Functions of Mediocrity

Padma Devkota

Functions of Mediocrity

    Fate made the untalented; opportunities made them big. Even as their more talented brethren toil and moil in the fields and cowsheds, these have risen to posts of public responsibilities that they fill without vision, without transcending self and without qualms of conscience. These see none but themselves; these recognize neither talent nor intelligence other than their own. They have risen above hunger in the hills and feel stronger than the ones they have left behind in the mountains.
    They feel superior even to those that have actually helped them rise to their present status. They would have been left far behind in their race for success had not a so-and-so helped them, guided them, and even spoken for them in the right places. But now that this very so-and-so shrivels in the winter chill of ingratitude, these untalented butchers of their own conscience rejoice over their success in the public domain. And, they become the norm whereby others fashion their behaviour without the least bit of understanding of how mediocrity, varnished with opportunities, can glitter like imitation jewelry even as real diamonds lie hidden from the eye.
    Yet, mediocrity has no innate lustre. It is no sage. It never says anything worth remembering. It only repeats phrases culled from the intelligent and plays these back like a tape recorder to a different audience. This is what gives it the appearance of extraordinary wisdom, which also improves its popular image. Mediocrity, like the moon, draws a smooth surge of sentimentality from the sea of uncritical humanity that is unable either to denounce it or to support its public condemnation for fear of exposing its likeness in their hearts. This helps it illumine the whole world with its ghostly, borrowed light by romanticizing public dreams with the inoffensive softness of lunar effeminacy. To please is to exist.
    This is why mediocrity has no face. It wears all faces. Because it cannot afford to be recognized as such in a position of leadership or responsibility, it wears the face of talent. But, unlike talent that recognizes its superiors, mediocrity recognizes itself as the best. Where mediocrity can give no credit to others, talent understands the civilizing powers of modesty, humility and sacrifice. It cannot accept solitary credit for teamwork nor accuse one single person for team failure. Mediocrity can neither recognize failure, nor accept criticism that might otherwise rectify its character. It must forever obstinately and arrogantly justify all its actions since it is supposedly the best of all: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall!"
    Mediocrity is envious. It opposes the constructive efforts of talent because it is no match against it and, therefore, it resorts to sheer physical violence, loud mouth, or conniving glibness of the tongue. Like a braying donkey it tramples all over the garden of flowers as an act of vengeance against the gardener's creative and constructive energy, which it has none. Yet, it vainly boasts of how it signed documents to initiate plans that others envisioned or how it launched programmes that took years of team spirit to bring to its ripeness.
    And where hard work, too, is lacking, mediocrity backbites the arduous labour of talent. Assuming a posture of superiority, it creates a legend through force of repetition to slander talent. When talent, guided by its own vision, refuses to descend to the level of character mongering through repeated lies and rumours, mediocrity seeks alliance with the like-minded, of which there is no shortage in this world. Thus, while mediocres incredulously bark in groups, talent paces gently along the solitary heights of its own vision.
    Talent is a free thinker. It discriminates right from wrong, good from bad. This it does against the backdrop of national and collective interest. Mediocrity is lost in the labyrinths of the self, of day-to-day morsels and immediate goals of personal fame, wealth and luxury. Talent serves the good and rejects the bad. Mediocrity socializes with all because it values cheap popularity.
    Mediocrity allies itself with groups and organizations that buttress its weakness and oil its ego. Talent walks confidently in the light of its own guiding vision. It will criticize wrong doings and applaud all good deeds irrespective of ideological or political groups. It will support anyone acting in the interest of the nation, and criticize everyone acting only in the interest of the self. Mediocrity does not understand this attitude because it must be practical. It must not make enemies anywhere.
    Mediocrity is servile; talent is imperial. Talent obeys no boss, especially when that boss is self-centered. The mediocre will not obey talent where self-interest is not served. Mediocrity dictates; talent commands respect. The envious that cannot command respect resort to violence with the conviction that they alone in the whole wide world can be right on a particular issue. To prove this, they have the gift of fallacies, which they spontaneously use against all opposition and attempt to suppress the talented.
    Mediocrity easily descends to insensitivity. Ignorant of the etiquettes of the sensible world, but cunning enough to understand its own self-interests, it abuses talent in public and apologizes in private. It concocts political truths and slanders talent, hoping thereby to win more mediocres over to its group. Only immediate goals dominate the myopic vision of the mediocre. So, mediocrity burns Rome without playing the music well. Then it lies about the fire and believes in the truth of its own false legends.
    One of our major national problems is a tolerance of mediocrity, which is reverentially promoted and generously awarded honours and prizes. It is as if every pursuit of the trivial is an award-winning enterprise in Nepal. The talented never seek a reward as they perform their duties in honest faith, alert and sensitive to the needs of the nation. Mediocrity, sure of everything, is on an eternal quest for self-promotion on a cheap popular scale. As W. B. Yeats put it, "The best lack conviction, as the worst/Are full of passionate intensity."
Whenever mediocrity becomes the norm, nations begin to collapse. Our great nation is no exception to this rule.