The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind.
quote by John Stuart Mill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The tendency of democracies is, in all things, to mediocrity.
quote by James Fenimore Cooper
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I May Well Be A Mediocrity
I MAY WELL BE A MEDIOCRITY
I may well be a mediocrity
One who tries and tries
But never really inspires-
I may well be one of the many
Called but not chosen-
I may be more another small unimportant disturbance
Than one whose work is of real meaning and value-
I may well be a mediocrity
And an ultimate nothing-
Whose words are now saved by a new technology
But will be dust forever -
I may well be a mediocrity
Despite wanting so much not to be-
I may well be a mediocrity
And probably am-
In which case I apologize
To the reader of this
If there is one
For taking your time.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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I put for the general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.
quote by Thomas Hobbes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I put for a general inclination of all mankind a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death. And the cause of this is not always that a man hopes for a more intensive delight than he has already attained to, or that he cannot be content with a moderate power; but because he cannot assure the power and means to live well which he hath present, without the acquisition of more. And from hence it is that kings, whose power is greatest, turn their endeavours to the assuring it at home by laws or abroad by wars; and, when that is done, there succeedeth a new desire, in some of fame from new conquest, in others of ease and sensual pleasure, in others of admiration or being flattered for excellence in some art or other ability of the mind.
quote by Thomas Hobbes
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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I Am Not Proud Of Being A Mediocrity
I AM NOT PROUD OF BEING A MEDIOCRITY
I am not proud of being a mediocrity-
But if I am
Does this mean
I should stop writing forever?
Does it mean I should spend the rest of my life
In bitter angry lament?
If I am a mediocrity
And chances are good that I am
Then perhaps I should just try to live with it
And understand
The only one who's time will be wasted
And who will give attention to all this writing I have done
Is me.
Mediocrity or not,
I can still try to be a fairly decent human being.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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Peace Proposal
Said General Clay to General Gore really must we fight this silly war
To kill and die in such a bore I quite agree said General Gore
Said General Gore to General Clay we could go to the beach today
And have some icecream on the way a grand idea said General Clay
Said General Clay to General Gore we'll build sand castles on the shore
Said General Gore we'll splash and play let's leave right now said General Clay
Said General Gore to General Clay but what if the sea's closed today
And what if the sand's been blown away the dreadful thought said General Clay
Said General Gore to General Clay I've always feared the ocean's spray
And we may drown it's true we may it chills my blood said General Clay
Said General Clay to General Gore my bathin' suit is slightly tore
We better go on with our war I quite agree said General Gore
The General Clay chanrged General Gore as bullets flew and cannons roared
And now at last there is no more of General Clay or General Gore
poem by Sheldon Allan Silverstein
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The Generals
Said General Clay to General Gore,
'Oh must we fight this silly war?
To kill and die is such a bore.'
'I quite agree,' said General Gore.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'We could go to the beach today
And have some ice cream on the way.'
'A grand idea,' said General Clay.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'But what if the sea is closed today?
And what if the sand's been blown away?'
'A dreadful thought,' said General Clay.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'I've always feared the ocean's spray,
And we may drown!' 'It's true, we may.
It chills my blood,' said General Clay.
Said General Clay to General Gore,
'My bathing suit is slightly tore.
We'd better go on with our war.'
'I quite agree,' said General Gore.
Then General Clay charged General Gore
As bullets flew and cannons roared.
And now, alas! there is no more
Of General Clay or General Gore.
poem by Sheldon Allan Silverstein
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Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.
John F. Kennedy in Speech to UN General Assembly (25 September 1961)
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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What concerns me, is the general social tendency to enforce a level, above which nothing rises and stands out.
quote by Dietrich Fischer Dieskau
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This circulating medium has a natural tendency to lessen by degrees the value and the use of money, and finally to render it powerless; and consequently to sweep away all the crushing masses of fraud, iniquity, cruelty, corruption and imposition that are built upon it.
