We all think we are normal people and we judge who is different from us. In fact, every individual is unique and that is what makes us rich.
Last update: December 14, 2021
Normality and rarity are two very subjective concepts to the point that we are all normal on the basis of personal analysis.
We have heard or made statements like “why can't I find a normal partner?”, “Don't look for friends on the internet, there are just weird people there” or “she's a very weird person, don't talk to her”. But what are we referring to by these terms?
Probably, for each of us the meaning is different; so, we don't have the power to judge who normal people are and who aren't.
One of the greatest concerns of the human being is adapting to society. This is because our species needs interconnectedness to survive and develop.
Being criticized, rejected or isolated can cause serious damage to self-esteem; on the other hand, forcing oneself to adhere to imposed patterns is a sure way to unhappiness. So why do we go out of our way to label people? Why do we try to be equal to others when each of us is a complex and unique universe?
Who are normal people?
If we stick to semantics, what conforms to the norm is defined as normal; that is, the one that satisfies the most common characteristics without exceeding or lacking.
In light of this, we consider normal people to be those who adapt to what is socially accepted in the vital moment in which they find themselves.
Practically from birth we are evaluated on the basis of this presumed normality. If a child takes longer to start walking or to say his or her first words, the environment is critical and the parents worry.
But even when a child is more curious and intelligent than the average, he is the object of criticism and looks. Hopefully it is said that it is different or special. As we grow, the judgments and standards continue.
We need to be good at school, have an active social life, maintain a relationship, find a good job, get married, have children… And all this when society sees fit. The price of failing to follow one of these steps? Being considered weird and being asked constantly.
The danger of seeking normality
In an effort to meet these rigid standards, we strive every day to adapt. The shy person strives to be sociable, those who hate his job do not leave it, empty and harmful relationships continue for years. If we stop to analyze the situation, we will notice that the pressure is stronger than we imagine.
The problem is that this normality does not seek our happiness or our well-being, does not want us to grow and develop as individuals, but rather to adapt. It does not take free and different, like the lines on a mural, but homogeneous and bound, like the bricks of a wall.
The need to satisfy these external demands can make us sick physically and emotionally. Anxiety disorders, depression, fears, frustration, dissatisfaction, but also pain, discomfort, psychosomatic illnesses.
Those who leave the norm undergo rejection and those who conform to it undergo the restriction. Is this really what we want for ourselves and for others?
We are all normal ... If we accept our quirks
The solution to this exhausting, painful and unjust situation is in our hands and involves openness to diversity. Stop framing and categorizing to understand that we are all different and that precisely these differences enrich society.
Introverts bring depth, extroverts bring joy. There are practical individuals and other dreamers, there are those who love to listen and there are those who are excellent communicators.
Our dream could be to start a family, while another person wants to travel the world, it's all valid.
When we stop judging others, we also allow ourselves the freedom to be. We discover that perhaps our goals are not what others have set for us, that we are very different from how we pose for approval.
We are all normal
We are all normal until proven otherwise, until we discover the ocean of peculiarities that inhabit us.
No one person is alike, and this is our power. We embrace our quirks and admire those that surround us. Finally, we are all magically unique beings who struggle in vain to appear normal.
