[Vivienne]

Following on from a brief discussion in the General Section, I have decided to put this question out into cyber space?

What is "normal" with regards to people? Surely there is no such thing as "normal".... We all have our different personalities, quirks, eccentricities, etc. Why are eccentricities always frowned upon in Society? Lucina, e.g. in "The Apprentice" is viewed as "not quite with us", doesn't really get respect from other Team Members, yet is a good person and a good Manager.

What do you think?

[Yudster]

I don't think the word "normal" should really be applied to subjective things, to personality traits or perceived differences. Probably it should only be applied to what's measurable - for instance "normal" ranges of results for medical tests, or "normal" ranges of performance for machinery - stuff like that.

As far as the rest of it's concerned - everyone is barking, except me.

[Console]

I don't bark, just sort of growl occasionally.

[Vivienne]

Yet "normal" (or otherwise) is often annoyingly applied to people. I wouldn't say I operate within a narrow scale, yet I don't think I can be considered abnormal. I always tell people, "I have a head full of thoughts".

[Vivienne]

I don't bark, just sort of growl occasionally.

You make tiny little bot noises, which can only be heard by other eccentrics.

[Yudster]

Yet "normal" (or otherwise) is often annoyingly applied to people.

It is, but when it's applied to aspects of a person which are not measurable or empirically definable, it's meaningless.

[Boboff]

Doesn't the Normal Distribution give you the answer Viv? As I remember it's something like 37.5% plus or minus the average or mean is considered normal. So in a population of 100 behaviors or reactions or personality if you could arrange then in a scale then the lowest 12.5% and the highest 12.5% would be considered not to be normal.

So if you consider we are all different, but what defines us are our actions, then to be considered normal you're actions should be typical up to a variance of 37.5% from the expected action or behavior.

Viv's ability to spot irony or when someone is winding her up is abnormal, on the minus side, Yuddy's is exemplary but then it would also not be considered normal to be so brilliant. I am normal in this regard, dare I even say it, average. Again Console could not be considered normal, but then he is not normal on the positive side of things like intelligence, ability in computers, memory, time spent moderating, still Viv they do say that opposites attract !

[DevilsDuck]

Boboff speaks sense(and by sense i mean...."what")!

the sexual chemistry between Viv and Console is so abnormal its normal!

i can almost hear the pitter patter of tiny consoliennes!

[Vivienne]

The thing is, BBoff.... first of all I can't follow the maths.... And I would say Console & I are, in many ways, not opposites. Console is in awe of my brain, and I am in awe of his. In many ways, we may have dramatically different views, i.e. towards religion, etc., but somehow manage to meet in the middle.

I'm still not so sure about your figures, BBoff, because Society creates the figures, and doesn't seem to allow for eccentricities/creativity. The only people I would consider abnormal are evil criminals.

[teddi-da-pirate]

wow my first post and normal is just a word specified on something some one else see's as something that to them is either diffrnet or is them normal is a term used to control something (level's, temprature ectt...) but no no-ones normal were all strange one way or another it's just like some one saying their perfect thier not somethings wrong with them or there's a something along the lines but no one's normal im not your not were all strange in a wonderfull magical way :p lol so you just gota put up with it

[Vivienne]

Welcome, teddi.. See, this is the point I was really trying to get at. Basically, Society is trying to control us, by telling us what is normal.

[Console]

it's just like some one saying their perfect thier not somethings wrong with them or there's a something along the lines but no one's normal im not your not were all strange in a wonderfull magical way

Pfft, speak for yourself, some of us are perfect (yes, Viv, I'm being facetious again).

[Vivienne]

Yes, I know that. But you do have an over-confident opinion of yourself sometimes though.

[DevilsDuck]

i dont think their is such a thing as over-confident

their is un-confident, confident and *!

i would class console as confident!

[Vivienne]

Yep, you can be over-confident. I was like this once at an interview, and I didn't get the job.

[Yudster]

wow my first post and normal is just a word specified on something some one else see's as something that to them is either diffrnet or is them normal is a term used to control something (level's, temprature ectt...) but no no-ones normal were all strange one way or another it's just like some one saying their perfect thier not somethings wrong with them or there's a something along the lines but no one's normal im not your not were all strange in a wonderfull magical way :p lol so you just gota put up with it

Hi teddi - one of the "normal" things we do on here is to punctuate. Could you put yourself somewhere within the normal range for that please?! Ta!

[Console]

Basically, Society is trying to control us, by telling us what is normal.

But we are that society - society is just a representation of the overall will and feelings of all of us, it is the way it is because that is what people want, or at least believe they should want.

Yes, I know that. But you do have an over-confident opinion of yourself sometimes though.

Is it over-confidence when you're actually right? Either way, it's better than being under-confident.

Yep, you can be over-confident. I was like this once at an interview, and I didn't get the job.

Did they say it was because you were over-confident? I ask because I could think of some alternate reasons.

[Vivienne]

Sorry, are you suggesting I am not employable? If so, this is quite nasty. I actually left before the interview ended, so confident was I that I had the job in the bag. I didn't.

Society is made up of the dominant people who tell us what and how we should be thinking. I always question this.

Regarding, under-confident: nope, I think a little nervousness and humility can be a good thing.

[MK Chris]

I actually left before the interview ended

I feel this could be a reasonably large contributary factor to you not getting the job(!)

[Console]

Sorry, are you suggesting I am not employable?

No, I thought you were employed for starters.

I actually left before the interview ended, so confident was I that I had the job in the bag. I didn't.

You left before the interview ended? I imagine that was why you didn't get the job, as opposed to appearing over-confident.

Regarding, under-confident: nope, I think a little nervousness and humility can be a good thing.

In what situations would nervousness be a good thing?

[Vivienne]

It was, Topher, I feel. I was at Uni. job interview, I'd worked previously in a uni., so was so confident I was the right candidate, I literally out-did myself.

[Yudster]

I actually left before the interview ended, so confident was I that I had the job in the bag. I didn't.

You might have left the interview before it was over because you felt confident - but no-one is going to employ someone who does that, whatever their level of confidence. It's both rude and stupid. I can't believe you would be daft enough to think otherwise!

[DevilsDuck]

Sorry, are you suggesting I am not employable? If so, this is quite nasty. I actually left before the interview ended, so confident was I that I had the job in the bag.

I can just see it now

"....and finally Viv, what qualities do you think you could bring to the role and our company"......*Viv walks out*

"thats on the maybe pile then"

[Vivienne]

It's when you said you could think of reasons why people would not employ me, that made me cross.

Nervousness is a good thing before interviews: then a person becomes keen to perform well (a bit of adrenaline flowing).

[Vivienne]

The above is a reply to Console...