Dear Friends,
It seems to me, wise people follow those who lead by example. If you want to be a great welder, watch a great welder work and emulate him or her. If you desire to be a great circuit board debugger, work with a great circuit board debugger and match their style. No matter what endeavor you seek to master, the optimal path to greatness is to emulate the great. That is a road laid down and paved. You need only walk to the end and cut trail from there. No need to cut trail all the way, yet that is exactly what most people do. Moreover, following those who are unable but have authority is a sure path to mediocrity. Because the mediocre can only lead others to mediocrity.
Those who lead by example prove by that act that they know what they’re doing. They have “savoir-faire.” The thing about savoir-faire is that it rubs off on those attending to it. This means that if you watch and copy those who are exceptional you can become exceptional yourself. Their savoir-faire has rubbed off on you. The mediocre can teach the basics and in this they are useful. This is because the basics of any craft are foundational and typically an optimal point skill set. Van Gogh self-mastered the classic style before going out on his own. This is why the masters, whatever the skill, craft, or profession, are the ones to follow. Following the mediocre only leads to mediocrity. This applies to government as much as welding, because if the mediocre set the rules mediocrity must result.
They say bureaucracy is where hopes and dreams go to die. Bureaucrats become highly educated solipsists who would change the world, but end up in a cubicle instead. Worse, many discouraged PhDs become generals in Marxist revolutions. Either way their mediocrity is imposed on society, culture, and the nation. Just as a mediocre teacher can only bring a student with great potential to mediocrity. From there a student must cut trail or find someone else’s path to follow. A nation that is ruled from the cubicle is driven to mediocrity. Those individuals who are exceptional must cut trail from there… which the bureaucrats quickly fill back in with catclaw, tickle tongue, and the poison sumac of regulation. This is why central planning and elitism always lead to diminished outcomes.
People with exceptional talent often do exceptional things, and those with limited or no talent generally don’t. To do an exceptional thing, however, requires one to do something. That person must build something, come up with an idea, or other activity. As a result, the great mostly don’t become politicians or bureaucrats. This limits the pools of candidates to the mediocre. If there is anything that defines the mediocre, it is their hubris. The mediocre believe education, not creation, define greatness. They are offended when the world doesn’t see it that way. Such people seize power and force their mediocrity on everyone. Moreover, if someone of exceptional talent, a person who leads by example, steps up, the mediocre will immediately recognize the threat.
Given the opportunity most people will follow those that lead by example. It’s only when we are forced to follow the mediocre that we do. If all the great welders were barred from teaching new welders, they would have trouble progressing. A nation that is regulated by the mediocre is driven to mediocrity. Since the great don’t become bureaucrats, regulation must be done by the mediocre. This leads to general mediocrity. This is because credentials are no substitute for experience. If following the great leads to greatness, then a better way would be to give everyone access to the great. How? By recording them working while describing what they are doing and why. Then everyone could learn from the greats instead of the fortunate few acolytes they gather. Let the market choose who is followed.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
