Young Writers Society

Since this is so often an argument people use when science has defeated them or perhaps use it first, but what is normal, how would you define it?

I know no one is normal by any stretch of logic, normal would have us being clones of each other, but everyone has something to offer in some way or another, and so many cultures, religions, and countries how do you define normal in a planet that so different in each and every area of this planet.

So what do people define as normal and explain how you came to this conclusion.

Wow...normal is what the majority people believe is normal.

(I don't think I should actually post this...I seem to jinx all the debates I post something on )

Normal doesn't exist. Everybody is strange, unique, different. What people call 'normal' is the manner in which we present ourselves to people we don't know well enough, so that we don't seem strange and so that they will never see underneath our mask to our true selves.

TIGERSPRITE

Yes, everyone is different and no one can truly be normal. That's actually a little difficult for me to picture :/
Though, when I think of normal, I think of a field. Everything within that field is normal, but once you set out, do something weird or out of the ordinary, it becomes abnormal.
I don't know, normal is...typical.

This thread is in danger of becoming an infinite loop.

"What normal?"
"Typical."
"What's typical?"
"Mass accepted opinion, but we're all unique."
"Say's who?"
"Me."
"Then what's perception?"
"Individual view?"
"So what's culture?"

Carry on though.

MeanMrMustard wrote:This thread is in danger of becoming an infinite loop.

"What normal?"
"Typical."
"What's typical?"
"Mass accepted opinion, but we're all unique."
"Say's who?"
"Me."
"Then what's perception?"
"Individual view?"
"So what's culture?"

Carry on though.

How about you give your opinion MrMustard, I always enjoy reading ya thoughts, and I targeted you a few others mainly with this debate.

Everything is normal. Everybody is special. As someone once said, "You're walking your own, special path... just like everyone else." Uncertainty is the only certainty. There's 'normal' on a more direct dimension (Like accepted and traditional) and then there's normal on a higher plane. In other words... maths. Normal is whatever is the Mode, in my opinion. The most common factor. And the most common factor, is being uncommon. That's why people are more scared of clones than aliens

I would argue that no one is actually normal due to the arguments posted above.

"Normality" is a state that a person perceive when they are in a group that they have similarities. This could be in interest, culture, religion, country and so on. Though each person is different, they perceive themselves normal and everyone else based on a list: biological, psychological (how they think/state of mind), cultural and interest. i would use biological as an example.

Biological
This is an obvious argument. In this first list, normal is reason from physical attributes. person A lives in a city where armless is seen to anyone. person A is armless. therefore, person A sees a connection to the people. Now is person B comes and has arms, he will be considered abnormal since he doesn't fit with the norm.

From this example, I would conclude that "normality" is correlation to the society. A person thinks he is normal with other when he shares a number of similarities from the rest. Each person is different. there is no argument but despite this, normality exist due to the similarities that person A sees with the rest of society particularly the physical shapes of their bodies.

A few more replies and then I'll rock the boat in this thread, I like where it's going. C'mon folks, this is good discussion!

i would agree. It would be better is someone would refute my arguments on normality. That way, it would be like philosophy debates.

I hate debates. But lately, a lot of people have asked me what I think 'Normal' is.

'Normal' is emotion, anger, sadness, happiness, love, hate, confusion.
'Normal' is wanting to be different, wanting to stand out, wanting to be unique.
'Normal' is wanting to move forward, even if you are being held back.
'Normal' is messing up and being slightly embarrassed, but still laughing.
'Normal' is living everyday.
'Normal' is not a specific sexuality, skin color, religion, weight, gender, even hair color.

'Normal' is all the different kinds it takes to make a world.

What is normal? Normal is strange. 'Normal' is just what is typical within your own perception and comfort zones. What is normal to me is likely way different than what is normal to a majority of the people on this planet.

But personally, what seems normal to me? I actually don't have a feeling of norm, considering how strange things or people around me can be, and how everything changes on a whim.

it's easier to define abnoral and then normal.
- Failure to Function Adequately
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- Deviation from social norms

Anything that doesn't fit into these catergories could be thought of as normal. In theory anyway. =]

Okay so lets look at the definitions-

Normal-
–adjective
1.conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural.
2.serving to establish a standard.
3.Psychology .
a.approximately average in any psychological trait, as intelligence, personality, or emotional adjustment.
b.free from any mental disorder; sane.
4.Biology, Medicine/Medical .
a.free from any infection or other form of disease or malformation, or from experimental therapy or manipulation.
b.of natural occurrence.
5.Mathematics .
a.being at right angles, as a line; perpendicular.
b.of the nature of or pertaining to a mathematical normal.
c.(of an orthogonal system of real functions) defined so that the integral of the square of the absolute value of any function is 1.
d.(of a topological space) having the property that corresponding to every pair of disjoint closed sets are two disjoint open sets, each containing one of the closed sets.
e.(of a subgroup) having the property that the same set of elements results when all the elements of the subgroup are operated on consistently on the left and consistently on the right by any element of the group; invariant.
6.Chemistry .
a.(of a solution) containing one equivalent weight of the constituent in question in one liter of solution.
b.pertaining to an aliphatic hydrocarbon having a straight unbranched carbon chain, each carbon atom of which is joined to no more than two other carbon atoms.
c.of or pertaining to a neutral salt in which any replaceable hydroxyl groups or hydrogen atoms have been replaced by other groups or atoms, as sodium sulfate, Na 2 SO 4 .
–noun
7.the average or mean: Production may fall below normal.
8.the standard or type.
9.Mathematics .
a.a perpendicular line or plane, especially one perpendicular to a tangent line of a curve, or a tangent plane of a surface, at the point of contact.
b.the portion of this perpendicular line included between its point of contact with the curve and the x- axis.

and then there is,

Abnormal-
–adjective
1.not normal, average, typical, or usual; deviating from a standard: abnormal powers of concentration; an abnormal amount of snow; abnormal behavior.
2.extremely or excessively large: abnormal profit.

So what do you think about these definitions?

Normal is an oxymoron people use to justify their actions. People will complain that they are the only normal person in a place, so it is obviously not determined by surroundings. Normal is a tool for justifying being angry at someone who has, or is in the process of, changing the world. Normal is a comfortable routine in which nothing is changed. Normal is a nirvana of perfect beauty that doesn't exist. Normal has caused a lot of pain.

You still haven't posted your opinion, MrMustard. Do so...or else...