Is it okay to be mediocre?

submitted by detty from self.AskSaidIt

Title

Edit: just wanted to clarify some things.

This isn't some negative self-talk, this wasn't posted to get reassurance/attention/etc. I have no problem with me or anyone else being mediocre. I just need some outside perspective.

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[–]soundsituation 7 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 3 fun -  (6 children)

By definition it is.

[–]NastyWetSmear 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah. Mathematically, the majority of any number of people who do any particular thing have to be, right? Even if there was some strange event where everyone who attempted something completed it 100% perfectly, that would simply become the average.

[–]detty[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

Based

[–]LarrySwinger2 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

sound*

[–]detty[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Sounding*

[–]neolib 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

wtf

[–]detty[S] 2 insightful - 4 fun2 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

No one forced you to click it!

[–]TotalAnon1337 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

Comparing yourself to others is a fast track to misery. Be healthy and have fun. We'll all be dead soon.

[–]Mel_ 2 insightful - 4 fun2 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 4 fun -  (4 children)

Fucking simp asshole creep. Enjoy your company of cunts

[–]Zomer 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

Why is Musky's imaginary friend speaking

[–]Mel_ 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (2 children)

Little bitch

[–]Zomer 3 insightful - 4 fun3 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 4 fun -  (1 child)

Why is Musky's imaginary friend little bitch speaking

[–]American_Muskrat 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Former little bitch*

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Be a Squidward in a world of Sponge Bobs.

[–]neolib 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

I don't think true mediocrity exists - each skill or experience is situated somewhere on the normal curve, one can be better/worse at some skills and have more/less of some experience, but nobody is situated at the centre of that skill/experience space.

[–]detty[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

"Everyone is special in their own way" type shit.

People with no outstanding qualities do exist, you can't deny that.

[–]YoMamma 1 insightful - 3 fun1 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Antonio Salieri: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCQjrW0ofRE

[–]neolib 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

"Everyone is special in their own way" type shit.

This just sounds like (inherent on saidit) contrarianism - "it's a popular adage, therefore I'm against it".

People with no outstanding qualities do exist, you can't deny that.

Looks like we think of different things when saying "mediocre" - I don't consider it to be the opposite to "with outstanding qualities", in my opinion there's three groups of people: mediocre, with moderately developed qualities, with outstanding qualities. If you combine the first two groups as "mediocre" then the answer to the title is obviously yes, almost everybody is "mediocre" by this definition.

Taking IQ as a convenient example with exactly normal distribution (100,15) for me people with mediocre IQ are in the range 90-110 (which would be roughly 50% of the population (proof)), and outstandingly high IQ is 2-3 sigmas more than 100 (130 or 145 accordingly). What is the mediocre IQ range, by your definition?

Also yes, I exaggerated a bit with "nobody", should have said "insignificant amount of people".

[–]Zapt 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

As a young adult, I was taught that it is pretentious to ask why someone isn't as ambitious as I am. What I saw as mediocracy is what some saw as a perfect life, and they were right. You are right. It is about perspective. What drives us and what makes us happy are unique to the individual.

[–]American_Muskrat 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

Fuck no.

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Take a chance!

[–]American_Muskrat 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Take a chance on me

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

https://youtu.be/_elEO3pkASg

[–]YoMamma 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Following excellent points by neolib and TotalAnon1337, I'd also say one's view of mediocrity is just a perception. Thus the answer to your question is yes and no. We can be mediocre if we want, and yet we're not really mediocre, so it's not good to think we are. We are all important and have to find what it is we can do that's beneficial to ourselves and others. Breakthroughs of that kind will help.

[–]ID10T 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It's fine to be mediocre at things you don't care about. For your career, or passions, no, you should always strive for excellence.

Like I'm very happy with myself, but I'm never totally satisfied with my skill level at my favorite activities, artistic endeavors, or work output and always strive for self improvement.

[–]BanditMcFuklebuck 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

This ain't lake woebegone....

[–]LarrySwinger2 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

This is Cape Fear.

[–]Brewdabier 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

And what's wrong with mediocre?, I'm 71 and live a wonderful mediocre life. And each year when I get a COLA my pension takes care of less and less.

[–]Optimus85 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

What's not OK is doing nothing about it. Always strive for excellence.

[–]twolanterns 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

mediocre = normal (middle part of the bell curve)

things just work and successes being expected and small = stability

being outside of normal can make you a target

arrogant assholes have to achieve something to be tolerated

[–]x0x7 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

You have to be mediocre at some things. Even the richest guy in the world is, so there is no reason you should be an exception.

[–]Gravi 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

lol

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

Sounds like you want to be on Only Fans for the attention.

[–]YoMamma 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You're projecting

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

https://detty.ng/

[–]LarrySwinger2 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Sounds like you want that to happen we can see through you Woody

[–]WoodyWoodPecker 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

OK BUDDY, I VANT TO SEE BOBS AND VAGINIE BUDDY! /s