Something is considered a mediocre thing when it is normal, ordinary and of the heap. In other words, the mediocre does not stand out in a set of similar things, because it is not one of the best things or the worst.
Mediocre is always a comparative matter and can only be understood under certain circumstances. And the same is true of mediocrity when it comes to people. Let's look at the relative dimension of mediocrity with a simple football example: a forward can be mediocre to play for Real Madrid but a great player to be part of another team.
A relevant issue is the evolution of the concept that we analyze here, since we must not forget that the exceptional can end up being mediocre in many cases (in the world of fashion the initiators of a new style are rare, but when the new trend prevails and generalization becomes normal and therefore mediocre). On the other hand, the use of this term has one meaning or another depending on the context, so it can be used as an insult or as something positive.
Apology for the mediocre man
The Roman poet Horacio coined a concept that we still use, the golden mean, which comes to be the satisfaction of the ordinary or mediocre man; who finds his happiness in a simple way and without any pretense. Previously, Aristotle reflected on the mesotes or middle ground, which is the virtuous path based on avoiding extreme behaviors and, therefore, is a defense of moderation, something that connects with mediocrity. Continuing with historical references, it is worth remembering the praise of Jesus Christ by humble men and the poor in spirit in the Sermon on the Mount. These examples highlight that the ideal of the average, ordinary, and mediocre man has been advocated throughout history. In this sense, it should not be forgotten that communism addressed the great mass of individuals, the proletariat, to be the protagonists of a revolution through the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Against mediocrity
There are other ways of evaluating mediocre. In fact, the defense of the common man means for some not to understand that humanity has evolved thanks to the ingenuity and effort of great men, exceptional people who broke molds because they moved away from mediocre life.
Only the different, atypical and unusual individual is capable of contributing something different. Those who have changed the course of history have been characters like Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Newton or Plato, unique individuals who have nothing to do with the gray and ordinary man.
Photo: iStock - Giulio Fornasar
