To me how you are talking about this is kind of exactly my point. The “normie” you are describing just sounds like an asshole and I think that’s the negative connotation and exclusion I’m talking about.

What would you categorize me as? I surf, skate, lift weights, travel, was in a fraternity at a major university, have a beautiful wife and live in suburbia in California close to the beach, started my career in finance and sales (not anymore though). On the flip side, I have ADHD, I have a masters in pharmaceutical sciences, I work with a team of software engineers, I game, tinker with my PC, I read scientific journals on particle physics and a ton of sci-fi and fantasy, I read tech blogs every day, I love the fediverse, etc.

See what I’m getting at? Like it is totally creating an unnecessary and unhelpful division in my eyes.

This makes a lot of sense! And I would argue if you just met me you would 1000% put me in the normie category. Buuut if you got to know me you would come to find out I’m a goofy uber nerd who works with a bunch of software engineers and loves technology and gaming and reading scientific journals on particle physics.

I quite frankly don’t want to be in either group because the entire concept of normie vs not normie is kind of silly in my opinion.

I mean not get too far down that rabbit hole, but I would argue that we are all human beings first and we all belong to many different groups, not just one.

And I think you’re missing my point.

Ain’t that the truth.

I guess that’s something I didn’t consider. I kind of feel like that is still creating an us vs them mentality though…