What is normal?

28 Comments

I'm a pretty new user on IIN. I've loved reading all the posts and comments and have made comments myself. But I'm starting to wonder if my definition of "normal" is the same as how it's being used on this site. My definition is that normal means "the usual" (thinking over 50% of the people, time or whatever) given whatever situation is in the post.

How do you define "normal" when posting or commenting?? Thanks.

The majority - over 50% 11
Alot - say 25-49% 2
Some - say 10-24% 2
I've heard of or experienced it, so it must be normal 2
It's happened at least once in the history of humankind 1
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Comments ( 28 )
  • JD777
    8 years ago

    I thought the same thing when I came here. To me normal is more like the usual and typical. But lots of commenters use a broader definition, like normal is because enough people would think its ok, even though its not common.

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  • Redcoats
    8 years ago

    Normal is bound by what is socially acceptable at the time.

    Normal is and will be forever changing.

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    • [Old Memory]
      8 years ago

      Like wearing women's underwear?

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      • dirtybirdy
        8 years ago

        I've got this old hot air balloon laying around, it should be enough fabric if you'd like me to make you a pair of bloomers. Ruffles and all.

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        • [Old Memory]
          8 years ago

          That'd be smashing! I've always fancied myself needin a nice pair a bloomers.

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          • dirtybirdy
            8 years ago

            Excellent. Now I'm just going to whip this out so I can take your measurements.

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  • Aries
    8 years ago

    I think normal here is what is acceptable by most or the majority . I don't always use this logic when deeming if something is normal or not but I believe this to be the general consensus .

    maybe someone else could elaborate better on this or agree .

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      8 years ago

      Well, here's Google's definition when used as an adjective:

      conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.
      "it's quite normal for puppies to bolt their food"
      synonyms: usual, standard, ordinary, customary, conventional, habitual, accustomed, expected, wonted; typical, stock, common, everyday, regular, routine, established, set, fixed, traditional, time-honored
      "they issue books in the normal way"
      ordinary, average, typical, run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-road, common, conventional, mainstream, unremarkable, unexceptional, garden-variety, a dime a dozen
      "a normal couple"
      antonyms: unusual

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  • howaminotmyself
    8 years ago

    My definition changes with context. I do not have a formula for it. There are things and ideas that are normal for me, but not normal for people on this site, but perfectly normal for people I see face to face on a regular basis.

    And then there are things I think are normal based on my percieved view of society, which may not match yours. And the reality may or may not be truth.

    And normal and common are not synonymous. This site is a perfect example. (Incest anyone?) And it bugs me at how innacurate the term is when it comes to health concerns. Just because one symptom is normal for an illness, does not mean the illness itself is normal.

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  • VirgilManly
    8 years ago

    Whatever the voices tell me.

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  • theseeker
    8 years ago

    Normal is hard to define, but to me it's what the common perception is in our society.

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  • dirtybirdy
    8 years ago

    Nermal is Garfields friend.

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    • RoseIsabella
      8 years ago

      I love that little guy!

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      • dirtybirdy
        8 years ago

        Yay! Let's go get some lasagna!

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        • RoseIsabella
          8 years ago

          YaY! Mmm... lasagna!
          :-)

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  • VinnyB
    8 years ago

    If you just go by the majority, it will take you to absurd conclusions. Christianity is the world's largest religion, so are you not normal if you are not Christian? Are you abnormal because you have cancer because the majority do not? Is it abnormal to be a man because 51% of the population are women? If a majority of people masterbate are you abnormal because you choose not to? I could go on and on.

    No, I use more of a psychiatric view of the term, which has more to do with what is healthy, not dangerous or harmful to yourself or others, and makes one happy.

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    • VinnyB
      8 years ago

      I also did not vote in this poll because none of the options fit my view, even though, based on my observations, many users take a similar view to mine. My view, and the view of some others, is not based on a mathematical percentage, and the last two options are absurd because things like the rape and murder of children could fit those descriptions. I would recommend you offer an option for "other" in the future. You can not get good poll results if you don't have an option a large group of voters can identify with.

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      • Anonymous Post Author
        8 years ago

        Whoa, lighten up VinnyB. I did the best I could, and I was hoping for more comments than votes, anyway. That way I could get an idea of the context people were thinking in. And the last choice was what's called trying to be humorous, not trying to confuse or irritate people.

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        • VinnyB
          8 years ago

          I assure you I am completely light and not at all irritated. What I offered you was constructive criticism to help you create better polls in the future, which if you are looking for comments an "other" option encourages. It is unfortunate you were unable to take it as such.

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  • Holzman_67
    8 years ago

    I think its any idea, perspective or course of action commonly shared.

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  • victorygin
    8 years ago

    If everyone voted by what they think the majority does, the percentage wouldn't represent the people that actually do the thing in the question. So 100% of people might vote that something isn't normal, even though 20% of them do that thing.
    So sometimes I vote yes based on personal experience - what's normal for me - even though I know it doesn't apply to the majority, so it's not actually normal.

    And sometimes I vote yes, even if it's not normal for me, just because I want to reassure the person that it's not completely abnormal either.
    It depends on the question.

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  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    The voting features on this site are useless, but the comments are what matters.

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  • modernism
    8 years ago

    Normal is what is customary, but when answering IIN questions, I usually take into consideration with is healthy and vice versa.

    For example, if someone has a fetish with sniffing headphones (completely random lol), then I'd say it's not normal, but it's not exactly harmful either.

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  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    I honestly think almost anything can be viewed as normal to the individual themselves. F.e: I let my dog lick my you know what is that normal? Just because someone else doesn't do it doesn't mean it isn't normal. You do it so it's normal for you. Whatever it may be odd but you enjoy so yea do it. The only time I don't think behavior is normal is when someone is harming their selves or someone else is being harmed, things of that nature. Any individuals actions can be deemed "normal"

    It is society that feels the need to say if it is normal or not.

    I probably just really butchered what I was trying to say. :)

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  • Freedom_
    8 years ago

    I'm too old to vote.

    Occasionally I'll vote normal if I feel the oddity needs a little extra validation, or not normal if the concerns need to be invalidated. We are in charge. We have the power and freedom to decide what should be normal in this world, and what should not. Mwuahahahaha!

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  • zsdworknman
    8 years ago

    Normal is different for each persons perspective I think you are mixing up normal and average .

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    • Aries
      8 years ago

      I would agree although I think possibly there are two forms of normal because there is the normal we all have for ourselves and then the normal which is a general understanding within society . I know what you are saying but for normal solely to be what our perspective is might not be agreed with by many since a pedophile thinks it's normal to have sex with 7 year olds and just because they think it's normal for them , doesn't make it normal . I suppose it's a tricky definition .

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  • [Old Memory]
    8 years ago

    I would say that something that happens atleast 25% of the time is on the normal mark.

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