Normal; Is there such a thing?

Discussion in 'Debate Corner' started by Monica Reybrandte, Jan 19, 2010.

  1. . : tale_wind Ice to see you!

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    Nope! :D

    There is such a thing as average, though, but it's not the same thing as "normal".

    . : tale_wind
     
  2. The Twin My, what a strange duet

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    I think my uncle said it best: "Normal is weird and boring."
     
  3. Scarred Nobody Where is the justice?

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    I don't think that their is a real kind of normal. There is a normal that is portrayed throught he pop culture, meaning that you are suppse to look a certain way, watch and listen to certain things, and believe in certain things. We confuse with what's normal to with what's popular. I don't really care though what people think of me if I have "crazy" tastes or not. I decided to just ignore all the judgements of others because they are not who I am trying to impress. In about twenty years, the fads are going to be comepletely different and those same people who were "normal" will be worse off than those they judge to be "strange".
     
  4. Umiyuri Papaeyra Gummi Ship Junkie

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    Yes, there is a 'normal'. For example, you know how people tend to answer 'no, there isn't a normal! just be yourself!' when asked this question? That's called a normal response, guys. You're not expected to answer in any other way.

    There is a 'normal' in terms of 'this is what a normal person thinks' and 'this is how a normal person looks like' and 'this is how a normal person acts'. If you do something outside of those categories, it becomes notable.

    And do you know what a 'normal person' looks like?

    White human male, medium height, mesomorph body type, not disabled mentally or physically (he moves and acts 'normally'), straight.

    And anything else needs to be pointed out.
     
  5. Princess Luna Supreme Co-Ruler of Equestria

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    So...basically if a said person is not a white straight male, then the said person is no longer normal?
     
  6. P Banned

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    Actually, the norm should be female. There are more women than men.
     
  7. Kaidron Blaze Kingdom Keeper

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    Normal, is there such a thing? NO! Simple done question answered lol
     
  8. Cherry Berry Chaser

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    There is no basis on the defintion of "normal" in terms of the social society, no matter what people may say. We all have our own interests, our own opinions and our own personality. Its just that the media chooses to stereotype a certain bunch of people and call that bunch the norm, in hope that many other people will fall in line to their theories.
    The definition of normal can be questioned on cases such as that with the population, but may be different with other cases such as health and safety.
     
  9. Saxima [screams geometrically]

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    "Normal", I believe, doesn't truly exist because everyone, every group, every clique, every person has their "normal". There are certain things or certain actions that one group may deem normal that another doesn't. "Normal" is basically just a matter of opinion.
     
  10. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

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    I do believe that it exists in an objective sense, in particular with emotional states among a populace. If you take a group of people at any scale and quantify them based on basic personality types, you can determine, to varying degrees, what kind of people are normal in that group. If you did this in a remote area, you would be able to predict to some degree what kind of people will come out of each generation there, based on both the hereditary and environmental factors that surround the group. When you have quite a few of these templates laid out, it becomes somewhat easy to predict what a person will be like based on where they come from and who their parents were, among other things. I would consider this kind of analysis the finding of normals. Exceptions to this, things that do not match with the data set, would be abnormal. Exceptions to the formula. But, that is just my way of looking at things, so sorry if it makes little sense or something else like that. I find it interesting to think about, at least.
     
  11. Bushy "Don't think. Imagine!"

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    Personally, I think...
    Who can explain normal? who can define it? who has the right to say what is normal and what isn't?
    It's different for everyone, really...
    Personally I think if people were normal, it'd be boring.
    I'm a self proclaimed weirdo and proud of it!
    *evil weird laugh*
     
  12. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

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    Doing that is very normal. Consider that almost everyone in the thread has said the same thing. If everyone is abnormal, then no one is.
     
  13. Saxima [screams geometrically]

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    Exactly. "Everyone is special in their own way."
    "That's just another way of saying no one is."

    These two phrases hold quite true to their meaning. When there's something different about everyone, is there truly ever any abnormalities amongst humans? Of course, this is all but a matter of a opinion. There are several different levels of this "normal", hundreds, maybe even millions, and no one can ever say that one of them is the real deal.
     
  14. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

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    Quite right... But I would usually argue that the level that comes as a surprise to most of you would be abnormal. The collective group may alienate one member aside from all other sub-groups as one group in itself. This is the abnormal that I speak of (as used in my post from earlier). I personally would have some kind of ridiculous ratio if there were more than one in a larger group to scale it out, with the percentage getting lower as the total number of people got higher. Less than one percept at any scale or the like. Naturally occurring data, and things like that. It works out well for my case, anyway.

    When I posted my original post opinion on Facebook, I was told that I might want to look into Sociology as a subject. Meh...
     
  15. Bubble Master Califa Hollow Bastion Committee

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    I'm normal and y'all weirdo freaks ;)

    Normal is a load of tosh and the quirkier you are, the damn better because if you're like that because it's you and you don't do what others do for the sake of it then all the bloody power to you my wo/man.
     
  16. Doukuro Chaser

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    I was about to say something along these lines. Yay psychology.

    Personally I dislike it when people say 'everyone's different,' but then give other weird looks for doing something they find odd. But that's one thing and it's entirely another thing to bash someone about their different ways. So the pharse 'everyone's different' is in fact true, also, I don't believe there will ever be a set level of 'normal.' If there was, then, well perhaps the world would be more peaceful. But it would also be very boring. Strange how that works...

    And gotta agree with Bubble Master. If you're brave enough to step out of the 'norm' and just be yourself then you're doing something better then the 'normies.' Then again, if your thing is what is considered to be normal where ever you are, but you do it only because you want to and not because everyone else is doing it then that's good too.
     
  17. Mr. Pumpkin Hollow Bastion Committee

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    If you do not have a sense of normalcy, then what do you rely upon? Your own abjectivity? If we choose to be ourselves, to exclude others, the word anarchist comes to mind. Yes, we are all different, but there will always be "the average" and "the common", the so called guidelines of our society. You may think and act differently from the guidelines (which is alright), but you can't go complaining that you're not "odd", because in a sense, you are. To the main society, the larger group that is.

    Also, people who want and do to be different , do NOT think that what they do is normal. They know that what they do is different from what is acceptable in the society, which is by the way also the reason they do it. So even for the people who tend to be different, there will always be a standard that is defined as "normal".
     
  18. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

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    Please... Refrain from using the word anarchist that way. Or, rather, redefine the term, and correct people who make it come to mind like that. Anarchism is a philosophy of life. If you do not take up it for ethical reasons, then it does not apply to you... The same could be said of people who claim to be Christian or Catholic but do not adhere to that set of morals, and so on. They just want to make a name and label for themselves, and it means nothing.
     
  19. Mr. Pumpkin Hollow Bastion Committee

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    It depends on the definition of anarchist you use, I guess. I'd say if you don't support authority in general and only listen to your own opinion, you are an anarchist. You can just feel that way in your day-to-day life, or you can try to do something about it, and that would make you an activist, too. Either way you're an anarchist, imo.
     
  20. Makaze Some kind of mercenary

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    Incorrect, even in the most basic usage of the term. Anarchism is a political philosophy, as monarchism is. Without the philosophy, it does not exist. The vast majority of people who are against authority are only against the authority of others. They usually want power themselves. A wish for control will invariably cause a disrespect for those who have it now, and such a person might band together with anarchists in order to satisfy themselves, but by no means does it imply that one holds anarchist principals at heart. This is anathema to the anarchist principle... Which I have gone over thoroughly elsewhere, though you were not there.