When I was a kid, (no really, it did happen) my step-dad was always trying to get me to be like a normal person. It was his idea that I should follow traditional habits and patterns. Have I mentioned that he and I never really got along? He was constantly punishing me for failing to fit within his intended mold.
It has never been my way to walk in the footsteps of others. I would rather blaze my own trail for like minded individuals to follow if they wish or simply to show others that they can find their own way like I did.
Normal people work 9-5 jobs he would say. In my mind I would reply, but normal people are unhappy. He would also say normal people go to college and get a degree so that they can make more money. To that my internal voice would say, normal people are dead broke living paycheck to paycheck.
We get the idea of being abnormal as bad from peer pressure. Parents, teachers, neighbors, friends, siblings, everyone makes us feel like the only way we are good enough to be part of anything is if we are normal.
Literally what is normal is simply the average of all people together, once the super highs and super lows are discarded. If society was filled to the brim with wealthy, sane people living, happy productive lives, then being normal would be totally awesome.
95% of the population in America lives just a little above the poverty level. 2/3 of the population are unhappy, including many illnesses and diseases brought on by stress. The average person does not have enough free time and spends much of the time that they do have worried over the things they either do not have the time for or can not do due to financial stresses. Still want to be normal?
What is normal is what is average. So, if you are normal, you are plain jane and vanilla. You stand out in no way at all. Mediocrity is the epitome of normal. Being normal is taking the path of least resistance and at the end of that road is the least amount of rewards.
Who is not normal? Anyone earning in the top five percent. Movie stars and successful musicians. Best-selling authors. Professional athletes. People that earn awards and recognition. Anyone at all who is in any way rich or famous.
If you find that you are a normal person, you have bought into the lie that being normal is the way to acceptance. The people that find the greatest acceptance within our society are those aforementioned celebrities. It is quite often in point of fact that the things that make us not like other people are the things that make us great.
Choosing to be normal is like choosing the death sentence to any future creativity and accomplishments you may have otherwise had. You can be normal if you want to. But I'm gonna look for a better way
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