The concept of normality operated as a social guideline which defined unspoken norms for appearance and work performance and lifestyle choices. The concept has started to lose its power in contemporary society. People treat normality as an impossible standard which shows minimal resemblance to actual existing members of society.
The Post-Pandemic Shift
The world experienced a complete shutdown which functioned as a massive “reset” mechanism. People realized that they did not need to spend two hours on office commuting which constituted their daily “normal” work schedule. People started to question everything they had accepted as permanent and automatic.
Neurodiversity Awareness
We now understand that brains exhibit different patterns of wiring. ADHD and Autism should not be classified as “defects” which emerge from typical brain development; instead, these conditions represent distinct “operating systems” that exist outside mainstream brain function. People now understand that there exists multiple ways in which human minds can operate.
Social Media Transparency
People used to view only the “perfect” aspects of life which people displayed on social media. People now show their mental health challenges and body image issues and their failures to achieve success. The existence of everyone’s “behind-the-scenes” footage shows that people need to stop pursuing a spotless existence which they think will bring them actual life.
Changing Career Paths
The previous “normal” work system required employees to stay with one organization for four decades until their retirement. Remote work and short-term employment and frequent job transitions have become our modern employment environment. People now choose jobs which provide them with work flexibility and both career paths.
Redefining the Family Unit
The “nuclear family” (two parents and two children) is no longer the only standard. Multigenerational homes and chosen families and child-free by choice and single-parent households now exist as equal ways of achieving life success.
Challenging Gender Roles
Society has begun to move away from its past practice of assigning specific activities based on the “pink vs. blue” distinction. The traditional gender norms which people used to follow have become outdated because people now freely express their identity outside traditional gender boundaries.
The Rise of Wellness over Wealth
People considered achieving “normal” success when they generated the maximum possible revenue for their business. The younger generations and other population groups understand success as having good mental health and time for hobbies and maintaining a low-stress existence which creates an advantage over financial achievements.
Global Connectivity
The internet enables us to explore how different cultures from around the world experience their daily lives. The realization that one country’s “normal” standards become another nation’s “strange” practices shows us that the understanding of normality depends on your current location.
Education and Learning
Educational institutions need to rethink their operations which currently depend on students remaining in classrooms. The “normal” path of a four-year university degree has become one of multiple career routes because online bootcamps and self-teaching and trade schools have achieved respect as valid educational paths.
Beauty Standards
The fashion and beauty industries are moving towards an approach which recognizes that different customers require different product sizes instead of using a single standard size for all customers. People understand that there is no “normal” body because the media displays various body types and ages and abilities which all belong to the category of human bodies.
