Just be normal
Summary
Just be normal" sounds simple until a rider tries to explain what that actually means to Kareem, and the conversation spirals into a philosophical tangle about authenticity, mood boards, and Pinterest-inspired personalities. She's frustrated by people who curate their individuality from the same sources, turning themselves into clones wearing Converse and copying aesthetics instead of just being themselves. But Kareem pushes back: isn't the pressure to "be normal" exactly what creates this problem? They argue in circles. She insists people need to look inward and stop overthinking their identity, yet admits she's thought about this so much that Kareem suspects she's now forcing herself to be normal unnaturally. The kicker? When asked who's on her mood board, she says herself. Kareem isn't buying it and takes a wild guess: Natalie Portman.
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? Just be normal. 100% disagree. Just be normal. Yes, we're in an individuality drought.
A—oh, there's nuance to this if you can handle that. I'm ready. I feel like a lot of people are doing things to seem cool past the age that they should be doing that. And the source material of said cool is all the same thing. So now there's a bunch of clones walking around.
What's an example? These Converse. I mean like, why are people creating Pinterest boards to like do their personality? Because they're creating a mood board.
No, but you get what I'm saying. A clone because we've told them to be normal. People are terrified of chilling with their default setting. Are you talking about the NPCs? Not even. Okay.
I'm just trying to understand. Down to zero. Are you familiar with that? No.
Getting down to zero. The bare essentials of who you are. No, I don't know any of those. You need to look inward. You need to look inward.
No, they need to look inward. Cream. I'm okay. Cream. I don't feel normal. Delete the deep. Wait, I do feel normal.
Do you like those clothes? Does it come normally to you? What clothes are you—marching to the beat of your own drum or are you copying and pasting someone else's? I don't have mood boards. I don't—I don't look at Pinterest. What I'm saying is, do you be normal? It will save your life.
Are you saying stop trying to be unique? No, I'm not saying that either. I don't think you're getting it.
I'm not getting it. Everyone is an—is an individual. You already have it. You don't have to make it more complex. Let me ask you: how do you be normal?
I just do what I like. So you're saying be yourself.
Yeah. You are overthinking it. Mm—well, yes. This leads me to believe that you've thought about it so much that now you are forcing yourself to be normal, even though that comes unnaturally.
Who's on your mood board? I'm on my own mood board.
Awesome. Who's on your mood board? Me.
No, you can't steal my line. You know what I mean? You don't want me to say it. I know who's on your mood board. I know who's on yours. I know who's on yours. Let's do it. Natalie Portman.