Being normal depends on several social and cultural aspects: what may be normal for one may not be normal for the other.
What is normal? What is abnormal? Does normal really exist? This is the topic addressed in my article “Normal is related to an individual perception according to personality”.
When we say that a person is normal, we mean that he has characteristics such as appearance and behavior that are equal to the standard of the majority of the population. This makes this individual socially acceptable and common. “Normal” people act according to the standard of normality: they do not attract attention to their clothes, they have a popular musical taste and their characteristics make them common and similar to others with whom they live on a daily basis.
If being “normal” is to resemble the majority, then the minority who dress differently, behave differently and listen to unpopular music are considered “abnormal”. This connotation of abnormal is due to the fact that for the majority, considered strangers are those who do not behave like others.
Before the emergence of the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), this subject was discussed but there was no consensus among scholars. When Freud appears, he defines that “normal” was nothing more than a fiction: there is no absolute normality, the definition of “normal” is nothing more than a reflection of the ego of the one who dictates normality.
Being normal depends on several social and cultural aspects. What may be normal for one may not be normal for another. In western countries, for example, it is considered normal to eat beef. While in eastern countries such as India, the animal is considered sacred, so it is worshiped instead of serving as food. Many of our habits and conceptions are derived from the society in which we live, so Freud considers normality a myth.
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While some consider those with different opinions and behaviors as crazy, for them, their behavior is normal, as these individuals live their reality. Several scientists considered quite intelligent, such as Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Oliver Heaviside and even the creator of Apple, Steve Jobs, were often labeled crazy due to their eccentric habits.
Several geniuses in history were seen as crazy and abnormal before proving their theories due to their rare personality - and precisely these characteristics allowed them to perform brilliant feats. Therefore, a majority that considers itself “normal” can abnormalize those who, in turn, are just different.
