Mediocrity Quote by Martinus Hendrikus Benders
““What does it mean to be an 'open source' society? What does one mean when one says one has an 'open mind'? Open source means that its a society everybody can work on improving. It has a synergy that allows the best minds to float on top, since there is no entropical hierarchy of mediocrity - once everything stays fluid there is the odd chance for genius elements to actually lead. Such is the case now in Turkey. The protesters are a fluid synergy that have no entropical leadership, and thus the most brilliant PR moves are made by the resistance, who are opposed by the worst sort of mediocrity that is totally at odds with reality. An 'open mind' follows a similar process, but in this case the entropy hides in the hierarchy of ideas that is implanted in the brain: once a person follows mediocre ideas - such as the 'idea' that 'marriage is the meaning of life' or 'having a job is the purpose of existence' etc - then the phenomenon of the 'open mind' becomes already impossible, for there is an internal hierarchy of entropy present that will prevent any sort of original impulse to have the meaning it truly has. Hence, the only way to escape the mediocrity of ones own mind is to allow anything to build and revise it.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Open Society and Open Mind, 2023
An open source society thrives when everyone can contribute, avoiding rigid hierarchies that stifle brilliance; similarly, an open mind requires shedding internal hierarchies of ideas to allow genuine creativity.
In simple terms: Open collaboration beats rigid hierarchy; mental openness needs idea fluidity.
Encourage inclusive participation and challenge entrenched beliefs.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- community projects
- grassroots activism
- personal development
- education reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What hierarchies in your life block creativity?
- How can you foster fluid collaboration in your community?
Rigid structures can still dominate despite openness, limiting true innovation.