MEDiOCRiTY
A rather often heard word in the adult world, and mind you its not used in bad context either, not most of the times. Its accepted and agreed upon, after all what would striving hard get you than some selfish gains. It shocks me, how its normal limiting to a standard. Are we born with an understanding to accept it or is it another phenomenon which springs up when people become matured. I wonder...and wonder....
But go to a school-a junior school and talk about mediocrity or averagers and I bet you will get the worst stare of your life, as if you have spoken something so ridiculous..in fact it is!! A child doesn't understand or appreciate mediocrity, he understands achieving or losing. There are haves and have nots, not necessarily in the economical sense. It can be academic, sports, extra-curricular or just being the prankster, but children only appreciate the best and laugh on those who lost. Wondering what happens to mediocrity.....It is IGNORED, it is INCONSEQUENTIAL. It stands ALONE, unnoticed and no collectivism and groupism whose strength will make them counted. Therefore, a child just understands the simple black and white and is oblivious to the grey, wondering why we make such a big deal about it, as the individuals in the future will compete only with individuals worthy of competition. And definitely the mediocre will not be worthy, he will never count. Losers are still taken notice, because they tried, they had lost because they had the guts to compete. Their guts will always make them counted. Anyways, lets move back to the unnoticed, after all it feels bad to be ignored so much.
While losers are laughed upon, our mediocre is ignored. mediocres feel bad..very bad..and quite obviously so. And the problem starts, coz slowly but very surely these mediocres get together, join hands but are still unnoticed and ages passes by.
Achievers are individuals and they keep rising, striding ahead..head held high and ambitions to conquer the world. The walk ahead alone, unaided. But they are being followed, by a group of mediocres who ave joined hands and are sneeking on the path laid by the individual, still unworthy of finding their own path. But none of them would ever admit that they cant stand alone. They are very self respecting, they swear by morals and values, they respect the group and are the ones who would most often talk about getting respect and paying it (as if we owe them) and rarely about earning it. They would never accept that they are not good enough. NEVER. and saying anything about such things is just not done..ONE IS NOT SUPPOSED to Do it. Its mostly an unsaid rule, i say mostly becuase its never said directly. Its rather beautiful to admire the art with which these rules have been transmitted w/o any communication, how it just dawns upon a young mind when he gives up and understands that he aint good enough. They unite, march...march ahead in unison and proudly and with a silent hope to come at par with the individual.
Alas, they realize that they cant..they still cant and that a group of mediocres will be at their best mdiocres. And they can never defeat or even keep pace with the achiever, the INDIVIDUAL.
Its disappointing!!! Very Disappointing. The group goes silent, how do they admit that there collective forces failed too. But they were a group and he was 1, they had the numbers and he just had his strength, ONLY HIS.
So someones shouts out that the INDIVIDUAL is arrogant. And soon you hear many voices saying "why cant he wait for us", "why cant he pay heed to the group and stop", "how dare the 1 go ahead of the group (he always was my son!!!), "he moves too fast", "he is insensitive", "selfish..eccentric" and then the best and the final blow "He rose ahead at our expense" and "he is immoral, disrespectful, uncaring....Inhuman"....Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Phew, these people put every societal barrier, every morality and leave no attempt to make the individual feel apologetic, guilty and unworthy of his success. And then they shout (silently and to themselves..little ashamed..for a while) "HAIL COLLECTIVISM".."HAIL MEDIOCRITY" and "MEDIOCRITY IS INVINCIBLE AND NORMAL"...(bloody collectivists..second handers)
The individual is breaking, barrier by barrier. He is not competing with another individual that he thought he might, he is competing with collectivists..he doesnt understand all that...He is shocked. They make him feel pathetic about his success, they make the giver to the society..the pathlayer feel like as if his every bread is snatched from their mouth...he starts feeling guilty...he feels pathetic about himself...without knowing why...or understanding...
The individual dies...he matures and accepts and incorporates the group..helps them ..works for their benefit..unhappy ...broken forever...he is soon left behind as he looses his usefulness and the group rises to conquer the next Individual..and they conquer.
The individuals dont lose coz they couldnt fight the numbers but because they were unprepared..they were looking for individuals to compete..and were clueless bout the threat from collectivists. we never told them who their enemy in the future is going to be..the shock of reality becomes too hard and changes ppl ..deters them from their initial path..to a path of mediocrity and the group keeps growin..and rising...
