Measured into Mediocrity

Moderns wisely tell you that constant measuring is the key to determining value, using slogans like "what gets measured, get managed" and "what gets measured gets done." They love measuring and feedback, and soon they live on statistics and public comments to determine quality.

Politicians follow the same cue and take whatever position polls say is popular.

Movies cut out anything focus groups think is unpleasant, leaving saccharine one-dimensional market tested plots.

News is produced by measuring views and clicks, telling the stories people want to watch in the way they want it, which focuses on celebrities, sports, and trivial interpretations of world events. Standards are discarded in favor of whatever gets positive ratings from the mob.

The average person has become the ideal, working as the best argument against ambitious efforts, making them ruinous if attempted because they will be eclipsed in the marketplace by the more popular inferior alternative.

Imagine Beethoven crafting his symphonies to appeal to an audience, rather than knowing profound music will dazzle them with contours they could never expect.