Normality

What is normality? It is defined as "conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural." So what is the standard? How do you define the "standard of life"?

I chat up with a friend of mine recently. Found out that she doesn't want to lead a normal life, or rather, doesn't want to conform to the normality of society. What is the normality of society? She defines it as getting a qualification, having a job, getting married, bearing kids, watching them grow up, developing wrinkles and lastly, dying out. All these are normal to her.

I have a good friend who told me the exact same things few moons back. He doesn't want to follow the normality of the society. He questioned, "Why do we have to conform to the normal life? Why can't we go out, be wild and be who you are?" That is why he makes frequent trips overseas to a certain place to drink, smoke, party, have fun. His frequent trips used to be once a month. It "upgraded" to about twice a month. It even "escalated" to him faking medical certificates to just get away to his "paradise".

What I am saying here, is not condemning their actions or mentalities. What I am trying to question here, is "What is normality?" If normality means following what the others are doing, then probably they are better off walking on their hands. I agree with what my two friends have said about having fun, being yourself and letting yourself loose.

But we humans are social animals. We live in a society. We have families and friends. We are ultimately responsible to our family and friends. You are not alone. We are all interconnected. What you do now is going to be something that will come back to haunt you in the future. You have to be responsible for your own actions.

So it sets back the scene on "normality". Are they really out of the "cage of normality"? Or are we judging them based on the "normality" of the society? It is becoming like a "chicken or egg first" question.

I shall leave it as it is. Perhaps the stress of university life is putting a toil on me and I feel the need to just pull myself out from the tons of assignment. Perhaps, just back into the comfort of the "normality" of life...

The above article is written by the author with no particular person in target, unless your name is stated. Written in the context of an Asian mind.