Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Theworstthingyoucanbeisinthemiddleofthepack,themiddleofthebellcurve.Whenaculture’sstandardofsuccessisto“beextraordinary,”itthenbecomesbettertobeattheextremelowendofthebellcurvethantobeinthemiddle,becauseatleastthereyou’restillspecialanddeserveattention.Manypeoplechoosethisstrategy:toprovetoeveryonethattheyarethemostmiserable,orthemostoppressed,orthemostvictimized.

           Alotofpeopleareafraidtoacceptmediocritybecausetheybelievethatiftheyacceptit,they’llneverachieveanything,neverimprove,andthattheirlifewon’tmatter.

           Thissortofthinkingisdangerous.Onceyouacceptthepremisethatalifeisworthwhileonlyifitistrulynotableandgreat,thenyoubasicallyacceptthefactthatmostofthehumanpopulation(includingyourself)sucksandisworthless.Andthismindsetcanquicklyturndangerous,tobothyourselfandothers.

           Therarepeoplewhodobecometrulyexceptionalatsomethingdosonotbecausetheybelievethey’reexceptional.Onthecontrary,theybecomeamazingbecausethey’reobsessedwithimprovement.Andthatobsessionwithimprovementstemsfromanunerringbeliefthattheyare,infact,notthatgreatatall.It’santi-entitlement.Peoplewhobecomegreatatsomethingbecomegreatbecausetheyunderstandthatthey’renotalreadygreat—theyaremediocre,theyareaverage—andthattheycouldbesomuchbetter.