Definition Paper: Normal

Normal

What is normal? In my opinion, there is no definite answer to this question. Normal is a word that is relative to time and space. Normal is, and always will be, in a constant state of change, today's normal is not the same as twenty years ago, and it will be different ten years from now.

However when you consider the way this word came about, you may be surprised. Normal comes from the Latin word normalis, which refers to a carpenter's right angle. When you think of a right angle, it is always constant. The word normal is also derived from the Latin norma, which means a pattern. This is the definition to consider when trying to reach an understanding what normal means.

What normal is has been a constant debate for many years, but when trying to define normal most people try to give very specific answers, and that just will not work. What is normal is always changing and will not be the same one year from the next, not even one month to the next. To understand normal fully we have to understand the way our society looks at it's self. Normal is not any one thing, but a combination of several things. To understand the word normal fully we need to break it into five parts, Fashion, Beliefs, Laws, entertainment, and time.

In the times we live in, people strive to define them selves by modeling their actions, clothing choices, and appearance after celebrities. They have become the "stencils" for our society. Every where you look, the influence of these people can be seen. However is this what "normal" is? It is part of it, but it would be more accurately defined as fashion, or what is currently in style.

The belief systems in place show us how we should act, what is ethical, what taboo is and what every day life is like. Now while not every one adheres by these rules, the general population does. However, this varies in different pars of the world, and in different cultures. Therefore, this is also what normal is, but not entirely.

Laws are a big part of the word normal. The current laws of a time determine how we can act, and what kind of punishment will ensue if we do not adhere to these laws. Every one must follow these, unlike beliefs, and if they do not, there will be consequences.

Now you may be asking your self how entertainment ties in with all of these categories. Entertainment is a big part of any culture, what you