What is Normal?

acidtuch10

acidtuch10

Registered
Question -

Myself and a Co-worker are having disscussion about what is the "norm" or even if there is a "normal". And if there is a normal, who desides what is and what isn't a norm and or normal?

h**p://dictionary.reference.com states

Normal

Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical: normal room temperature; one's normal weight; normal diplomatic relations.
Biology. Functioning or occurring in a natural way; lacking observable abnormalities or deficiencies.
Abbr. n or N Chemistry.
Designating a solution having one gram equivalent weight of solute per liter of solution.
Designating an aliphatic hydrocarbon having a straight and unbranched chain of carbon atoms.
Mathematics.
Being at right angles; perpendicular.
Perpendicular to the direction of a tangent line to a curve or a tangent plane to a surface.

Relating to or characterized by average intelligence or development.
Free from mental illness; sane.
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Am I to assume this is correct because I read it in a book or referance point ?

I know allot of people of this forum are from other cultures, ways of life, and other countries. So my question is - What is the "norm" or "normal". Myself I believe we all have ideas and ways of doing things that are apart of our culture, the way one was raised..etc therefor normal for me in non-existant because it's ever changing with the different people and cultures that I meet in my life.
 
Everyone has their own sense of what is normal. I think mine may be a bit more outrageous than some, but could be milder than others. It depends on the area/culture, just as you pointed out.

I can tell you that from the experience I have as an EMT, there is no such thing as normal...people do things that will blow you away. And, you'll never see it all. Just when you think you have, someone does something so outrageous that you can't help but be dumbfounded. But, to them that was normal...go figure.

Then, there's always the saying/idea:

Normal = me
Abnormal = everybody else
 
:)
Freaky, yet completely makes sense. I am normal. You are all insane.
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Sounds like my GF - She's right, all else is wrong ;-)

It's like saying "I have Control" when you have completly none.
 
Normal, I think, is behaving in ways that the vast majority of your culture or society also behave. In this vein, normal would be working at a job, shopping at a supermarket for groceries, raising kids and sending them to school, etc. There are always "weirdos," "freaks," "misfits," "rejects," and so on who would rather steal, hunt, or what have you. However, if you poll a lot of people and ask them about a certain behavior, and they give similar answers, then that could be considered "normal" behavior.

There's really no such thing as a normal person. Believe me. If you don't I will kill you by sending you telepathic hate messages.

And yes, I'm perfectly normal.
 
Originally posted by acidtuch10
:)

Sounds like my GF - She's right, all else is wrong ;-)
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Sounds like all women I know...er, at least all I've dated or been/am friends with. <G>
 
Yeah, I'm sitting on the wall right now. My computer monitor is attached to the ceiling. Androo's actually sitting on the ceiling.
 
"Normal" depends on the context. On the people you are surrounded by, the city and the country you are. In Halsted being gay is normal, in somewhere small cities in midwest it may not be considered such. There are hundreds of habits that are normal in one place and not in others; you can be normal and spit on the floor in China. I'm normal driving with no seatbelt and without the lights on during the day in Italy but I'm not 'normal' doing the same in US. Being normal by weight is a bit weird - is that supposed to be when you are on your set point, the weight your body gets if you eat normally .. I mean, healthily and enough but not too much or not too junk? Being healthy seems the norm according to the reference in the beginning - so are the diseases abnormalities?
 
What's the point with being normal ? Isn't it boring ? Life is diversity.
 
As the dictionary said, normality has to do with conforming: it is to be defined between people, something intersubjective, not an objective property that you can measure. That is just another way to say that there is no such thing as normality.
 
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