My ADVICE: PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN, PREPARE THE YOUTH, MEDIOCRITY SHOULD BE EXPLAINED ...THE DEVIL SHOULD BE BROUGHT OUT MUCH SOONER
An Individual
Rish
But go to a school-a junior school and talk about mediocrity or averagers and I bet you will get the worst stare of your life, as if you have spoken something so ridiculous..in fact it is!! A child doesn't understand or appreciate mediocrity, he understands achieving or losing. There are haves and have nots, not necessarily in the economical sense. It can be academic, sports, extra-curricular or just being the prankster, but children only appreciate the best and laugh on those who lost. Wondering what happens to mediocrity.....It is IGNORED, it is INCONSEQUENTIAL. It stands ALONE, unnoticed and no collectivism and groupism whose strength will make them counted. Therefore, a child just understands the simple black and white and is oblivious to the grey, wondering why we make such a big deal about it, as the individuals in the future will compete only with individuals worthy of competition. And definitely the mediocre will not be worthy, he will never count. Losers are still taken notice, because they tried, they had lost because they had the guts to compete. Their guts will always make them counted. Anyways, lets move back to the unnoticed, after all it feels bad to be ignored so much.
While losers are laughed upon, our mediocre is ignored. mediocres feel bad..very bad..and quite obviously so. And the problem starts, coz slowly but very surely these mediocres get together, join hands but are still unnoticed and ages passes by.
Achievers are individuals and they keep rising, striding ahead..head held high and ambitions to conquer the world. The walk ahead alone, unaided. But they are being followed, by a group of mediocres who ave joined hands and are sneeking on the path laid by the individual, still unworthy of finding their own path. But none of them would ever admit that they cant stand alone. They are very self respecting, they swear by morals and values, they respect the group and are the ones who would most often talk about getting respect and paying it (as if we owe them) and rarely about earning it. They would never accept that they are not good enough. NEVER. and saying anything about such things is just not done..ONE IS NOT SUPPOSED to Do it. Its mostly an unsaid rule, i say mostly becuase its never said directly. Its rather beautiful to admire the art with which these rules have been transmitted w/o any communication, how it just dawns upon a young mind when he gives up and understands that he aint good enough. They unite, march...march ahead in unison and proudly and with a silent hope to come at par with the individual.
Alas, they realize that they cant..they still cant and that a group of mediocres will be at their best mdiocres. And they can never defeat or even keep pace with the achiever, the INDIVIDUAL.
Its disappointing!!! Very Disappointing. The group goes silent, how do they admit that there collective forces failed too. But they were a group and he was 1, they had the numbers and he just had his strength, ONLY HIS.
So someones shouts out that the INDIVIDUAL is arrogant. And soon you hear many voices saying "why cant he wait for us", "why cant he pay heed to the group and stop", "how dare the 1 go ahead of the group (he always was my son!!!), "he moves too fast", "he is insensitive", "selfish..eccentric" and then the best and the final blow "He rose ahead at our expense" and "he is immoral, disrespectful, uncaring....Inhuman"....Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Phew, these people put every societal barrier, every morality and leave no attempt to make the individual feel apologetic, guilty and unworthy of his success. And then they shout (silently and to themselves..little ashamed..for a while) "HAIL COLLECTIVISM".."HAIL MEDIOCRITY" and "MEDIOCRITY IS INVINCIBLE AND NORMAL"...(bloody collectivists..second handers)
The individual is breaking, barrier by barrier. He is not competing with another individual that he thought he might, he is competing with collectivists..he doesnt understand all that...He is shocked. They make him feel pathetic about his success, they make the giver to the society..the pathlayer feel like as if his every bread is snatched from their mouth...he starts feeling guilty...he feels pathetic about himself...without knowing why...or understanding...
The individual dies...he matures and accepts and incorporates the group..helps them ..works for their benefit..unhappy ...broken forever...he is soon left behind as he looses his usefulness and the group rises to conquer the next Individual..and they conquer.
The individuals dont lose coz they couldnt fight the numbers but because they were unprepared..they were looking for individuals to compete..and were clueless bout the threat from collectivists. we never told them who their enemy in the future is going to be..the shock of reality becomes too hard and changes ppl ..deters them from their initial path..to a path of mediocrity and the group keeps growin..and rising...
My ADVICE: PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN, PREPARE THE YOUTH, MEDIOCRITY SHOULD BE EXPLAINED ...THE DEVIL SHOULD BE BROUGHT OUT MUCH SOONER
An Individual
Rish
Nice post but to give it a thought….
ReplyDeleteThere would not be any leaders without followers….so “Mediocrity” is required….its a kind of necessary evil….if you think it is evil……
Its not just about Winners or Losers….its also about watchers…people who would prefer sitting and watching the others play…..
And one has to be a Winner, Loser and a Mediocre at various phases…..you cant win all and surely you wont lose all….so its like you win some you lose some and some are drawed…..
Cheers….