The Culture of Mediocracy
A growing number of countries across the world are grappling
with the rise of mediocrity. There is a
fair amount of confusion about how mediocrity has taken such firm root. A
number of theories are put forward. Some lay the blame on educational
institutions, where the standards of education are lowered as more young people
from varied backgrounds enroll. Equally accountable are mediocre teachers and
administrators.
With the exception of a few elite universities, the average
higher education institutions tend to marginalize the more capable, even
resorting to mockery, intimidation and questioning their loyalty. This leads to
a sense of alienation, resulting in a silencing or resignation.
There is a culture of “good enough” or “chalay ga” that
permeates many institutions, industries, and services. Mediocrity’s aim is to
ease the work load, get away with the least effort, avoid accountability, and
ensure perpetuity.
Mediocrity is comfortable with vague goals, and moral
platitudes. The most used phrase after a tragedy occurs in Pakistan is “jitni
bhi mazamat ki jai nakafi hai” (any words of condemnation are
insufficient) with little attempt to
address the specifics of the tragedy.
The ancient Greek historian Herodotus, advised Periander on
how to rule, by walking through a wheat field and cutting off the tallest stalks
of the crop. Periander understood the message and decapitated the best men
around him.
Mediocre literally means "halfway up a mountain" –
a person who is content to occupy the middle level. Mediocre is mistakenly
equated with average. Where average
meets the minimum standard, and has the possibility of improvement, mediocre is
sub-standard and static.
Capitalism prefers a homogenous society that shares the same
tastes for its products and the same ambitions to support its businesses.
Governments prefer to
rule with no questions asked, whether a democracy or a dictatorship. Even within government, the core leadership prefers
a compliant assembly of lawmakers.
Quota systems make the striving for excellence irrelevant. Quotas
were intended to limit, for example, the
number of students to be admitted,
exports and imports of
goods, or the number of migrants allowed
to enter a country. Conversely, they also create access - a step up for those
who were deprived of opportunities. In
USA and UK quotas are created to benefit people of colour in an all-white
society.
In Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan introduced the quota system in
1948 to encourage Bengalis to join the Civil Service. In 1973, it was
instituted in Sindh for 40 years to allow rural areas to improve their
educational institutions, but instead has been extended for another 20
years. Today the Civil Service of Pakistan
selects only 7.5% of applicants on merit, while 92.5% are selected by quota. This combined
with the Lateral Entry System (LES) of the 70s, that allowed external
appointments, demoralized cadre government workers.
Mediocrity may be acceptable in personal lives but destroys
public institutions which are expected to spearhead progress and development.
Meritocracy, or selection by merit, is a term invented by
British sociologist, Michael Young, in 1958. It has proved difficult to
implement in most countries. An example
of its value is Singapore, which under the 30 year leadership of Lee Kwan Yew,
transformed a swampy, backward island
into one of the world’s richest countries. Setting aside Western
interpretations of democracy in favour of discipline. Yew followed Plato’s
concept of the “Guardian” and the Chinese bureaucrat scholar, the “Mandarin”.
Today, who strives for excellence? It is the ballet dancer,
the Kathak dancer, the tabla nawaz, the singer who participates in
competitions, the chess player, the Olympic athlete, the professional cricketer
and footballer, cutting edge doctors, the developer of artificial
intelligence. These efforts are all
practice based, and are challenged by equals.
Too many of us use excuses such as I don't have the right
degree, I'm too old, It's too hard, I
don't have time, no one will let me. The only way to break through the thick crust
of mediocrity is to follow Aristotle’s advice: excellence is not an act but a
habit.
Durriya Kazi
June 17, 2022
Karachi
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