Why are commonness and mediocrity so common these days?

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   RighterOneposted 11 years ago

   Why are commonness and mediocrity so common these days?
   
   Seems like with all the strange and scary stuff happening in the world, people would be waking up and at least trying to think outside the box. Instead, more and more seem to be taking the 'Sheeple' route. Herd instinct too powerful to overcome, or is it something else more sinister perhaps...?

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2. 84

   AlexK2009posted 11 years ago

   Most people are too busy trying to survive to have time to think. If you have to choose between  analysing current affairs and having fun most people would rather have fun.  I know I would. I also know that leaving politics to politicians risks my losing the right to have fun.  Most people do not know this.

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   alancaster149posted 11 years ago

   There are more people in the world, so the chances are more of them will be mediocre. Nevertheless, it could be a good thing. If too many were bright and thought for themselves there would be less willing to do boring jobs. Think of it, if there were more bright folk around they'd be less willing to empty bins (trash-cans), man the production lines in factories, watch over factory or business premises as security guards, deliver post and milk or work in sewage plants.
   Having said that, who's to say these people don't have dreams. In these troubled times of falling employment some could be university graduates, college kids whose only way of earning a crust or the means to finance their education or teaching and medical staff who were bludgeoned into submission by 'down-sizing'.
   And there are some who might work out multiplication without calculators in the pursuit of scoring in darts, or the odds in betting. Can you calculate in your brain the odds against a horse winning after being placed in three races, winning four races and being in mid-field at the end in two others?

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      AlexK2009posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If the people you describe were that bright thy would come up with ways to make sure these  boring jobs did not need to be done.
      
      As to your odds calculation, I am sure many horse race enthusiasts can do that easily.

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4. 95

   watergeekposted 11 years ago

   It probably depends on who you're around, i.e. I don't see the sleepiness. I see people waking up all over the place. I see 350.org organizing their millions of members worldwide to work together to combat climate change - I know people involved. I see Occupy committing this year to stop protesting and start organizing people worldwide to come up with a sustainable world economic system. I see more and more writers on this site writing about living sustainably, being thrifty, becoming healthy.
   
   I just attended a dedication this morning of a demonstration garden in a highly visible site in Pasadena. It shows native gardening, raised bed organic veggie growing, drip irrigation and swales, and reuse of old concrete, pipes, and wood benches. The mayor was there and committed to setting up other sites citywide. Our city council member was there, who shared that his main priority was water conservation. Our city utility was represented, which helped finance the garden. And our state Health Department director was there looking for projects like this to encourage low income people to grow their own food and be healthy. Afterword, the minister of that church talked to me about our two environmental groups working together to set up rainwater harvesting systems and similar projects.
   
   It's not that people are sleeping, as much as it is that the mainstream media is oblivious. They don't report such non-dramatic events, which means the average reader doesn't know they're going on nor how widespread they are.

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   Express10posted 11 years ago

   More often than not, what you see is what you get but this is not always the case. Also, from some personal observance of my peers (NOT friends) from middle, high school, and college, it is too common that there aren't high standards being set by parents for their children from ALL socioeconomic backgrounds.
   
   Many kids and young adults have friends as parents who allow them to do things they should not be doing, including not focusing on their school work or doing things that decrease their likelihood of having a brighter future. Many parents are too hands-off with their children's lives. Another group of kids have parents that do not communicate with their children leaving the kids to learn a variety of things through trial and error while others have negative parents that beat them down verbally and/or physically.
   
   It appears that the root of all function and dysfunction begins at home. Coupled with a lack of being open to new ideas, even those that are literally "common" knowledge, some people become stuck in their thinking and become mediocre. Where some experience failings and don't have anyone believing in them to do better and verbally or otherwise expressing so, many choose not to reach and try for things that take a great deal of effort or resources for which there is no guaranteed return. At some point, one becomes an adult and the choice is up to them. However, at any point in their life, they can create a change if they wish to do so.

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   NateB11posted 11 years ago

   There is security in conformity and fear drives us to fall in line, and be good workers and obedient slaves, psychologically and physically. Also, simple laziness contributes to this mediocrity, this conformity; it is easier to be told what to do.

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   izettlposted 11 years ago

   You are right America has fallen rank several places just in the last few years for innovation. schools value everybody performing equally, which is great for those who lag behind or don't naturally step up, but for those who are outstanding or extraordinary, they are kept behind to fall in line with everyone else. We also view higher learning as a must-have but many innovative people did not complete or even attend a higher learning system.
   I also think people want more than ever to be liked (think facebook "like" button) and it is devalued to disagree or step out of line now. But as the old quote says, "nothing great was ever accomplished without passion". So maybe it's passion we lack.

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   swordsbaneposted 11 years ago

   I don't see "commonness" and "mediocrity"  I see worse.  Common sense isn't.  We don't pay attention to other people.  We love getting something for nothing, as long as we're not paying for it.  We think our leaders are great men when they strive to be average, doing their job only a little less badly than their opponents.
   
   I would love things to be as good as mediocre.  I wish we had it so good.

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9. 95

   cat on a soapboxposted 11 years ago

   As watergeek aptly points out, the media gives a biased view of what actually goes on in our community. Perhaps we're taught that our different opinions will hurt another's feelings. It seems that we walk on the egg-shelled roads of political correctness afraid we'll be called bigot, racist, etc. for having passionate yet unpopular views.  This is what the media projects. Some of us only share our passions/opinions with our closest friends and family for fear of judgement and retaliation.

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    Doc Snowposted 11 years ago

    Commonness becoming more common?  There seems to be something wrong with that picture!
    
    Perhaps this question could be posed a little more precisely?

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    1. 59

       xstaticposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Uh huh!

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    2. 58

       RighterOneposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Sure: The ratio of common people to those that tend to stand out is growing at an alarming rate over recent time, seeming to follow an exponential growth pattern. Precise enough? And the question is: why?

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11. 86

    Billrrrrposted 11 years ago

    Water, like many people, seeks the lowest level.  So if you wish to find it, you may do so by looking at the lowest point.   It takes one who is uncommon to realize that while the pool may be at the bottom, huge amounts of moisture are constantly rising to the highest points where they reside among the clouds.

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