Topic

Normal?Weird?

Hey everyone I had a thought today, well I've had it many times before but today I wanted to share it with all of you and get your opinions.

*This is a debate topic but keep it friendly and remember that these are all opinions.

Okay so I was wondering what everyone considered "Normal" and "Weird" to be besides in or out of the ordinary what do those two words mean to you? Personally whenever I hear the word "Normal" I think of something to be plain,bland, and boring but when I hear the word "Weird" I think of new, exciting, fun things.

I've often found that when calling a person or a thing "weird" it is construed as a bad thing and that being "weird" is something that one should be ashamed of (often people get very defensive). Yet when people are called "normal" they tend to feel relieved to be part of the majority of what they view as "normal".

That brings me to my second question, what do you consider to be "weird" and "normal" and does your views on weird change when talking about a person or an object; also does it depend on the type of person or object you are talking about?

Thanks for your input and time!

Posted 50 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • What a weird thread!
    Posted 50 days ago by Pickle Juice Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't think I am a proper judge of normal or weird.  Mmmkay.
    Posted 50 days ago by Thursday Soleil Subscriber! | Permalink
  • A cat grooming itself is normal.

    A cat dragging it's butt on the floor is weird.
    Posted 50 days ago by Variety Subscriber! | Permalink
  • You should get some pretty interesting responses. Much of what people consider "normal" and "weird" is based off of cultural norms and beliefs. As this is an international game...there should be many different norms. I'm looking forward to the responses you'll get :D
    Posted 50 days ago by Aley Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Aley I'm excited too, I've thought of this question many times throughout my life and my opinion on norm has changed as I've aged I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about things like this. :)
    Posted 50 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Rini, my natural reactions to the two words are pretty much the same as yours, and my observations seem to match, too.

    But, here's a fun tidbit:  Weird used to mean specifically the revelation of something supernatural, or the revelation of truth through the supernatural.  And a story that was about such a thing was called "a weird."  So, I think it's the third book in the Elric saga is titled "The Weird of the White Wolf."

    This is my favorite definition of weird.
    Posted 50 days ago by Carl Projectorinski Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What wierdy normal thread. Best yet.
    Posted 50 days ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Weird is something that makes you pause and contemplate a bit longer than normal (can be a fraction of a second longer).
    Posted 50 days ago by TomC Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Carl Projectorinski How interesting I never knew the old meaning of the word weird, both the words seemed to have changed throughout the decades and come to mean different things. I am very curious as to what people in today's society think these words mean, or what they mean to them because I find it very troubling when I say casually in conversation "Oh your so weird!" that whomever I am talking to becomes very defensive and agitated with me even if they've known me for a long time.

    @Tibbi awh thanks this is just a little topic though, there used to be massive conversations about reasons things were put into the game, the biggest I recall was about the Dolls it went into a very deep conversation about psychology and different views on authors, theorists and a few other things!
    Posted 50 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This thread is too weird for general - belongs in off topic.
    Posted 50 days ago by WalruZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yes, normal is something which belongs in the general forum, weird is something that belongs in the off-topic forum (and there's been far too much of that in here lately).
    Posted 50 days ago by katlazam Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ah ha! but what can be thought of as "weird"? this topic can apply to any and all aspects of life, including this game; for instance one could say "Man the fact that you can milk butterflies is weird!" Or "Whoever thought of this game had to be one weird dude." Or "The people who play this game are weird!" Or "How weird is it that so many people play a game with little fighting?". I could go on but I digress, I am asking a general statement on people's views of the norm and the weird and what they consider each of them to be.
    Posted 50 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink
  • So... anyone have any more input on this?
    Posted 41 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Funny... My group of friends tends to have the opposite reactions to being called "normal" and "weird." We are a group of people who hang out mainly because we are all different from what could be considered "normal," so "haha, we're so weird" is a fairly "normal" thing to say. "You're the most normal one here," on the other hand, is not a welcome thing for one of us to hear. 
    ...Weird, huh?
    Posted 41 days ago by Fernstream Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The only thing normal is most people are weird.

    Myself included.
    Posted 41 days ago by Sturminator i` Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The average person thinks they're not normal.
    Posted 41 days ago by Janitch Subscriber! | Permalink
  • "I am asking a general statement on people's views of the norm and the weird and what they consider each of them to be"

    There is a difference between being considered "normal" and when something is considered the "norm". The norm refers to an expectation based upon social stereotyping and shouldn't be confused with the type of normal that is being spoken about here.

    Personally, I feel that both of the words could be considered a positive or a negative and I have been described as being both at some time or another without feeling insulted. I suppose it depends on the way the word is used, the context and the tone of voice of whoever is saying it. The phrase "You're weird!" said with a sneer and a look of disgust would make it seem like an insult. On the other hand, the phrase "You're weird!" said with a smile and a friendly nudge would seem to be complimentary.

    That is both the problem and the wonderful thing about the English language-- it is constantly changing and being added to all the time. Words like "cool", "bad" etc have been used to describe things negatively and positively and I think the same can be said about normal and weird.
    Posted 41 days ago by Talia True Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Not exactly sure where I got this from, but one of my favorite quotes is "The only weird people are the normal ones."
    Posted 41 days ago by Anne72688 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @fernstream - same.

    i've always ended up in more of the "weird" subcultures so for us, when we refer to others as "norms" it's not really a compliment.

    i also agree this belongs in off topic, BUT WHAT'S DONE IS DONE
    Posted 41 days ago by jerk nugget Subscriber! | Permalink
  • + 1 Talia.Well said.
    Posted 41 days ago by GreyGoose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Fernstream & jerk nugget, same here too. 

    Also +1 Talia.

    (no original input here, carry on....)
    Posted 41 days ago by Lettuce Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agree with TomC. "Weird", despite the best efforts of some grade school buttheads, never had an effect on me as an appellation--more of a compliment usually, given the source. Weird means "things that make you go 'hmmm'".
    Posted 41 days ago by Booknerd Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I've always been called "abnormally normal". As a result I don't mind being called weird but do at times mind being normal. It's almost like a joke in my house. I use the word weird to describe things that are off, funny, different, etc. It's not necessarily a "bad" thing, it's just that I noticed you were doing something out of the ordinary. I therefore would use that term in my definitions: Weird=something out of the ordinary; Normal=something associated with an every day routine, something expected.
    Posted 41 days ago by Holly Waterfall Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Talia
    I do agree that the context is generally key into the reaction of the words; but I have noticed on many occasions that even the context does not matter when the two words are used and that, generally, people tend to find being "weird" or "normal" either bad or good. Also I do agree that to a degree the words "norm" and "normal" are different in a sense of one being a more generally accepted idea or perspective and the other being more personalized; but who is to say that a socially accepted norm cannot be the same as the way a person acts or reacts and that if someone acts out of the "norm" then they are considered to be "weird". My reason for starting this post was to see the reactions on the two words, and norm is simply a shortened version of the word normal so I do have to say that hearing your views on such a word is quite intriguing.

    @Janitch It's interesting that you say that because if the majority of people think that they are not normal then does that mean the weird has become the new normal?

    @Booknerd "Weird means the things that make you go 'hmmm'" I love the idea that even something so simple as an thought can be considered weird just because you need to think about it; awesome input!

    @Fernstream very interesting! so it depends on the people you are with on whether or not being called weird or normal is an insult or a compliment
    Posted 40 days ago by Rini Subscriber! | Permalink