Rand here attributes plain mundaneness to have a more malicious core. He asserts that jealousy and a lack of motivation is the source of idleness. This is true to an extent of the individual and the society. He also states that average intelligence couple with malice is a path to apathy. On the other hand, society must acknowledge those in society who are disadvantaged by circumstance in which ‘mediocrity’ as it is perceived has not been engendered by brooding feelings. In a broader sense, society as a whole experiences mediocrity which can consist of either passive laissez-faire attitudes or a spiteful resentment of authority and systems [sic].
Apathy is viewed as a plague to the individual drive to succeed. It is especially eschewed by parents and teachers who are custodians of the young and are loathe to see a life wasted. Indeed, even the late Pope John Paul II warned young people against mediocrity, but more importantly, not to be fearful. Thus, it is clear that such lifestyles are generally shunned. But for the mediocre individual, resentment and spite may well foster habits which lead to underdeveloped potential. The result is a person of average intelligence in every sense of the word. It is most likely an inwardly-directed self loathing that laments the fact that their own efforts to become better people have failed. What is probably lacking in these lives is an acknowledgement of their importance, primarily through parent, but also through peers and society in general. Hence, it is to a large extent a fault of a person’s environment that engenders a mediocre state that may eventually see the individual failing to love. Again, it is a failure to love and nurture that leads to raw potential.
Society has a duty to support those who are weaker or disadvantaged. In Australia, the primary motivation in doing this comes from a realisation that the group is only as strong as its weakest members. Hence, by empowering the disadvantaged, society as a whole will prosper both economically and within its borders. To label an individual as mediocre may well ignore the basic lack of support or resources available to that person. It is dismissive to state it comes solely from jealousy of one’s betters. This is especially unjust if society has created those circumstances which lead to emotional or material poverty such as with the accession of workplace legislation. Maslow’s hierarchy predicts that if an individual’s needs are not met, then the individual will not move on to higher things. Hence, mediocrity may ensure. It is clear then that all too often mediocrity is misdiagnosed and that the need for societal support is alive today.
Lastly, the way in which society approaches issues can lead to an apathetic society that others look on. Indeed, Australia’s human right’s standing has been repeatedly in question in the last decade. The attitudes we adopt to problems and to others can well indicate the state of ethics. Einstein once stated that “weakness of character is [sic, he actually said becomes] weakness of character”. That is to say, the laissez-faire attitude of society leads to mediocrity which, while not malicious, but not helpful either. On the other hand, an active protestation of responsibilities such as criminal behaviour is a more dangerous form of apathy that degrades society.
It is clear, therefore, that spite and envy are not at the source of mediocrity but it is a failure to love. Society has a duty to those in troubled circumstances. The wider society must also be aware of its own attitude to others.
PS
I think this was a terrible attempt!!! - Mick Smith
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