Are You a Normie or a Non-Normie in SL?

[missyrideout]

4 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

Okay, now on message boards all those that don't like crypto are Normies.  Why is that derogatory?  We have a right to choose.  If we want to follow fiat, that's our business.  And, it doesn't hurt my feelings to be called a Normie in that respect regarding crypto.   They consider themselves non-Normies because they like crypto which is NOT the norm.  

You're obviously very interested in the term. I suggest doing a tiny amount of digging to find out the history of the use of normie online. Start with Know Your Meme. Dig around the history of 4chan. If you don't know what greentext is, you're a normie. To the terminally online, anyone that isnt them is either a normie, a hipster, snowflake, or any number of other pejoratives that can't be written here. That's part of why peoples hackles get up when the word is thrown around, even though it has seeped into the mainsteam like so many awful things from messageboard culture. Heck at this point calling someone a normie may make you one!

Edited April 28, 2023 by missyrideout

[Love Zhaoying]

Example of "normie": "heteronormative".

[Bree Giffen]

If we are "Normies" in SL, I think that makes us automatically non-Normie in the real world. This is one of those threads where a very specific definition has to be given in order to get a good response because everyone is naturally going to define Normie in their own way and then answer according to their own idea.

[Gwin LeShelle]

I ever since I was in kindergarden had a problem with people, telling me what I have to be. I hated labels, and drawers, drawers are for shirts and boxes are for cats to sit in. 

I was also always wondering who defines what is "normal"? Since some people told me to be more "normal". I am me, I don't care if anyone labels me as "normal" or not. It's funny that such discussions always get started late friday much ado about nothing is this post to me.

Go and keep putting yourself in boxes, wrap them with fancy papers and put yourself in some closet and catch dust there, but don't expect others to be that boring too x3

Edited April 28, 2023 by Gwin LeShelle

[Rowan Amore]

18 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

How so?  

Okay, now on message boards all those that don't like crypto are Normies.  Why is that derogatory?  We have a right to choose.  If we want to follow fiat, that's our business.  And, it doesn't hurt my feelings to be called a Normie in that respect regarding crypto.   They consider themselves non-Normies because they like crypto which is NOT the norm.  

If you want to be human, that's your business, as is being non-Human.   No one here really cares, imo.   I think all avi's are accepted by most.  Some feel they may have been marginalized but that could have to do with other things.  I don't care that certain places don't allow Dinkies for example.  I understand the immersion and respect other's SL in how they want to approach their club or whatever their objective is with only allowing certain avatars.  But, there are big events for all of SL where all are invited, and all seem accepting of one another in my experience.  

In my generation, we used to say one either follows the norm or they don't, but it was not derogatory.  It was more about one's personality.  It's something I've encountered through being an artist, especially.

I'm just asking if SL has allowed you to explore things you may not have without SL?  I think SL is a step outside the norm.   Or, it is a platform that gives us a chance to step outside the norm.

https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/normie/

Looking to the social media site Twitter, normie rose in usage in the late 2010s and broadly refers to people thought of as simply boring and mainstream. 

Edited April 28, 2023 by Rowan Amore

[Ayashe Ninetails]

12 minutes ago, missyrideout said:

 Dig around the history of 4chan.

I do not recommend. 😏😄

[Rowan Amore]

2 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I do not recommend. 😏😄

But those are they kind of people I've heard use that word and always in a derogatory manner.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Rowan Amore

[Harper Held]

1 hour ago, EliseAnne85 said:

I don't think it's derogatory.  I think the word "Normie" was probably born out of the phrase from my generation which was "the norm".  In my generation I could say:  "My sister tends to follow the norm.  It's difficult to get her to try new things."  The norm has been used in journalism for decades.

Here's a def of norm:

1.

something that is usual, typical, or standard.

Such as, for instance, people are using the word "Normie" on message boards to describe those who do NOT like crypto.  So, in other words, they follow the norm of what has been - fiat, and prefer fiat and want the usual or standard.  And, don't want to diverge out of that norm into another form of "money".  (This is an example.)

For approximately ten years I only saw "normie" thrown about on 4chan and reddit; without exception as a pejorative.

[Harper Held]

3 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I do not recommend. 😏😄

I'd never say it's pleasant; but it's definitely "good to know". "Know thy enemy" with a little "those who forget history" thrown in.

[Harper Held]

8 minutes ago, Bree Giffen said:

If we are "Normies" in SL, I think that makes us automatically non-Normie in the real world. This is one of those threads where a very specific definition has to be given in order to get a good response because everyone is naturally going to define Normie in their own way and then answer according to their own idea.

I'm trans, I live in SL as a woman -that automatically makes me 'not normal'. And yet -I'm a pretty basic *****, all things being equal. I'm a neko but apart from that my musical tastes are classic rockish and my clothing tastes tend to be pretty mainstream.

My point being; a case could be made either way for me. I think that's probably true for a lot of ppl in SL. So I don't really know how to answer the original question apart from:

[Ayashe Ninetails]

6 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

But those are they kind of people I've heard use that word and always in a derogatory manner.

 

5 minutes ago, Han Held said:

I'd never say it's pleasant; but it's definitely "good to know". "Know thy enemy" with a little "those who forget history" thrown in.

