# The Selection of Norms By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-08-22 It is widely regarded that most people can only effectively manage around 150 relationships. Indeed, some can manage a great deal more, but even ten times more pales in comparison to the population of one's society. The same is true for most work situations where one must manage a moderately sized organization and interact with all those dealing with the organization. There are more people than one could ever manage in a 1-to-1 relationship. Thus, humans have developed social, tribal, and cultural norms to deal with strangers. Within every group of people, some set of norms describe expectations and acceptable behaviors. One must ascertain which group a person belongs to and act accordingly. If both individuals are a part of the same group, tribe, culture, or nation, both act by the norms of those "inside" that common aggregation. If the individuals belong to different aggregations and norms, each is instructed to follow their group's norms in dealing with the other's group. For example, if the groups are at war, the individuals are typically instructed to behave in a hostile fashion. However, what happens if the individuals have a relationship beyond their divergent group membership? We often see the breakdown of norms because the relationship transcends generalities. One knows the other person and chooses to believe their intuition and experience over that of societal norms. Countless stories highlight this dynamic without speaking to it directly. If knowing someone potentially changes everything about how we engage with them, but we can only know 150, the social, national, and cultural norms one subscribes to might be the most significant decision one makes. It defines how one engages with nearly everything and everyone one encounters. Awareness that the selection of norms is a choice with consequences, in plain terms, presents a step change in human progress. What norms better serve humanity? Can one belong to a national and global norm? Which ideologies hold us back, and which propel us forward? One is born into these norms, but many have the power to make a different choice if they so choose to embrace it. #### Related Items [[Society]] [[Culture]] [[Norms]] [[Choice]] [[Nations]] [[Progress]] [[Networking]] [[Relationships]]