Nor Mal

Why is normality — or rather, average-ness — treated as something so desirable?
Again and again, we’re told that survival for the individual (!) depends on not standing out. 
Whoever draws attention, falls. 
They fall into the line of sight of those eyes that can’t — or won’t — accept the unusual.

But who actually decides what “normal” is?
And can the norm — this seemingly fixed idea — shift under certain conditions?

The word “normal” has, like so many terms, Latin parents: normalis, originally meaning “at right angles” or “according to rule.”
In some areas, normalization makes perfect sense:

In mathematics and statistics, it refers to an average, a standard.
In medicine, certain parameters are considered “normal” because they fall within a typical range.
In psychology and sociology, “normal” defines what’s seen as acceptable behaviour — socially, culturally, morally.

But here, it becomes critical.
Because normalization often reinforces stereotypes and prejudices. 
Cultural differences are ignored, otherness is not tolerated. How dull.
And how painful — especially for people with disabilities, who, by definition, 
can never fit into this “normality,” since the norm is based on a narrow ideal that excludes many from the start.

So far, so normal.

Yet now another, unsettling norm has emerged — one that feels deeply disturbing.
Extreme positions, once dismissed as “pfui Teufel,” (Heaven forbid!) have crept into the mainstream. 
Outrage fades. 
The highway of aberrations — lined with fascist and authoritarian movements — has become the default route.
And suddenly, what was once dangerous is sold as the “new normal.”

The world is changing at breakneck speed.
Politics feels unstable, the economy stumbles. 
On this shaky ground, more and more people are calling for simple answers — and seemingly strong leaders.

At the same time, the media’s role as the fourth estate is being diluted.
Propaganda and disinformation are replacing accountability. They’re paving the way for extremist views — and selling them as everyday.
When the erosion of democracy, the discrediting of its institutions, and the undermining of its processes are added to the mix, the door opens wide to authoritarian practices on an abnormal scale.

Wait —
Haven’t we seen this before?

Yes.
But who wants to carry the weight of history today? 
The Third Reich, the American Civil War, the mechanics of authoritarian power grabs?
It’s far more convenient to look away.
Oblivion is more appealing than remembrance.

Yet, of course — or rather: normally — such developments can be stopped.
It takes time. But those who commit to learning — about history, politics, critical thinking — who engage as citizens in grassroots movements, are less vulnerable to propaganda.
And less likely to accept it as the new norm.

Homo sapiens has proven itself again and again throughout its long history.
The trick is simple — and should be considered normal:
Community.
When many think together, when fresh ideas are brought to the table to counter this fatal trend, neither fascism nor authoritarianism stands a real chance.

So — shall we get started, or wait a little longer, Homo sapiens?
Well then.