It
is common for people to point out differences among
others; whether it is done consciously or subconsciously, we all do it. Our
minds are molded to believe that normalcy equals sanity and anyone who deviates
from what we are used to should be avoided, laughed at, looked down on, and put
on display. Usually the abnormal features
that we notice are physical, something that the person can’t control. Our
society is in some way survival of the most normal because in order to be
successful and achieve a high social status, you must think, look, and behave
in a professional and civilized manner. For example, if two people are applying
for a teaching position and one has an eyebrow piercing and one does not, it is
likely that the candidate without the piercing will be selected. The constant
pressure to be normal and ideology that if you stray from the path, you are
‘weird’ and there is something wrong with you, has been apparent in our society
for a long time. There are even websites, like http://isitnormal.com
to confirm that your actions and behaviors are indeed common and ‘normal’. Who
is to decide if your behaviors are normal or not? Shouldn’t you be the arbiter
of that? Don’t we each have a different guideline to what we feel is normal and
what isn’t? Why do people in our society have the authority to make decisions based on how normal a person is?
I defiantly agree that being normal is something that so many people are striving for. The good thing that come out of this though are the people who go against the grain. People who make people feel that it's okay to not be normal or to fit a certain mold. Some good examples are Lady Gaga, Andy Warhol and Joan Jett.
ReplyDeleteI liked this discussion post very much.
ReplyDeleteI think normalcy is hard to explain in a few words because what I view as "normal," may not be the same definition to President Obama, Drew Carey, or Trent Edwards. What I'm saying is, we all have our own version of what normalcy means and how we view normalcy in comparison to other people.
I liked the example of the teaching candidates. I see that first hand here on campus. For example, if I passed two people with their tongues, ears, and nose pierced, I would view them differently than a person with no piercings.
I say no one should say who is normal or who is not because, we all have our opinions and views about how society should be run. I even remember an episode of Spongebob that featured Spongebob trying to be normal, or at least normal in Squidward's eyes. Squidward learned that everyone is unique and you should NOT changed a person, just to fit your pleasure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vU5Mm-jXeQ a clip from the episode