SON OF MEDIOCRITY

Son of Mediocrity

If necessity
is the mother of invention.
Imagination
is the son of mediocrity.
If you can visualize
your dream.
You can reach what others
achieved and learned
for years in school.
What seems distant
or impossible
yet man
already walked
on the face of the moon.

by NeiL ArandA

Reviews

[gabrielle]

"Imagination
is the son of mediocrity."-- This is totally "un-Einstein", Neil. :)
However, if we associate imagination to theory, there's semblance of truth to such proposition for isn't it that most theories are only good on papers or for academic discussion and the same only becomes becomes relevant when we find some practical use/application. This piece made me think that all innovators are visionaries but not all visionaries are innovators. Very catchy title, by the way.

[NeiL ArandA]

A success or full potential of a person cannot truly or fully be gauge by random or fixed academic scales or perhaps academic achievements. The fact that each individuals stages of learning and academic developments vary from individual to individual. Glad you coined the word " visionary ". A talented poet is likened to a " sprinter ". They are good and fast and move with ease. On the contrary, a mediocre poet ( like me ) is likened to a "distance runner" . Its slow but with sustained effort and perseverance will eventually get there. The latter imagine the finish line though its still beyond his sight so as to motivate himself.. Thanks Gab I hope I didn't over explained myself.

[gabrielle]

a talented poet is a sprinter and you likened yourself to a distance runner. very nice analogy. Maybe, i am a "leisure jogger". We can achieve something even without our college degrees but i would still encourage young people to finish their studies. Always my pleasure, neil.

[NeiL ArandA]

Gab I'm thinking . If education is the prime foundation of success which is probably true since I'm reaping the benifits of my parents sacrifice and investments . What about those who could not afford it ? Let alone bless with a beautiful mind to grasp and assimilate all academic informations . If its that important . I wonder why our Lord didnt bless everyone with a brilliant mind so it would be fair to everyone . Why didn't our Lord preached and emphasized wealth and education as the main and sole source of success . Perhaps there are other ways to reach someones full potential through other means if they have not been gifted with wealth and good education . I'm glad I have . But it doesn't make me better than anyone who hasn't . Success and failures regardless of external influence are ordained by God ...What's your opinion or take Gab ?

[gabrielle]

Your questions made me think of the definition of success. is it attaining one’s goal? is it the number of figures we have in our bank accounts? is it our designation in the corporate world? I do believe that determination/ perseverance is one of the prime foundations of success. Our college degrees are but a manifestation of our perseverance. This trait I believe is one of the reasons why many non-degree holders or the underprivileged managed to achieve what they seek/want in life.

As to the question on why didn’t the Lord God bless everyone with a brilliant mind? Your writings gave me idea on how well-versed you are on matters of religion, Neil. I think you could answer that question better than anyone else.:) My opinion is that perhaps the Higher Being may want us to feel that we are in control of our lives. He gave us brain with high hopes that we shall nurture it – through education, perseverance and other means. I remember the parable of the three individuals (I am not sure if they were brothers) who were entrusted with money. Two of them invested what they received, the other buried it in the ground. Who got praised? Who got castigated? The point of the story i believe is…..nasa Diyos ang awa nasa tao ang gawa…
Ideally, our wealth and our education should be used to nurture and enrich the lives of others and but never to use it as an instrument to discriminate or to look down on others….But then again, we humans are flawed and weak beings, we repeatedly commit mistakes.

Success and failures regardless of external influence are ordained by God. --- I am not really sure about this. It sounds like as if we are being programmed like robots. This is extreme but let say that God ordained me to become successful - but what if all I do all day is to sit in front of my computer, watch tv, eat and drink? Would I still become successful? What about when all I do is to persevere, to work hard day and night but I could not change my circumstances because I am fated to live in failure? If this is the case, then we are made not accountable to our own actions. It makes us mere puppets carrying out the grand script of the master puppeteer. If all our actions are in accordance to a grand plan, it makes me wonder who is then the author of war, of genocide and other form of atrocities?
Success and failure depend on the choices we made. We are the authors of our own action as well as the results thereof. We may chose to be a hard worker, to be a persistent student or be bum or be a leech but what we cannot escape are the corresponding consequences of our choices.

[NeiL ArandA]

Gab I have been very busy during the past days . But I have been thinking about my response to your reply . The more I thought of it turn in into a piece . What you shared here is really insightful. I was thinking how to approach my response for I think its two fold . I will see if it can be summarized with just one line . Using the life principles of the Titans of the Orient . There are indeed so many definitions of success . Having good education is a stepping stone . And for those who don't can . Through hard labor and work . So desire does not determine destiny but rather through discipline diligence and determination . So many desires success or to be successful but it comes with aprice .

[Rita L. Sev]

Imagination
is the son of mediocrity...

An interesting concept, Neil. Our dreams can make oceans out of puddles... and mountains out of molehills. :) A good pondering here!

[NeiL ArandA]

You are right Ms Rita. I like how you have elaborated it further. Thanks for stopping by.