How Not to Be Normal.

I felt this GG Allin drawing by Delaney Clark would fit well in this post.

Life wants you to be "normal". What the hell does that mean?

Life seems to be rushing past you at all times. People are nonstop flexing the good life on social media. Political arguments are normal, especially when the name calling begins. Billionaires are spending life changing money to build more audacious projects that will probably fail. This has become the normal way the world works. It's fast and you're falling behind.

While you're contending with this exterior hell and trying to catch up by building your name or legacy, there's an inner voice that yelling out "Why the fuck can't you be normal?" Yeah, I hate that voice too.

Shut that voice down a bit and ask yourself, "what does it mean to be normal?"

The definition of normal is "the conforming to a standard", as mentioned on the Merriam-Webster website.

Okay, so to whose standards are people supposed to conform to? What way should someone act, dress, feel, or smile in order to keep them from being ridiculed?

The answer is there is none. "Normal" is a silly social construct that was probably meant to keep people in tribes and from sticking out.

As much as it would be good to stick with our tribes, we have to brave the world and be ourselves.

Before you think about becoming normal, here are a few tips to consider before becoming a NPC (Non- Playable Character. Wow, what a shit reference to Wojak)for good.

Tip #1 - Normal is Boring. (Using Food as a Terrible Example)

A ham and cheese sandwich is normal. It fills your stomach, but it's normal. It's plain. Boring as freck.

Now, a taco de suadero or al pastor with pineapple with devilish salsa would be a better choice! It's interesting to a lot of people and it might freak them out. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, especially from the unknown! Pineapple with meat seems risky, unless you love "Canadian" pizza.

Tip #2 -Normal Equals Perfection Equals Nothing.

Life doesn't have to be perfect. Being normal makes you a perfect little student or worker. Perfection is subjective though, so your normalcy in school or at work looks out of place in different settings.

You can't be a cute schoolboy when you're out pounding beers with the guys or when you're out on a 10-mile run. You have to become either a degenerate or a workout-holic. Plus, running in checkered Vans hurt like a mother-effer.

Don't worry about making sense to the world at all times. GG Allin didn't care much for what others thought of his antics on stage... expect maybe the New York Police Department should have cared a little more since assaulting fans and destruction of public property via defecation is kind of a bad thing to do in venues.

You don't have to match GG's crazy, but you can be a little insane.

Be loose and nimble. Be witty and impulsive. Be a weirdo. Be cool.

"People Concern themselves with being normal, rather than natural." - Robert Anthony

Tip #3 - Your Tastes Set You Free from Normalcy

I hate using the world "perfect" to describe beautiful looking art pieces. I'm sure that the artist wasn't feeling normal when they were painting it. You can clearly see imperfections in their brush strokes and you can sense the obsession in the work. That's not normal or perfect. They probably were bullied for their love of the craft. I'm sure most normal artists aren't spending days painting on little sleep. The great ones work with little rest.

To many, perfection is a standard.

I love Francisco Goya and Bryan Charnley's paintings, but many people would consider a Goya to be moody (the Black Paintings are chilling) or a Charnley self-portrait to be grotesque and eerie (especially knowing that Charnley was a paranoid schizophrenic and displayed his dealings with the disorder on canvas). Fuck those people's views.

When you like what you like, you become less normal. The less normal you are, the better.

Tip #4 - Normal (Reading) Sucks A Bit.

I believe that reading isn't normal anymore. I'm talking about reading physical books for more than 45 minutes in a quiet room. Not many people do it, even if they claim to do so on the internet.

It shows when they get into arguments with trolls.

I fucking hate reading sometimes. As I've gotten older, the mere sight of my phone in my peripherals gets me excited to open it instead of focusing on the book in front of me. Even though I'm reading about what trauma does to the human body when left untouched, my brain wants to see the stupid shit that occurs on the internet instead. Using our phones for everything has become normal. I would rather get the gist of the book using one of those summary apps, read people's interpretation of the book on Goodreads, talk a selfie with it, and post about how much I read, instead of actually reading the god damn book. Because the internet is more stimulating.

I fight that feeling almost every time I pick up a book.

Reading physical books to find the answer to life's mysteries isn't normal. Try it sometime.

Tip #5 - Telling Normal to Piss Off (Gently)

You don't have to be normal. But you also don't have to be a smelly freak. There are some standards that one should uphold, including taking a shower. Like maybe checking up on a friend once in a while. Like don't hit someone's car and then proceed to flee the scene. Or try chewing your food with your mouth closed. In those cases, do the normal thing. Use the shampoo. Send a meme to that friend. Give the other person your parent's insurance card. Maybe don't chew like a freaking cow. For all other things, go nuts and tell normal to piss off.

Don’t Forget!

In closing, normal life isn't a real thing and before you choose to fit into a category, know that someone will judge you for your looks, beliefs, or music taste. What might see fine to you, will throw off others. Don't worry about always fitting in. You'll figure out how to do that in no time.

Thanks for reading.