It seems as a society we are striving towards “regularity”, “homeostasis”, predictability, and normality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are these virtues that we truly desire for ourselves; or are they beneath us? <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
To be normal (norma)<\/a> literally means to fit within a box (a carpenter’s box to measure wood). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore to be normal is to conform to whatever society dictates is the box. And to NOT fit inside the box is seen as bad. And like the Procustean<\/a> Bed: if we don’t fit into the box, our limbs are chopped off in order for us to fit within the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example society wants our children to “pay attention” in class (“normal” behavior) and if they cannot, they prescribe them medication to “focus” and concentrate like Ritalin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If our blood cholesterol levels aren’t “normal”, doctors prescribe us harmful statins (which are insanely dangerous to our health) which are used to lower our blood cholesterol to be within a “normal” range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This focus on “normalcy” is patently bad if the goal of society is to create remarkable, unique, and great individuals. The notion of normalcy is anti-innovation and anti-exceptionalism. Like Nietzsche might have said, normalcy is the virtue of the herd<\/strong> (if you aren’t normal, you’re seen as dangerous and a threat to the herd).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus the question is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Would you prefer to be a sheep and part of the “sheeple” (sheep people), or would you rather be the eagle (who preys on the delicious sheep)?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nWho is more important: the individual or the box?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n