Chris Crocker on Subverting Normalcy
May 28th 2008 07:59
Note the position of the arms, as if there there are bosoms to hide - a skilled impersonation of a female here
Chris Crocker first came to my attention when somebody on Orble linked to his 'Leave Britney Alone' video. I didn't think he had anything particularly deep to say in it, and his message would probably have had a more positive reception if he wasn't bawling through it, so I wasn't expecting to look him up again, but then an academic article I read about GLBTI performance on YouTube referenced his 'What is 'Normal'?' video and the title appealed to me enough to check it out.
While Chris is not going to become my postmodern academic hero anytime soon, I believe that, swearing aside, his message is quite well articulated.
I don't believe it's possible to conform. Why? Because it it's impossible to find behaviour to conform with. Even the people who try to mimic others are participating in actions which are inimitably unique, creating a series of patterns which they do not stop to appreciate because they're too busy trying to be 'normal'. What happens is that they're not developing their sense of individuality, so their actions become stilted, confined, unnatural. They are so concerned with not making 'fools' of themselves or 'not standing out' that they censor themselves, much to their detriment. But everyone always stands out, because no one is like 'anybody else'. People cannot ever do the same thing, even if they want to for their own twisted purposes of seeking approval from others who feel it's the only way to get by. Everyone is necessariily nonconformist. They just don't realise, or want to see themselves as a potential leader. Unfortnately the idea of conformity is prevalent, and painted as desirable by people who don't realise their power or worth. Does that make sense to you guys?
Chris asks how can 'normal' exist in the same universe as individuality. I say: Doesn't everyone have their own version of what might be normal? I personally de-emphasise this word, and any associated concepts in my paradigms because I do not feel it is particularly hepful. One person's 'normal' is another person's 'weird' - both of these words are often used with pretences to ascribing a certain kind of status to a certain kind of behaviour which indicates that there is an objective reality. But again, how can 'objective' exists when there are as many versions of 'objectivity' as there are people to make them?
I don't believe anybody consciously seeks to be oppressed. It's just that people don't know how free and liberated they can be... our world leaders are happy for people to try and conform to perceived 'norms' only because they can't fathom a world where this behaviour is optional, or overly invasive. They rely on this hype over doing what everyone else is doing to gain a position of power, so reinforce it by not lobbying for change that is seen as too controversial or subverting of usual power relations. This is why I wouldn't want to be a world leader of any society I know - I would have to put with people who strongly believe that 'normal' exists and is unproblematic.
What do you think - what does 'normal' mean to you?
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Comment by Brad Gaylard
Movie Catcher
Mens Zen
I agree insofar as there is no such thing as "normal". And if there was, who would define it? The majority? Without rigorous measurement, it's impossible to know the popular opinion of the majority anyway.
However, I don't believe that conformity and normality are necessarily linked. I see conformity as aligning oneself with an aesthetic or ideal. It is calculating your behaviour to fit in with that ideal.
We are all individuals, but we also wear masks (ego-based) that hide our authentic selves from the world at large. There's strength in numbers, so by wearing a mask that is also shared by a group of people, we can identify with that group and feel a sense of community.
Throughout our lives we may change masks and indentify with different tribes, but it is a very rare individual who is able to shake free the ego and live a truly authentic life without any degree of conformity.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
I second that.
I think I agree with Brad (ooh does that mean I am conforming?) in that i don't see normalcy and conformity as the same thing. I think 'conformity' is actively attempting to fit in whereas what is 'normal' is more about what the accepted status quo is at any one point.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
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Artist Quirk
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
And if there was, who would define it? The majority? Without rigorous measurement, it's impossible to know the popular opinion of the majority anyway.
By the time you did exhaustive research on every single human being in a nation, state or city, people would have left those boundaries, new people would have worked themselves into the fabric of that society, and a lot of people who you would have already interviewed would have changed their minds...
we also wear masks (ego-based) that hide our authentic selves from the world
Perhaps a productive way for you to promote your sense of authenticity is to adopt a multiplicity of 'masks'? That way you will fit into many different communities at the same time, and the lines between your different identities will become blurred until they become part of the same performance? Also, perhaps 'hiding' is another mask? Could be an interesting line of thought to explore...
I see each person as a community in themselves. Just this morning I was looking through people on Facebook who were fans of Viggo Mortensen, and I was surprised at the diversity of them - people everywhere from Iran to Chile, to give just one example. I believe we are all linked in some way - you don't have to look far to find something in common with anyone else. So don't be afraid to be your own community of one - you may find that people are more drawn to your confidence than ever!
Hey Ruby,
I like that line too.
I don't think normalcy and conformity are the same thing either, but here I explore a way in which they can be inter-related... I find it often helps me to contextualise one idea in the light of another. It can be a good way of brainstorming on a topic, connecting it to another (mind-map style) and seeing where your thoughts take you. I am a bit of a fan of tangents, and enjoy the way that, if I use them creatively, they can lead me more 'On Topic' than I believed possible. Tee hee.
Hey Morgan,
I was wondering whether you'd seen Chris Crocker's work - of course you have!
I'm going to post about his 'There's no such thing as "straight".' in the near future, heh heh. It goes quite well with my views on the complexity of human sexuality.
I found a lot of his videos intelligent and entertaining myself, and I think it's quite an achievement that he has a different hairstyle in all the ones I've seen! Haha.
Comment by Brad Gaylard
Movie Catcher
Mens Zen
To be honest, that little diatribe acted as a deterrent from seeking out anything more from him. Was he taking the piss? Or was that a genuine hissy fit?
Because seriously, I wanted to reach through the screen, grab him by the shoulders and tell him to have a nice hot cup of harden the fark up.
If he was taking the piss, though, I might give him another chance.
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
From what I can tell he was being genuine, but give him another chance anyway - I liked quite a few of his videos and I'm pretty hard to please. The video I've embedded here is probably the best of the bunch.