“Everyone is normal until you get to know them.” - Dave Sim
This is a quote that caught my eye while doing research for this video.
I want you to take a moment to contemplate what that really means.
For me personally, when I look back at all the people that I’ve gotten to know throughout
my life, there’s always at least one thing I can say about them that I would say is flat
out “bizarre,” or more appropriately “unique,” but at the same time, that’s what makes
a person lovable, that’s what helps me remember that individual.
For this reason I want to focus on the answer to the following questions.
What does it mean to be “normal”?
And does it even exist?
I think it’s fascinating to contemplate this.
When we were children we didn’t care about being normal, we just did whatever we wanted.
But depending on how much disapprovement, and judgement they receive during their childhood,
they repress those emotions as they age.
It’s easier to express yourself when your inner child feels approved, accepted, and
validated.
Here’s a fun example: SpongeBob knows how to allow his inner child to express itself.
You see that in pretty much every episode.
Season 6 is a season not many fans are fond of, in fact, it’s considered the worst season
in the show’s history.
However, I’m gonna make a bold statement by saying I think “Not Normal” is one
of the best episodes in the series.
I find it underrated in the sense that it explores and questions society’s expectations
of what it means to be normal.
Squidward’s definition of normal is to not stick out, and to just not be annoying.
But what does that even mean?
See, these are the kinds of things nobody questions.
In this episode, he tells SpongeBob to start acting less like himself, and to instead start
acting a little more “normal,”.
For some reason this gets to the poor sponge, to the point where he takes his advice literally.
He decides to change his personality, and identity primarily for Squidward’s validation
and approval.
Normal is subjective, always has been, and always will be.
What’s normal to one person, is the opposite for another.
SpongeBob’s definition of normal is to not stand out, and to behave like a robot.
But I’m sure most of us would agree that this is as far from normal as you can get.
His attempt to be normal, instead turns him into a creepy, disturbing character.
The dude is printing GMO Krabby Patties for crying out loud, and that’s supposed to
be normal.
When people say start acting normal, or at least hint at that idea I’m legitimately
confused about what they mean.
It’s so vague, so nonspecific that I’m convinced people only use it to boost their
ego, or to feel better about themselves.
Not because they actually care, or want to help the person.
When you’re trying to be “normal” you start thinking logically, you start thinking
more with the brain, and less with the heart.
When you forget to live through the heart eventually problems begin to arise.
In this case, the lies work for a while, but later in the story, customers see the truth
about how the patties are made… with ink and paper, and not with love.
Then again, this is a fast food restaurant we’re talking about here.
The Krusty Krab is basically the equivalent to eating at McDonalds, you can only put so
much love into fake food.
Everyone is trying to get away from whatever this character is supposed to be.
Krabs basically fires him from his job until further notice, Patrick rejects him since
he doesn’t want to do anything exciting, and even Squidward begins to be bothered by
SpongeBob’s repetitive, try-hard attempt to not be weird.
Which is ironic considering he’s the one who inspired him to dramatically change his
character in the first place.
SpongeBob finally comes to the conclusion that maybe being normal isn’t all it’s
cracked up to be.
For the remainder of the episode, he does everything in his power to transform back
into his fun, happy-go-lucky self.
Patrick even encourages him to be as strange as possible.
Obviously, I’m not promoting psychopathic levels here, but as strange as it gets without
getting yourself into trouble.
What I like the most about this episode is it tells the audience that it’s okay to
be weird.
Sure, people are going to judge you for it, but as long as you’re having fun, and as
long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, there’s morally nothing wrong with being yourself.
That is the truth of self-expression, and the myth of normal.