A Screed Against Normies - Benedict's Newsletter 008
Hey friend,
If you know me, you know that I’m pretty very much a big-time normie. I default into the things that everyone else defaults into. It’s so much easier that way!
I think a big piece of that behavior is a defense mechanism, though. So what better way to inspect a defense mechanism than to write a screed against it?!
Self Expression is Mocking: Why Normies Have the Biggest Egos
I once looked at people with outrageous style and thought they had huge egos. But now I suspect normies have the largest egos of all! If you have an inflated sense of self-worth the surest road to keeping that going is not putting yourself in situations where that ego can be tested.
Self-expression is deciding what you’ll let people mock you for. Not being expressive through fashion/lifestyle/whatever leads to the mockery that you’re a square. This is a vastly preferable form of distaste for most people!
The vagueness of hating normality makes the criticism feel less sharp. Being a normie feels very defensible. Hey maybe you’re super busy and don’t have time to figure out your “style” or “personality”!
Self-expression is choosing what you’ll let people make fun of you for. It’s charging head-on into the unavoidable fact that you will be disliked.
If you’re living a distinctive life, mockery keeps you in touch with reality—that there is no singular framework for what is beautiful, meaningful, and important.
The ego that bumps against reality is the ego that’s held in check. The ego that remains in blandness and stays intent on remaining unjudged does so to swell as large as possible.
As always you can also read this post on my blog.
I hope these last few weeks of the decade are treating you well. I feel like I don’t remember the 2009-2010 decade shift being a big “deal”, like this ones seems to be. But I’m kinda getting into the spirit of it to be honest. Another decade here we come!
Benedict