There is no such a thing as “normal.” Normal is defined as “conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.” Normal is very close to the “norm,” which refers to what is common or frequent. Related to them is “normative,” which refers to a morally-endorsed ideal. It’s easy to confuse normal with norm and normative.

When something is normative, it’s aspirational. It is also ideological.

“Normal” is a habit. It’s the way that we - as societies, economies, and as individuals - are used to doing things. Our habits gave us staggering income inequality, inaccessible healthcare, and unsustainable growth. It also gave us the climate crisis and “disaster capitalism.”