Tim's blog

There is no such thing as being in general normal for any person. Everybody is different but the same. We all have many things in common but each of us had an unique life. Growing up and living for years provides, within the complexity of our world, to each of us an own distinguishable path.
But people think in roles and groups. It is common to put your fellow humans in boxes. Stereotypes are continuously served by the media.
Especially here in Japan, in a high context society, that kind of thinking is deep in the peoples mind. It is amazing how many people think of being just normal. After some years, I start being nasty when hearing such a claim. I respond in my mind often with thinking: “You mix up the words normal and boring“. That is certainly not fair but I can not help it. Anyway, back to the main subject…
The concept of normal is still very interesting. It feels to me like that this concept is so strong that the majority of people put themselves in these boxes. The one kind of group are saying sorry for not being normal and the other mean with claiming of being normal to be good somehow.
I know what I write here serves these stereotypes and to some extend what I write here is untrue. However, like in most e.g. jokes a piece of truth is, the common stereotype thinking does exist.
What does it mean, if such behaviour exists? It as almost a religious character. People mix they relationship with a 90 to 10 proportion of the same and the opposite “group“. It is kind of chic to have 1 or two exceptions as friends and these connections are well maintained. The spiritual harmony is in order if the mix is right. People feel comfortable of knowing their place and seeing the other kind as interesting but without envy. It is entertaining in life if the opposite group exist within the own direct environment.
Does it help people to just not being too much bored? Whatever the cause is, it seems to work. Harmony on a minimum level. However, not true harmony in my opinion. The “normal people” carry the idea of being normal in their hearts and that is also functional to excuse of being boring without interests and own development.
… somehow it fits to have the masses of people going to (just) work for the greater part of their own life.