The following article, Normal Gets Weird: A Wild Ride Through Culture’s Evolution, was first published on The Black Sphere.
The Cultural Time Machine
Buckle up, because culture’s moving at warp speed, and what was once “normal” now feels like it belongs in a museum next to a rotary phone. Remember when smoking on planes was as common as turbulence? Or when Friday nights meant battling for the last Jurassic Park VHS at Blockbuster? Those days are gone, and they’ve taken our sense of “normal” with them. Welcome to the wild, whimsical world of DORK (Department of Random Knowledge), my soon to be new radio show where I ask you to join me to explore the bizarre evolution of everyday life and ask: How do we adapt to a world that’s rewriting the rules faster than we can read them?
This article dives into the heart of cultural change—how things that were once mundane now feel downright weird, and how we’re navigating the chaos with a mix of humor, nostalgia, and sheer determination. From outdated slang to therapy animals, we’ll unpack the quirks of modern life and find the joy in riding the cultural wave.
The Ghosts of Normal: What Used to Be Everyday
Let’s start with a time capsule. Picture the 1980s or ‘90s. You’re on a plane, and the air is thick with cigarette smoke. The flight attendant hands you a tray of questionable meat, and nobody blinks. Smoking on planes wasn’t just allowed—it was normal. Restaurants, offices, even hospitals had ashtrays everywhere. My friend once told me stories of grading papers in a smoky teachers’ lounge, puffing away like it was her cardio. Today, suggesting a cigarette in public is like proposing a duel at dawn.
Or take Blockbuster nights. For my generation, Friday meant piling into the family minivan, arguing over Clueless or Die Hard, and praying you didn’t get hit with a $5 late fee. It was a ritual, complete with popcorn and sibling rivalries. Now? Streaming services deliver infinite movies with a click. Blockbuster? A corporate ghost town. Kids today would rather scroll X for movie recs than rummage through a video store.
Remember the old cameras?
And of course the lost art of waiting for film to develop. You’d snap 24 photos on your disposable camera, drop it at the drugstore, and wait a week to discover half were blurry or featured your thumb. Now, we take 50 selfies, filter them to perfection, and post them before lunch. These shifts aren’t just technological—they’re cultural. They change how we live, connect, and remember. Today, we are all great photographers, though it might take 100 photos to get one good one.
The speed of these changes is dizzying. What was normal a decade ago—CDs, flip phones, writing checks—feels like it’s from a different planet. But are we keeping up? Or are we stuck clutching our Walkmans, muttering about “the good old days”?
Lost in Translation: The Language of Yesteryear
Language is culture’s mirror, and it’s reflecting a funhouse of change. Ever say “Katie bar the door” and get a blank stare? It’s an old phrase meaning “brace for impact,” but to a 20-year-old, it sounds like you’re quoting Shakespeare’s B-side. Or how about “don’t touch that dial”? It made sense when TVs had actual dials, but try saying it to someone who’s only streamed Netflix on their phone. They’ll look at you like you just asked them to churn butter.
Music lingo’s another casualty. I still call new music an “album,” but my nephew talks about “drops” and “streams.” Speaking of which, language isn’t just about slang—it’s about identity.
The pronoun revolution has turned “he” and “she” into a spectrum of options. I’m all for respect, but when someone asked for my pronouns at a coffee shop, I blurted out “coffee” like it was a personality trait.
These linguistic shifts show how fast culture moves. We’re inventing new words—stan, yeet, sus—while burying old ones like “groovy” or “radical.” Adapting means learning the new lingo without losing the charm of the old. I still say “cool”, and I’m not sorry.
People and Their Quirks: From Work to Therapy Peacocks
Culture’s not just about tech or words—it’s about us. How we work, live, and identify is changing faster than you can say “Zoom meeting.” Back in the day, “work ethic” meant showing up early, staying late, and never questioning the boss. Now? Remote work, flexible hours, and “quiet quitting” are the vibe. I know of a company that has a “no-meetings Wednesday” policy—imagine pitching that in 1995. You’d be laughed out of the office.
And don’t get me started on therapy animals. I saw a guy at the airport with a therapy peacock. A peacock! When did we go from “pet a dog” to “bring your emotional support alpaca to Starbucks”? Mental health awareness is great, but I’m drawing the line at therapy snakes.
The point is, people are changing—how we work, how we identify, how we cope. Some changes, like flexible jobs, are awesome. Others, like dodging therapy iguanas, feel like a fever dream.
Riding the Wave: Adapting to the Weird Future
So, how do we keep up with this cultural rollercoaster? It’s like surfing—you don’t fight the wave, you ride it. My youngest son, who’s 18, taught me how to use TikTok to post my video shorts. You’d have thought I unlocked a secret level in life. But I also showed him how to read a paper map, explaining that currently there are places where GPS doesn’t work. Who’s the real MVP?
Adaptation is about balance. Streaming’s great, but there’s magic in flipping through vinyl records at a thrift store. Remote work’s cool, but nothing beats the buzz of a real office (minus the smoke).
The future’s gonna get weirder. AI’s writing novels, robots are flipping burgers, and who knows—maybe therapy goldfish are next. But here’s the uplifting truth: We’re built for this. Humans have been adapting since we tamed fire. So, laugh at the weird, learn from it, and keep surfing.
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