might not be a strange in Portugal or something. It's virtually impossible to come up with something that's universally "normal".

    Let's say normal to Sally is weird to John, but weird to Jim is normal to John...after only that, my head starts to spin. Since people's ideas of "normal" are so different, it's not feasible to define "normal" at all. Because normal is what most people do. And because there are so many social classes, countries, cities, regions, etc., there is no "most people".

    On the other hand, it is definitely possible to have "weird" and "normal" within a certain group. All my friends and I might agree on some things as being "normal", so we can have our definition there, but once we mingle with other people, our definition is balogna again.

    I guess what I'm saying is there is no *universal* "normal" and "weird." Does that make sense?

    And since it's nearly impossible to come up with a good definition of normal (and therefore weird), there's almost no such thing.

    Now, it does sort of conclude from there that if you can't define something, it doesn't exist, but I'm not sure if I agree with that though, so hmm...

    Lol! I'm with you: this was a long comment, so I'm not going to edit. I'll just publish it and then you can tell me if I made no sense at all :)

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  5. it does make sense
    I guess the word "universal" settles it
    nothing to add and nothing to disagree from ^_^

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  6. I wonder who was the genius who helped you come up with THAT one *cough cough*

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  7. La verdad, esque no sé porque tengo tantas cosas en Inglés, pero me encanta el Inglés, aunque no soy buena en ello! ha ha ha
    Te entendí perfectamente tu ultimo mensaje que me pusiste en español. Espero que entiendas este (:
    Do you understand?
    Kisses

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  8. I think so...sort of...maybe...but I don't want to guess outloud in case I'm horribly wrong, LOL! :)

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  9. Oops, posted this on the green article. Anyway.

    I snerked at the terrorist comment. Cute. Also, the thing about the tea is so true, I speak as a northerner going to college in the south.

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