Mediocrity and Its Growth

By Arup Mitra

The theory of mediocrity would suggest that the meritorious, who are always small in number as a nature’s gift, will be dominated by a vast number of mediocrities, as the latter cannot withstand the inferiority they suffer from. By subjugating the merit, they derive the pleasure of establishing their superiority. Such processes are functional in all spheres of life, although the field of art suffers the worst. An artist's mind is most sensitive, and those who are meritorious in this lot possess exceptionally different traits. This makes them more vulnerable and, conversely, paves the path for the mediocre to cast their shadows all around. Unjust and strong criticisms are sufficient to detract many.
In developing countries, there are many modes of subjugation. Individuals do not hesitate to resort to criminal means, as the subconscious, prevalent with vengeance, easily accesses the outlets for execution. The lack of civility and the power of money form a unique combination that destabilizes a talent-filled personality. Further, mediocrity in self-defense creates institutions that make them survive eternally without being exposed or punished. 
In this short piece, we explore two important areas for illustration: the film world and higher education and research.  
The death of an extremely talented young actor (Sushant Singh Rajput) in Bollywood is a live example of such torture and destabilization mechanisms. Certain groups without talent but with resources have successfully established their dominance. The financiers of projects are dependent on them, the production houses carry out their orders, and their decisions in all spheres will have to be followed because disobedience can result in a complete dismissal of an organization or a character – be it director, producer, or artist or whosoever may be there in that chain. Their access to the underworld can result in smooth physical elimination. Oral backstabbing can produce exclusion and exit from the industry. Even a certain degree of success in acquiring consignment can be turned into a flop with their fingertips. If talented artists lack strong networks because they do not have a legacy in the field, some nominal strategies are sufficient to demolish their careers. Thus, talent is resisted, and mediocrity keeps the temple ready for its own worship even in the years to come. The new recruits will be their decisions so that there is no possibility of comparison, and eventually, mediocrity would rule to prove that it is the best among all.
This theory helps us explain the paradox of why, in a developing country like India, an unbelievably large magnitude of resource-based projects are pursued in the cinema industry with a disproportionately large tilt towards average outcomes, the impressive ones being within the confinements of finger counts. The answers to how such a sub-optimal situation persists and why it is not self-corrective are embedded in the basic principles on which these organizations function without collapsing. Such multifunctional monopolies must be crushed with strong state intervention if the quality output is to be generated with efficient utilization of resources in the industry.
It is indeed a shame that the reports of the investigations of the death of the artist are not out yet. Justice delayed is justice denied. As a benefit of the doubt, we may presume that the investigators are still looking for substantial proof, which is time-consuming. But after four years of the incident, if nothing is conveyed, it does jolt not only to the family members but also to the public. The faith in democracy gets shaken if mediocrity can get away with huge pay-offs even after committing serious crimes. Interventions from the government as soon as possible are a must.    
The dominance of mediocrity is evident in many spheres. In educational institutions, when it happens, there is a major decay. And as mediocrity prefers similar recruitments to be followed, the average standard declines significantly. Institutions that once emerged as the top hubs of intellectual discourses and innovativeness lose their sanctity and hover around what is obvious and superfluous. That is how respect from the international audience is gone, and a developing country can never equate its intellectual standards with those of its developed counterparts. In such a situation, the reasons for inequality across countries may be attributed not to any external factor but rather to internal faults, vicious circles, and low equilibria embedded in the dynamics. To meet the requirements and visibility both from the demand and supply side, outlets have facilitated publications in exchange for a huge amount of money. 
Vindictiveness and jealousy of the mediocre dominate in eliminating talent and diligence. Dishonesty, corruption, manipulation, and immorality are important because these are the means through which the mediocre survives. The authorities do not get the right picture and rely on those they know well. Familiarity depends on how quickly one approaches the authorities, and incidentally, the mediocre are always desperate to access them first because of their vested interest. That is how the survival of the mediocre becomes sustainable.     Corruptive practices followed to receive research funds and mis-utilize them grossly are some of the common phenomena. However, the tragedy is that the followers of this school do not operate in isolation. They create a huge nexus: they encourage back-door entries because they are the beneficiaries of this route. They nurture each other, and the irony is that the ties among the corrupt are much stronger than those who remain ideal. The climax is reached when they start felicitating each other, creating a space of immortality for themselves. This is only a snapshot of the process that mediocrity pursues for its existence and strengthens its roots for the future.            The entire ecosystem of higher education and research requires revamping. The authorities will have to be vigilant, and the government action will have to be ruthlessly strict. Various stringent methods of monitoring and assessing the employees’ activities must be initiated, and no amount of self-promoting actions must be tolerated.   
About the Author:
Arup Mitra; Professor at Faculty of Economics (FE), South Asian University, New Delhi, India

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