Week Four: The New Weird

Being in school as students we can often hear “that person is weird” or “that thing is weird.” I always like to ask why. What makes something or someone weird or normal? Something is weird when it breaks societal norms. For example, if someone puts his hand over his mouth while talking, you would probably consider that trait as weird.  But why is that? Because it is not a normal thing a person will do while talking.

A good way to demonstrate this point is to look at different cultures. What’s weird in one may be the norm in the other or vice versa. For example, slurping your noodles or soup in America would be considered weird, but not slurping could be weird or offensive in Japan.

Even though our society may deem a certain person or trait as weird, at the level of individuals, it can still be desirable. If a girl blushes constantly, she may be considered weird by her society but some men may find it cute. For them, it is a good weird.

For my self, I like weird things such as weird illustrations or weird music, they maybe not fit my taste, but I always like to try. I think 'weird' is very compelling, because it gives you a break from a stereotype. I really respect people who use the old fashion way to do their job but I admire those who create new things. For me, I don’t really care if a thing or a people is weird or not, as long as I think they are good, I will respect.