The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
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The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opin ... pockethits
I urge you to invest 4 minutes in reading this article from the New York Times. It will speak to many of us.
I urge you to invest 4 minutes in reading this article from the New York Times. It will speak to many of us.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
So true
Tube amp and guitar tones straight from 1958… amazing how believable the sounds were back then, even without the modellers...
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
Nope, doesn't speak to me in the slightest.
Mind you, I have achieved mediocrity in so many things, professionally and personally, that I have long accepted it is who I am and what I am capable of. Effortless levels of mediocrity are what I strive for. If it gets too hard, I'll go be mediocre at something else.
Can I manage to be good at some of them? Yep, which is more than good enough, excellent is far too much like hard work.
Mind you, I have achieved mediocrity in so many things, professionally and personally, that I have long accepted it is who I am and what I am capable of. Effortless levels of mediocrity are what I strive for. If it gets too hard, I'll go be mediocre at something else.
Can I manage to be good at some of them? Yep, which is more than good enough, excellent is far too much like hard work.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
For all the good hard work has done me over the years, I probably should have played more guitar.Molly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
You would just have another hobby that you have the same behaviour with, it's human nature At least you've got really good at guitar, I've dithered back and forth across a multitude of hobbies and never got more than mediocre at any of them, so now I'm focusing on being a great Dad, thats given me some meaning and then the rest of the stuff can just be for funMolly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
Those values are far from mediocrity
2024; I have explored the extent of the perimeter dome, there is no escape. I am become Morpheus
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
Only took me 1 minute to read as my hobby is speed reading and I’m really good at it, thanks to all the practice I do.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
That’s agreeably profound. And in accordance with the intent of the quoted article: have hobbies but don't be pressured by them.jeremyb wrote:You would just have another hobby that you have the same behaviour with, it's human nature At least you've got really good at guitar, I've dithered back and forth across a multitude of hobbies and never got more than mediocre at any of them, so now I'm focusing on being a great Dad, thats given me some meaning and then the rest of the stuff can just be for funMolly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
I have never caught a whiff of mediocrity around you, Oleg. I’d go as far as saying you have no place in this threadolegmcnoleg wrote:Only took me 1 minute to read as my hobby is speed reading and I’m really good at it, thanks to all the practice I do.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
I dive headlong into a sport for a few years and then either end up getting bored or burnt out.
Cycling/Triathlon/Powerlifting/ultramarathons
I guess the positive is that this has allowed me to remain injury free, plus getting solid experience in a number of different sports. But staying true to this thread the end result is that I’m fantastically average in all of them; who knows if I could have actually achieved something if I had focused on just one.
Cycling/Triathlon/Powerlifting/ultramarathons
I guess the positive is that this has allowed me to remain injury free, plus getting solid experience in a number of different sports. But staying true to this thread the end result is that I’m fantastically average in all of them; who knows if I could have actually achieved something if I had focused on just one.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
Funnily enough I didn't read the article should really get round to thatHappyEnding wrote:That’s agreeably profound. And in accordance with the intent of the quoted article: have hobbies but don't be pressured by them.jeremyb wrote:You would just have another hobby that you have the same behaviour with, it's human nature At least you've got really good at guitar, I've dithered back and forth across a multitude of hobbies and never got more than mediocre at any of them, so now I'm focusing on being a great Dad, thats given me some meaning and then the rest of the stuff can just be for funMolly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
I think about it a lot, and watch a lot of youtube, if only I actually practiced as much..Molly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.
No one ever died of hard work.. but why take the risk..
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Re: The Forgotten Importance of Mediocrity
This is me too. I think having a band would change things.chur wrote:I think about it a lot, and watch a lot of youtube, if only I actually practiced as much..Molly wrote:I tend to give too much time to my hobbies. I wonder how much I could've achieved if so much guitar-related crap didn't keep pushing its way to the front of my mind.