Imagine a blazing marketplace, a tiny part of society. In this marketplace wanders our idealist, an individual yearning to have the glistening, gourmet masterpiece of a cheeseburger – a symbol of the perfect life advertised on billboards across the city, only accessible to the pinnacles of society. On the other hand, the tinkling sounds of the coins in his pockets remind him of the mundane and unappealing sandwich that he can afford, mirroring his economic reality.

 

You must be wondering why I’m bringing up the economic status of a person while talking about mediocrity. Well, let me tell you that everything does boil down to that, at least in this context of a marketplace—imitating the reality of life. This strange place overflows with wonderful gourmet choices, making our idealist a puppet between the worlds of scarcity and abundance. His limited resources create a cruel paradox; the very abundance that surrounds him amplifies the mediocrity of his options. The sandwich, a pretty decent meal in his everyday context, seems like a rather pale option, contrary to his desires. 

This constant reminder of what he can’t afford is the very meaning of being stuck in the vicious cycle of mediocrity. 

 

If the idealist also happens to be an optimist, there is every possibility that he could 

garner motivation from the fancy billboards around him to fuel himself free from the limitations of his mediocrity. The moment he starts viewing these billboards as motivational posters rather than symbols of unattainable luxuries, he starts looking out for the journey ahead rather than the fate of his apparent destination (The sandwich). 

 

The marketplace will now turn into his training ground, which is going to help him through the process of growing as an individual. He will begin to value his current situation and learn to appreciate the ordinary, which is far superior to those who are consumed by the intricate webs of poverty. Although eliminating materialistic measures may not be feasible, given how much value there is to a person’s standard of living, he will start focusing on improving his living conditions by striving harder.

If he were to become a rebel, a fire might ignite within him. Looking at others worse off than him could fuel his disappointment and transform the fate of his life by questioning the flawed system. The billboards, once symbols of unattainable desires, will now morph into targets – testaments to a system that prioritizes societal standards over well-being. This patch could be filled with ridicule, isolation, and danger. The idealist must be prepared for the pitfalls that lie ahead. 

 

Mediocre individuals are often bombarded with messages to learn from their regrets. But what about the journey of this person? Is their growth entirely dependent on the mistakes they make? Or is there more to it? Perhaps our idealist could start looking outside the box.  He might learn valuable lessons from the people around him and their successes, if not from their blunders. Or maybe, amidst the abundance of his choices, he might stumble upon a skill in him he never knew existed – ultimately unlocking a new path to self improvement. 

 

Given the two choices that are laid out in front of him, the idealist shrugs his shoulders. The marketplace, once a symbol of his limitations, now seems like an ocean of opportunities. He tinkles his meager coins and notes, which no longer tinkle as loud noises of disappointment but as a starting point. The bright and dazzling cheeseburger still holds the same value, but a different kind of zeal and hunger burn in him. Will he focus on his skills, hoping to grow vertically? Or will the fire of rebellion consume him, pushing him into the deep trenches of questioning the very system that created this marketplace of desires? The choice, the journey, and the destination it entails, remain unwritten. 

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