The Requirements of Normality

From an early age children are instilled with the idea that "it's okay to be different", but is this a realistic thought? Is it really okay to stand out from a crowd and not change your own beliefs and thoughts in order to fit into the norm? On paper, the answer to these questions is of course, yes, it is okay, however this idealistic approach is often distorted when actually put into practice.

We all know that humans are natural born conformers, we can't help it - we copy each other's dress sense, ways of talking, attitudes, often without a second thought; but what happens if someone breaks away from the norm and does things their own way? Realistically? Judgement. Judgement happens. As humans we can't help it. We judge. We see things being done differently and our natural instincts tell us it's wrong, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do things because we fear the judgement of the people around us. This whole deranged philosophy is the reason many people change who they are in order to fit into the requirements of being "normal" and sacrifice being their own person (and usually their own happiness) in order to fit in.

Social norm tells us we should all be acting a certain way, doing certain things in order to prepare for a life of doing what we're told but my thought for today is, don't. Challenge yourself to do one thing every day that you really want to do, even if it goes against what is considered "normal" and if you do see someone doing something different, don't be so quick to judge. I can't promise these things will make you the most popular person but I can guarantee you will be a step towards being much happier in the long run, and that I can't stress enough. Nothing groundbreaking ever came from conforming to the norm. 

~ the only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence becomes an act of rebellion ~ Albert Camus 

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