You guys are definitely right, but...for someone who is unprepared, it's quite the experience. Stick to articles and outside sources when digging around about that. I wouldn't venture in or anything.

[Love Zhaoying]

5 minutes ago, Han Held said:

My point being; a case could be made either way for me. I think that's probably true for a lot of ppl in SL

Excellent point.

To many people, Furries are "normal" in Second Life. Especially to other Furries (comparing to themselves).

To many people, Dinkies are "normal" in Second Life.  Especially to other Dinkies (comparing to themselves).

More commonly, to both Dinkies and Furries, hoo-mon avatars are "normal" - compared to them.

It's that darn "comparison".

[Harper Held]

40 minutes ago, Katherine Heartsong said:

Perfectly normal.

What's not normal about a 60+ male living as a redheaded, straight, cis-female, full-time in SL I ask?

The rest of you ... not very sure about. Hmmmmm.

[EliseAnne85]

24 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I do not recommend. 😏😄

I'm not sure I want too now.  

So, it means basically mainstream, boring, stodgy.  Things such as that?  Then, it's probably the younger generation calling us "old" in their own way.  Younger generations do do that.  Mine did too.  

However, 4chan or whatever you all are talking about.  I've never heard of it and not sure I want too.

However, I still think SL is place to be non-Normie and find fulfillment in being something different.  

Edited April 28, 2023 by EliseAnne85

[Ayashe Ninetails]

9 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

I'm not sure I want too now.  

So, it means basically mainstream, boring, stodgy.  Things such as that?  Then, it's probably the younger generation calling us "old" in their own way.  Younger generations do do that.  Mine did too.  

However, 4chan or whatever you all are talking about.  I've never heard of it and not sure I want too.

However, I still think SL is place to be non-Normie and find fulfillment in being something different.  

It's not a younger vs. older thing - zero to do with that. 4chan is just...yeah, you just have to read about it and learn for yourself. Definitely not Second Life forum-friendly, that's for sure. Proceed with caution, but as Han Held and Missy said, it's definitely good to be aware it exists and understand its history. Rowan's also correct about that term being the type of thing you'd see on there.

[EliseAnne85]

45 minutes ago, Gwin LeShelle said:

It's funny that such discussions always get started late friday

That's not why I started this discussion.  

I started it because I was curious how this word Normie is going around on Twitter, and I've been thinking and wondering what it is all about.

Actually, the normal or 'the norm' and going off the beaten path are something artists have to deal with all the time.  I think it has to do with thinking outside the box.

Also, Dinkies and tinies do NOT call big avatars Normies.  Since we are literally tiny, we call big avatars "biggies" because you are literally big.  I just wanted to make that clear in general that Tinies do NOT use the word.  You all are biggies.  

Edited April 28, 2023 by EliseAnne85

[Cali Souther]

I am a beautiful butterfly!   

 

[WereBeast Alpha]

Normal is boring I'm just different in my own thoughts. 

[Love Zhaoying]

I think one of the takeaways here, @EliseAnne85, is that no matter what YOU think "normie" means, you may not want to go around calling OTHER people "normie". 

[Rick Nightingale]

1 hour ago, Katherine Heartsong said:

Wow - a Mad Men reference with Christina Hendricks! That just stole the show of the whole thread for me. Must watch it again...

[EliseAnne85]

36 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I think one of the takeaways here, @EliseAnne85, is that no matter what YOU think "normie" means, you may not want to go around calling OTHER people "normie". 

Well, I wanted to make it clear that Dinkies who are literally tiny in size do not call people Normie.  Since we are tiny in size and human avi's are big, we call them Biggies.  Hoo-man comes up once in awhile.  

However, the word has been used on the forum here without any complaints.  So, it was never a big deal before until now all of a sudden.  Why didn't anyone complain before when the word was used on the forum if people are upset?

[Harper Held]

1 minute ago, EliseAnne85 said:

 Why didn't anyone complain before when the word was used on the forum if people are upset?

Was it used though? I don't remember seeing anyone getting called 'normie' around here before?

[Love Zhaoying]

5 minutes ago, EliseAnne85 said:

Why didn't anyone complain before when the word was used on the forum if people are upset?

We had the SAME discussion before. Sorry if you missed it. 🙂 

ETA: Nobody said they are "upset". We are just discussing it.  I am sorry if you think people are "upset", maybe because they are disagreeing with your assertion?

Edited April 28, 2023 by Love Zhaoying

[EliseAnne85]

1 minute ago, Han Held said:

Was it used though? I don't remember seeing anyone getting called 'normie' around here before?

Yes, several times since I've been here.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

3 hours ago, EliseAnne85 said:

I don't think it's derogatory.

From Merriam-Webster:

"Its more generalized use, however, sometimes comes with an implied sneer of condescension or contempt, particularly within online communities. It has taken hold in the language of memes and was, for a while, part of the vocabulary of alt-right discourse."

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/words-were-watching-normie-normcore#:~:text=The term normie has emerged,otherwise not notable or remarkable.

It's also somewhat associated with Incel culture. But it is almost always used by someone "inside" a particular group to refer to those "outside." It's not generally a term you would use to describe yourself -- it is almost always directed at "the other."