Thursday 4 September 2008

Social norms

Social norms: normal according to the society - that is what I infer the meaning to be.

The question is who decides what is normal?
Is it the society which decides normality?
Is the society normal to decide normality?
Isn’t an abnormal person a part of the society too?
Does an abnormal person in a society decide what is normal?
Won’t an abnormal person deduce his actions to be normal?

Conclusion being:
The society which includes many abnormal people decide what is normal according to them and term it as social norms, resulting in social norms being not so normal after all.

Not too long ago, at a party where everybody was having fun, somebody seemed very perturbed. Myself being a very concerned and sympathetic (in short, nosy) soul decided to get to the bottom of whatever it was that was bothering somebody.
I followed somebody’s line of sight and, behold, there lay the cause of somebody’s aloofness – a mass of two bodies, one distinctly female and the other male, the proximity… umm… let’s just say one couldn’t make out where the female ended or where the male began, they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying each other’s closer than close proximity.
I asked somebody what was it about the mass of two bodies that was truly bothering him. He replies, it is not within the social norms to act so. I ask would it be within the social norms if you were the male body in the mass of two bodies. He replies with a rather surprising question – ‘who would the female be?’
Social norms – it is just sour grapes, almost always.

Long ago, at another party (parties are very enlightening) my aunt told me good girls never drink too much. I ask her why. She replies, it is not within the social norms to do so. I wonder for a long time and ask - how much is too much. She tells me to go play with the other kids as is suitable for my age and stop disturbing her with unnecessary, childish questions - basically, she told me to fuck off. I know for sure my question was not childish because I am 21 years old now, not a child anymore and I still don’t know how much is too much - according to social norms.
Social norms – it is fictional, almost always.

So, next time anybody tells you to act like an adult would within social norms, tell them to fuck off – because basically they are delusional, frustrated idiots.

5 comments:

The Genesis of Oblivion said...

Hey!!..ya i agree on most of the things u hav written..but ther are two sides of a coin!!..well..killing a person, or havin sex in a public place..is against d social norms..but its dese social norms tht differentiate us from beasts!!...anyways awesome post i liked d way u told tht story!!..the party story!!..and also the split personality thing!! ;)

Another Blogger said...

i think humans are the worst beasts of all. no other animal kills their own species for recreation. and yes, we do that.. so i think 'beasts' should set social norms.. not hypocrites - humans!

and the split personality is a secret dearie.. don't blurt it out in public!

Anonymous said...

Why do you give a damn!!! to the society???????????

All that matters is winning, then you will see people begging on your feet......

Look at our great Mr. Sallu (Salman Khan) he keeps winning nonetheless and what happened to his fan club; still the same!!!!

One more funny example down south is Mr. Rajinikanth, no matter what happens, he doesn't get perturbed.

Just be yourself, whatever is comfortable to you, you can decide it yourself, if you feel comfortable with yourself, the world is prone to be comfortable with you...

As far as the example that you have cited here, it doesn't even seem to have any social norms, those that you have mentioned may be called social etiquettes....

Saran Soman said...

just dont think im the sorta person to comment among such opinionated ppl.

Social norms – it is just sour grapes, almost always.

just wanted to say:
complete agreement!

Another Blogger said...

hey new faces here.. n boy! am i glad!!
sathish yadav: well i dun think too highly of mr. salman khan.. but as long as he doesn give a damn i guess it doesn't matter.
as for social etiquettes - i think social etiquettes is what forms the social norms.
keyzer soze: guess u fall into the 'non opinionated' group of ppl. anyway, im honoured by your complete agreement to my opinion and wouldn't mind if u expressed ur disagreement too.

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