Define normal ( Archived) (77)

bungalow

Whatever passes for "normal" or is 'defined' as "normal" by the general populations of the planet, I say, Deliver us from normal!! Why be normal when you can be happy is certainly much better than worrying about why one can be happy when one can be "normal"...seriously.

Hey Dee! Sorry, but I just HAD to wade in, on THIS one!

There IS NO SUCH THING, as "normal", when applied to human behavior. (Maybe not to/for ANYTHING!) "Normal", for a person's behavior, is whatever is TYPICAL - for THEM! But, since NO two humans are the same, there IS no "one size fits all".

You might as well ask why John likes Italian opera. Or why Sue rides her bike to the park every Sunday. Because it satisfies SOMETHING in THEIR "soul". And, because every "soul" is different, the things that satisfy them are different. Sure, training, tradition, cultural heritage are influences, and affect/effect a person's "normal"ity. But the choices that each person makes, and the consequences of those choices, also influence what's "normal" for them.

And, since every person's experiences are different, the longer they live (the MORE experiences they have), the more, or less, divergence from the "norm" you're liable to encounter, because the person's personality is going tpo cause them to either conform to, or rebel from, all that "conditioning" that they've received.

The problem comes in because people tend to THINK that EVERYBODY ELSE "sees" the world in the same way THEY do. And, therefore, SHOULD react in the same way THEY do. But they don't! And they don't!

"Normal" is a comparative word. (Watch me get into an argument with "rizlared" again!) By which I mean, that it AUTOMATICALLY contrast two things, "normal" against "abnormal". NEITHER word has any "meaning" outside of our conceptions of what is "typical". It PRESUPPOSES a certain act/behavior, and "compares/contrast" an action to THAT PREconceived act/behavior. The more it emulates that PREconceived behavior, the more "normal" it is. The less, the less. But the word "normal" is ENTIRELY DEPENDENT on each individual's PERSONAL concept of "proper" behavior.

So, for ALL practical purposes, "normal" is a word WITHOUT a definition!

Oh! I might add THIS comment. "I" consider being told I'm "normal" to be the WORST POSSIBLE compliment anyone can give me. In fact, "I" consider it an INSULT!

Love ya all

No, BUT . . .

"Normal" people CAN be GREAT! In SMALL doses. But, to MAINTAIN my "interest" over long periods of successive time, "I" find that quirky/weird/ABnormal people are MUCH MORE "intriguing/interesting". And, in MY experience, those TRULY "creative" and "adventurous" people TEND to think OUTSIDE the "box"! Which means, almost BY DEFINITION, that they're NOT "normal"!

No offense, friend! But you sound VERY "vanilla"! NOT that that's a BAD thing! Vanilla can be GREAT! As long as it's NOT the only flavor on the menu!

I WOULD say that ONLY in Bulgaria would somebody think that somebody would be thinking of strangling them! But, as often as that type of thing is occurring AROUND THE WORLD, these days, I'm NOT sure that would be true! But maybe it's only because our communication abilities are much greater, these days.

I have to agree that somebody marrying because they thought doing so would solve all their problems IS/WOULD BE "stupid". But/and I'm SURE it happens every day.

But I find it SOMEWHAT "curious" to hear you say you DON'T believe in marriage (on THIS thread), but say that you HAVE a steady/man (on another). I DISAGREE that "marriage" is a WRITTEN CONTRACT! Marriage is a "State of commitment/exclusivity" between two people!

But I APPLAUD you're "sass(iness)", and willingness to speak your mind/walk your own path, Dee!