What is normality?
I have been thinking lately about the difference between normality and abnormality and what is really benefitial for mankind. We hear very often that people have living a normal life as their dream. Have a peaceful life, relax, friends, cool job, spiritual values maybe but after all something normal. In a way, living a normal life has become something positive, something a normal human should strive for. Are we capable of defining it? When brooding about what is so appealing about normality I found out that it has to do a lot with norm and consquently with the menagerie concept I drafted some time ago. If we want to be normal, we strive to conform certain norm, something given to use, some concept of scheme that we fulfill in order to assimilate to a certain norm. from this point of view, any norm is detrimental to use and there is no reason to fulfill it. nevertheless, the cons and disadvantages notwithstanding we also gain certain benefits from it. the greatest one is conformity into social group. this might be a dyad or a largercommunity but at all times the social benefit is very strong. in group there is strength. only strong personalities are capable of remaining alone and not feeling lonely. this is also a kind of norm that is not accepted-to feel lonely and yet this state of mind is rising exponentially as the social media makes us more and more connected and virtually nearer to each other. paradoxically, the easier it is to get in touch with someone, the more we feel that we miss the real touch of someone. Furthermore, we are forced to think that real touch, physical contact is not necessary. We build relationships through virtual feelings because words never convey what paraverbal features do. What is the way out of this predicament? In the first place, stop thinking about norm as something normal-benefitial for you. Then stop to think about what is normality which I would like to reach and whether I really want to focus on some kind of norm. The problem with the norm is that it is basically a nicer word for menagerie. it is something that keeps us subdued in a certain paradigm of thinking that we are given from above. The powers that be need to keep us subdued and the tool to this is to understand us and satisfy our needs-bread and circuses. TO keep the needs as easily attanied as possible then need to make the as similar as possible-here we see that norm is what is sought and why-it keeps us similar. THe norm(ality) of today is to go to work, earn money, spend money and then again. The focus on the basic needs and nothing more is very intensive. They need us to exist as tools not as creative beings. I do not suggest Marxist ideas of revolution or cultural revolution but rather a slow but steady discussion and focus on individual needs and normality of each individual personality- this may sound paradoxical but even in individuality we may found normality where we can feel save and content. it is necessary that the normality is not imposed on us by someone else, the normality must be something that comes from the inside, not outside. on the other hand, from the outside may come the impetus that can direct us and steer us into what we did not know our normality could be. in other words it is necessary to be opened to other, to let them inspire us but not let ourselves be influenced by anyone and anything. a dialectical dialogue leads is what we should seek- inspiration without influence.
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Používam Rychlý zápisník