My Definition Of Normal

What is considered normal? Everyone today yearns to be considered normal, but what exactly are they striving for? Found in the dictionary, the definition of normal is: an adjective; usual; conforming to the usual standard, type, or custom. But, how can anything be considered normal if no two people are exactly the same? Norms form a society. They are the standards by which people live by. Growing up in Rhode Island, my experience has been with the American contemporary society. Our society has to put labels on everything and everyone in order to function. There are different norms for the way we look and act. Our society has set an extremely high standard of normality with appearance. People believe that the norm for appearance, speaking from a woman's point of view, in our society is being six feet tall, 115lbs. This is perceived through the media and the television. Because we see it on TV, we think that it must be the norm. Honestly, how many people really look like that? Also, there is a certain norm for the way we act. Acting randomly is not considered a norm of our society. Americans are supposed to fit in with their peers, having the normal life. Well, who ever said that everyone has to drink and like to party in order to be considered normal.

Even though I do not agree with the particular norms set in our society, I know that they are necessary for our society to function. Norms set goals for people to reach, but often times, these goals are unattainable. A reason I am against the idea of normality in our society is because people often fail at obtaining these norms. This failure leaves many people depressed and unsatisfied with their lives.

Through my personal experiences, normality had taken on a different meaning. To be normal is to be different. If no two people are exactly the same and every single human has a difference in them, then differences must be normal. I, like many others, believed that if I acted and looked like