quote by Josiah Warren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Power
Sometimes a smile can deceive the one who has made you promise
Suddenly you can't believe, the truth only leaves you cold
Sometimes the answers you fear are there on the face in the mirror
Something the world needs to hear but no one is even listening
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To back up the things you say
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To cut through the chains Breakaway
Fortune can wear a disguise Pride is a grand illusion
And when it's your name up in lights fate proves this one conclusion
Sometimes the answers you fear are there on the face in the mirror
Something the world needs to hear the truth only leaves you cold
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To back up the things you say
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To cut through the chains Breakaway
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To fight back and not be afraid
Power It takes Power Power It takes Power
To cut through the chains Breakaway
All that you see someday will be
Lost in the shadows of time
Mountains must fall someday this all
Will be darkness where light used to shine
song performed by by Kansas
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Captain Nemo
Captain nemo is too good for you and me
Take a voyage to the bottom of the sea
Hes a riddle you will see in the middle of the sea
If you ask him things about life, then he will say:
Oh no, Im far too continental for mankind
I dont interfere in your life
See me as a searcher with the answers
To your world from under the sea
Captain nemo knows the world be we dont know
What control of light and darkness means
Hell show
If we come in peace at heart
He may help us to restart what went wrong
So long ago from down below
Oh no, Im far too continental for mankind
I dont interfere in your life
See me as a searcher with the answers
To your world from under the sea
See him as a searcher with the answers to mankind
Hes far too continental
Though hes wiser than all man
He is curious about the plan
Violated by the man, the master plan
Oh no, hes far too continental for mankind
He doesnt interfere in your life
See him as a searcher with the answers
To your world from under the sea
Oh no, hes far too continental for mankind
He doesnt interfere in your life
See him as a searcher with the answers
To your world from under the sea
Oh no, hes far too continental for mankind
Under the sea
song performed by by Ace Of Base
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mediocrity
Mediocrity is the cursed of the damned!
Failure to great men
Who set their bows
And aim skywards
To strike their starry targets.
Mediocrity is success though
For lesser mortals...............
Short sighted non-visionaries
Who always hope for lady luck
To bail them out
Of their misfortune recurrent.
So then, for many
Mediocrity is success!
To a select few......
An abject failure!
poem by Enoch John
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General Crossing
Its an old profession
Of subtle artillery.
Rough wheels meshing ---
Button out, button in.
The tall general will mine
A few bridges tonight,
Stroking soft machinery.
Fanfare at dawn
Courting green steel
Lined up for world war one
(two, three, four).
Its an old profession
Of subtle artillery.
Rough wheels meshing ---
On a landscape with no trees.
The tall general points
To the distance ---
Disconnects his power supply.
Writes a stiff note to his nearest
And dearest ---
He takes the battle plan
And contemplates his fly.
The tall general
Flies by the seat of history.
The tall general
Is crossing.
The tall general
He thinks inevitability.
The tall general
Is definitely crossing.
With spit and with polish ---
Time for desperate measures.
The pain in the forehead
From holding up to the pressures
Of life on the rim
Of the convenient alliance.
Out on the rim ---
Let me out on the rim.
The tall general will walk
Across the compound
With his briefcase and i.d.
Later theyll post him
Seemingly missing ---
Hes gone to be a generalski.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Popularized To Address And Adorn
They've been conditioned to believe,
What happens to them in their environment...
Is a reflection of society and the general public.
And what has been done to them has been effective.
And...
Indirectly,
They are correct.
Although,
What they expose and show as a collective mindset...
With a lack of comprehension as to who they are,
Consciously speaking...
Skips and misses the point of having an identity.
And this they should know.
But many of them have been taught...
Mediocrity is acceptable.
And to be literate offends their ethnicity.
And only in the 'inner cities'...
Is this believed,
To be a fashion statement!
Where everything else,
Seems to begin to generate taste and flavor...
Before being popularized to address and adorn.
And marketed to benefit the easy life of thieves.
And this they should know.
But many of them have been taught...
Mediocrity is acceptable.
And to be literate offends their ethnicity.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Mediocrity Is Not An Effort That Succeeds
I do not pursue a challenge with you.
No.
Not at all.
I am on a quest,
To outdo 'my' best!
And having me to critique,
My own efforts made...
I wouldn't wish this kind of pressure,
On anyone else.
You should hear some of the things I say!
I am too forgiving of others' attempts.
And much too strict...
When accepting what I believe,
Is a commitment to achieve...
What I deem for myself as 'sheer' mediocrity.
And mediocrity is not an effort that succeeds.
Not for me as a motivator,
Pushing towards a direction that pleases.
It is for me an acceptance of procrastination.
And I have already given myself accolades for that.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
quote by Joseph Heller
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The tendency of man's nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards. There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downwards. Now by striking water and causing it to leap up, you may make it go.
quote by Ni'matullah Wali
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mediocrity would always win by force of numbers, but it would win only more mediocrity.
quote by Ellen Glasgow
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When Will Things Change
the world is unworthy and things countine to be dirty when will things change. when the world is full of mess and people just countine to strees, when will things change. when the streets are some of our homes never knowing why were alone, when will the world change. people cry at night just to give up a fight, when will things change. when you need to cry and you need someone 'why' when will things change.
when the world is sour and people have way to much power, when will things change. crying about the past, the things that never last. when will things change. when the world around you is cold, and shared feelings never seem to bold when will things change. when the world comes at you fast and ever part of your stress continues to last. when will things change.
poem by Katie Patterson
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