The Challenge of Mediocrity

Picking up threads from my last post on excellence, I wish to say today that I have gradually realised the need for excellence. Mediocrity, unseemly as it may be, is very difficult to accept. Especially to the person himself.

A general trend is noticeable in the more popular forms of expression (books, cinema)- the veneration of excellence is gradually supplanted by an acceptance of difference and even mediocrity. My idea is that when a society develops itself, strives for self-preservation, idolising excellence serves a very important purpose. Acceptance of mediocrity there will be akin to suicide. A very Darwinian process in action.

But as we get affluent, we wish to "go slow" and even consider the unfortunate. We think beyond clothes and shelter and explore the "humanitarian" side. From thereon we question the hitherto veneration of excellence. The grandiose plan to develop a more "inclusive" society where we can envelop who are not the best gradually gets germinated.

It is important to do so. Otherwise it becomes logically difficult to differentiate from other animals. If basic instincts were the sole drivers of our mind, we have no right to declare ourselves "supreme" and just relegate to an intelligent animal being. Human rights, Civil rights, secularism, Animal rights and so on gets its origin from such a "conscience".

But on a personal level, is it easy to accept mediocrity?

I have not been able to.

I have no special abilities. There is nothing I can do better than the average Joe (or Rahul). Therein stems the lack of motivation to do anything; purposefully and with zeal. Everything that you do has the stamp of " just going through the motions".

The initial phase is most depressing. You wish to cry out in despair- hoping the howls would drown out the frustration. Wailing helps- it dries up the energy and makes you numb.

Slowly the drudgery bores you. The mind gets restless. Sometimes you wish to do silly things, go mad (only for a while) if it gives you some respite. It only works for a while. Controlled insanity hardly helps.

You take recourse to sadism. In an aggressive mood, you wish to hit out. In an acerbic state, your tongue does the lashing. Pinching comments here and there, under the garb of "humour" and "tease", achieves the ephemeral pleasure of causing discomfort and pain to others.

"Love" may hit you. An uncontrollable release of emotions - perhaps mankind's highest state of emotional responsiveness. Alas, a true "mediocre" is mediocre here too, in the art of love. Practical considerations also mean the mediocre loses his love to the magnificent.

I fail to see any reason, a purpose behind this meaningless and perhaps more significantly tortuous existence. Amusingly, the mediocre seeks solace in time. He makes himself to believe time will wash it all away, redress it all.

With time, he finds out the inevitable- that time doesn't help, as does nothing else. A bore well of a life doesn't even offer depth to rescue from nothingness.

The mediocre is sometimes a coward. He does not have the courage to do what is necessary.