FAIR TO MIDDLIN'?

Most people today live their working lives to the 'what can I get away with' standard. It's pathetic, lazy and spectacularly self-defeating. They have accepted mediocrity, defined as moderate or low quality, in value, in ability, and/or in performance. As destructive as this is, it works in today's society, and in today's business world as well. We have all heard tales recently of failing CEO's being rewarded with million dollar incentive plans solely for their showing up, rather than being a reward for performance.

But that isn't the issue today. The issue is the devastating effect this paradigm is having on the generations to follow. Over 40 years ago it was estimated that we used 50 per cent of the brain's potential, twenty years ago it was estimated that we used 30 per cent of our brain's potential, ten years ago it was still thought that we used between 5 and 20 per cent of the brain's potential. Today, we know that we are consciously using less than one per cent of our brain's capabilities. How much lower can we set the bar?

Face it: we are amazing creations, filled with incredible potential. To settle for mediocrity simply means you are willing to live beneath your abilities, capabilities, giftings and talents. It is of little wonder that as we use less and less of our facilitys and as we demonstrate less and less drive and motivation in our own lives, we pass on these wonderful perspectives onto our siblings.

Statistics show that of all students enrolled in the Los Angeles Unified School District, a whopping 35% will drop out before graduating with a diploma. Lowered expectations....lowered results. We are drowning in a morass of mediocrity, and we are leaving our future generation in a quagmire they may never overcome.

As politicians seek desperately to explain our nations failing (and falling) academic test scores, it has become commonplace for them to promise the magic elixir to improve our schools, higher teacher salaries. The hypothesis being that additional compensation will somehow motivate failing teachers into motivate the failing student body. This is a unique twist, let's lower expectations AND give them a raise.

The fact is that each year, some children won’t pick up the concepts before the end of the year. They’ll flunk the tests, they won’t complete their schoolwork, maybe they won’t learn how to multiply or divide – whatever it is – they won’t be ready for the next grade. The sad fact is that they’re probably going there anyway.

Many school districts have policies that students can’t be held back. In the Spokane Public School system, they have a policy that states.... “No student shall be retained more than once during K-8 grades except in special cases”. The procedure says it’s because “research demonstrates that retention does not help students who do not succeed because they have low potential; have social, emotional, or behavioral problems; or lack motivation.” Lowered expectations...lowered performance levels.

Pick up any newspaper, or turn on any television and you will hear about the plight of General Motors. GM is a failure by any standard, however low. Despite a shifting marketplace towards fuel efficiency, despite the most blatant of indicators, despite enjoying record sales and profits a scant decade ago, GM is now readying themselves to cozy up to the governmental tit and get a bailout.....a billion dollar bailout no less. No upholding of expectations, no personal accountability, no penalty for failure. We have set the bar so low I want to vomit. We used to say what is good for GM is good for the country. I no longer accept that premise. Enough is enough.

And that is the world....the "World According to Kimba." Thanks for reading. Agree / disagree? Click on the word "comment" below and express your views. Anonymous comments accepted.