Hypernormality is a term originally coined by the Russian writer Alexei Yurchak, which refers to a state of affairs where reality or normality becomes artificially and paradoxically shaped by a deeply normalized system. This concept is primarily used to analyze the social, political, and cultural situations in authoritarian regimes, in which individuals are immersed in an environment that paradoxically distorts their perception of what is considered normal.
In hypernormality, people become accustomed to living and conforming to a distorted reality, where the boundaries of what is genuine and what is fake become increasingly blurred. This state of affairs is often created by the deliberate manipulation and control of information by those in positions of power. As a result, individuals are inundated with false narratives, propaganda, and a manufactured sense of consensus, leading them to accept and rationalize the abnormal as normal.
Hypernormality is characterized by an erosion of critical thinking, societal complacency, and a loss of agency. The dominant authorities, through incessant repetition and the enforcement of conformity, suppress dissent and maintain a state of false stability. Under hypernormality, individuals may continue to experience and recognize the discrepancies between reality and the system's narratives, but due to the normalization of these discrepancies, they become numb to the incongruities and eventually accept them as the new normal. Thus, hypernormality perpetuates a cycle of manipulation, suppression, and disengagement where oppressive systems maintain control without overt coercion. Overall, hypernormality serves as a thought-provoking concept to explore the complex dynamics between power, truth, and perception within society.
