âNobody realizes that some people expend a tremendous energy trying to be normal.â
â Albert Camus
Why âNormalâ Is the Most Exhausting Hobby Youâll Ever Have
Albert Camus, the original king of philosophical side-eye, once said, âNobody realizes that some people expend a tremendous energy trying to be normal.â And letâs be honest, he wasnât wrong. Being normal is basically a full-time job with no pay, no benefits, and a boss you canât standsociety.
Think about it: people wake up and instantly slip into Normal Modeâ˘. The right outfit. The right smile. The correct polite laugh that doesnât sound too unhinged but also not too cold. Even your coffee order ends up being a performanceheaven forbid you get a triple shot lavender oat milk latte without someone arching an eyebrow. To blend in is to audition, every day, for a role you didnât even want.
Meanwhile, your real selfpossibly a charming, mildly unhinged wind-up toy of joy (see: that blue chomping toy up there)is trapped backstage, tapping its foot, waiting to come out and dance. But nooo, weâre busy pretending to enjoy office small talk about printer jams and the weather. Itâs no wonder Camus compared the effort to tremendous energy. Itâs like doing emotional CrossFit in business casual.
The rakish truth? âNormalâ is a myth. A glittery mirage. Everyone you think is normal is just hiding their own deliciously messy chaos. That mom at school pickup? Secret death-metal fan. Your boss? Writes fanfiction about competitive bread baking. Even your neighbor with the perfect lawn probably practices karaoke in the garage. The world runs on little rebellions, and the sooner you embrace yours, the less exhausted youâll be.
So whatâs the alternative? Stop auditioning. Retire from the soul-draining theater of ânormalâ and give your inner eccentric a stage. Wear the neon socks. Laugh too loud at the joke. Post that weird poem. Adopt the life strategy of a wind-up chattering teeth toy: unapologetically make noise and move in your own direction.
Camus wasnât just throwing shade at conformity; he was handing us a cosmic permission slip. Life is absurd, darling. Being normal is both boring and deeply tiring. Be your own charming chaos instead. It takes less energy, and trust methe view is far better from here.










