How to Become a “Normy”

Dec 27

Eric Allam, of 52 Reviews, terms the average person a “Normy”. According to he and his brother, you can be one too. Here’s how:

Only take one job
When/if you get married, have your wife take one job
Shop, spend, and rack up debt
Buy a home and make that your only major investment
Keep up with your friends and family by buying a bunch of stuff, like big TVs, new computers or other tech
Watch a lot of TV or movies
Stop talking about character, philosophy, and theology

Sound familiar? I call this progress “The Funnel”. Others call it “The American Dream.” Are you a Normy? If not, what are you doing differently?

Posted by Dracula on Dec 28, 2006 at 04:08pm

“Stop talking about character, philosophy, and theology”

Intersting, the older I get the fewer people I find who will
a) Talk about these topics at all
b) Is able to talk about these topics as ideas rather than challenges to their world view
Posted by Chris Radcliff on Dec 29, 2006 at 11:17am

That’s a bit creepy, if only because I always feel the pull toward Normy-hood. Is there a term for anti-Normies, the direction away from such a thing?

I kinda like the Douglas Coupland term “poverty jet-set”, which is the group who gets from travel experience to travel experience by taking jobs they don’t care about. I’m not that anymore, but I was when I was younger…
Posted by Jed on Dec 30, 2006 at 12:10am

I’m not too worried about becoming a Normy, but I’m worried about hating Normies too much.

Anyway, why am I not afraid of becoming one? I buy more books than I can read. They fill out your living room better than “stuff” and they make you look smarter. Then, on occasion, I’ll pick one up and discover an idea worth talking about. It’s wild.
Posted by nate on Dec 30, 2006 at 12:49am

They also make good stands, tables, mouse pads, toilet paper (although some would be a bit harsh), fire starters, and more. Books are grand!