In Praise of Mediocrity

In Praise(prāz) of Mediocrity(ˌmēdēˈäkrətē)

The pursuit(pərˈso͞ot) of excellence(ˈeksələns) has infiltrated(inˈfil-,ˈinfilˌtrāt) and corrupted(kəˈrəpt) the world of leisure(ˈleZHər,ˈlēZHər).

By Tim Wu

I’m a little surprised(sə(r)ˈprīzd) by how many people tell me they have no hobbies(ˈhäbē). It may seem a small thing, but — at the risk of sounding grandiose(ˈgrandēˌōs,ˌgrandēˈōs) — I see it as a sign(sīn) of a civilization(ˌsivələˈzāSHən) in decline(diˈklīn). The idea of leisure, after all, is a hard-won achievement; it presupposes(ˌprēsəˈpōz) that we have overcome the exigencies(igˈzijənsē,ˈeksijənsē) of brute(bro͞ot) survival(sərˈvīvəl). Yet here in the United States, the wealthiest(ˈwelTHē) country in history, we seem to have forgotten the importance(imˈpôrtns) of doing things solely(ˈsōl(l)ē) because we enjoy them.

Yes, I know: We are all so very busy. Between work and family and social obligations(ˌäbliˈgāSHən
), where are we supposed to find the time?

But there’s a deeper reason, I’ve come to think, that so many people don’t have hobbies: We’re afraid(əˈfrād) of being bad at them. Or rather, we are intimidated(inˈtimiˌdāt
) by the expectation(ˌekspekˈtāSHən) — itself a hallmark(ˈhôlˌmärk) of our intensely(inˈtenslē) public, performative(pərˈfôrmətiv) age — that we must actually be skilled at what we do in our free time. Our “hobbies,” if that’s even the word for them anymore, have become too serious(ˈsi(ə)rēəs), too demanding(diˈmandiNG), too much an occasion(əˈkāZHən) to become anxious(ˈaNG(k)SHəs) about whether you are really the person you claim(klām) to be.

If you’re a jogger(ˈjäɡər), it is no longer enough to cruise(kro͞oz) around the block; you’re training for the next marathon(ˈmarəˌTHän). If you’re a painter(ˈpāntər), you are no longer passing a pleasant(ˈplezənt) afternoon, just you, your watercolors and your water lilies(ˈlilē); you are trying to land a gallery(ˈgalərē) show or at least garner(ˈgärnər) a respectable(riˈspektəbəl) social media following. When your identity(īˈdentitē) is linked to your hobby — you’re a yogi(ˈyōgē), a surfer, a rock climber(ˈklīmər) — you’d better be good at it, or else who are you?

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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opinion/sunday/in-praise-of-mediocrity.html