Blank is state of mind

What is going around ?  Lately have you asked this around? Well I am just as baffled as anybody would be these days around. I am not talking about why somebody died, how did Mr.Trump managed to get a thumping victory in the US elections. Also I am not at all confused with the mystical questions of life, for I have known for long, no point in finding truth, which just can’t be found out.

The questions which usually baffles me is exactly where we are heading as a country, as a society, as a city. Where we are heading as a civilization. In my last write up I had thought about greed. How it is guiding us to our doom. We all know that till now we have not got any proof that any civilization has lasted for more than 2000 years in continuum except what we are living in. But look closely what is exactly we are following. How much of last 2000 or 3000 years has been used and understood.

All I know and can see is history is being used to create tele-drama. We are not looking at the bigger picture here. Chances are that we are already messed up pretty much and are heading towards our doom. Lets not get that much negative. But definitely everybody will agree, these days all we can hear is how somebody has killed others, how a airliner has gone down, trains subjected to accidents and fathers killing their families.

The positives are like thin waffles, in the sea of gourmet dishes which has tones of various negatives. My mind is numb, not because I am not a normal person, but due to the fact, the societal structure is getting destroyed. Lot of folks will relate this with constant change through which society is going through. Free will of person matters more than anything.

But lets see the stuff from a different point of view. What is one thing which you care about ? Like I care about my family, what is yours. Put that in center and ask yourself that what are the actions you have taken today which will ensure that they are happy TODAY. Not yesterday, not tomorrow but today in this moment. I have not got any answer, I was blank. And that’s why I say blank is state of mind.

We are working to earn money, forgetting that there are stuff which matters, which matters more than anything in word. Things which cant be measured with anything. Time which just flows, does not matter what happens. May be you don’t love your family much. Lets say I love physics, even then I have not done anything which will satisfy me.

I am being subjected to whims and fancies of my boss at the place I work. May be you are a person who is working for something or somebody. Or you may be having your own company, but even in that case you are subjected to market regulations and whims of population. The same population who is made up of people like me, who have lost it already, in their subconscious mind, the power of thinking and making things count.

So what’s makes me say the same sentence over and over again? News papers are filled with voices, of people who are suffering in one way or another. Every day I see more news of rapes, murder by those people who are supposed to lead the current generation. Those who are trusted with life are misusing of trust. Pleple are doing heinous things for the fun of it. Freedom comes with a rider of responsibility. But we are looking at a more unruly world. Half of world is in war state, remaining half is in grip of corruption. Corruption which is as rampant as the life itself.

I can go ahead and come up with references of what I have just written, but then it will be a reference piece, not a personal blog.

Here I am putting my tired keyboard (yes you read right!) some rest, with some lines

What’s the use if we can’t consume something, which we have earned or in some way have gained possession of? And if we can’t consume it then why to go to great lengths to acquire it? 

The affair of the world

The war is about to start.
This is what most of the people had thought when Russia Annexed Crimea, or Eastern Crimea. Whatever stupid reason Russia was giving to world, nobody was going to believe her. 
Everybody knew, that nothing could be done about it, after all nobody wanted another war. With Economy showing finally a hope of reviving. Everybody loves money and especially when it is earned through the labor of others. 
Socialism is declining for a decade. China is moving towards capitalism. But capitalist countries are going towards the sinking hole of corruption. The famous capitalism, which is based in the merit of fair compensation of labor and infamous "demand and supply" is on decline. We had already seen where greed could take human being.

It feels like yesterday when Stock market crashed to astonishing 9000 after 2008 crisis. And the way USA sanction limits in aftermath of attacks on world trade center is still fresh. One brutal act has disturbed whole equilibrium of world.

My question is simple, what are we doing here? What is our current state? And where are we heading? We as a race have evolved. We created lots and lots of variation of societal structure, some of them worked but none of them survived for 2000 years in continuum. 

So we had seen and read the stories of ancient civilizations, where great Kings rules, and we have read about the declines of all of them. How greed became the biggest enemy? Are not we going to the same path? 

So how does all of this relate to affair of the world? Well it is all related. In a minute or so it will be clear as crystal. In fact it is nothing but greed, which is driving us. Driving all of us to earn more money, more physical comforts.

Now days we don’t need wars to control the world. We invented Money, it control each one of us. We work like rats in the experiment, whose behavior is determined by the person who controls the experiment.
Now each one of us is controlled by a desire, desire fueled by the intense feeling to achieve something, and each one of us want to scale new heights at least in secret.
Though there is nothing wrong in this. But think what will be the biggest ambition, “I control the whole planet, at least virtually”.  Is not this a valid ambition?
To be able to do that I want to be president of USA or something like that. And dear friends, it is greed which is defining us
We are observing a threat of unprecedented level, look around your self, what do you see? More pollution, More threats, More rapes, More violence. But the main question remains same. FOR WHAT ?
Look at bigger scale, what do you see? Countries fighting to control resources. Tribes fighting to control countries?
But the question remains the same FOR WHAT.

There is no end of greed; you can’t win over it by fueling it every single time.

And this sadly concludes my point that the affair of the world is Greed.  

The Common man of any democracy! the biggest joker!

Well I have my sympathies with all the people of world; who lives in democratic system. For the people, by the people is nothing but a joke and what else is joke, let me think . ummm.... common man.

If you reside in a democratic country, my sympathies with you. You are born as a mistake because your parents were not intelligent enough to understand that its a moral crime to bring a children in this world, specially in a time when chances of you being killed or humiliated by your own government is high.

A average person who works for some company pays taxes and what does his govt do with it ? donate it to some country for political favors? give it to spy agency to kill people? or distribute it for welfare programs where everything happens except welfare !

Govt create a budget, which it distribute to agencies , who work without any oversight ( If if there is any oversight at all?), with sole motive to make their political masters happy. The lies with which we are bombarded everyday about our own govt's policies are  simply astonishing.  And all this will make you start thinking that  his whole system is created for ruling the people and nothing else.

I am not talking about some highly sophisticated scam or something , I am talking about some very basic stuff here. I am talking about basic sanitation, hospitals,. policing, healthcare and place for our kids to play and the right to be safe and biggest of them right to privacy
all of these rights and fundamental stuff which we perceive is being ignored at the scale which if our founding fathers has seen, they would have called the present govt itself ANTI-NATION

Step by Step,. please be with this analysis. I am not talking about documentary proof I am talking about observations on day to day basis, declaration in media from the govt about things which matter


You think I am wrong?lets look at this from a vantage point. When was the last time any political party was approving of audits of their account ? Ask your self that weather your govt educated you on the matters of foreign policy? weather politician fulfill their political manifesto?

The answer is no. Simply no, you were never educated why they need more money in taxes. You were given explanation. But when was the last time govt was accounted for the loss it made due to idiotic panning? when was the last time your tax money was well spent ?

On a second thought, anyone can just give a counter argument over these, but lets look it in this way. Govt create policies, and it also create partial system of subsidy, how come 15 people do not talk to each other over implication of a policy which will agitate people? I mean these people who we choose are people who knows what to do to make us happy and do whats best for society, But what do they choose to do? putting policy which jeopardize the safety and security of the people.

First they put reservation for people, and then they start rolling out sops for them like a cheap commercial gimmick; all of this to satisfy a hundred thousand voters. From the surface, it looks all good. People whom we choose looks like they want the best for us.

But looking at the underbelly of the beast we will come to know, all of this is to earn money! all these people they try to find new ways to spend all the tax money and then create company which does shady work to get this budget money.
These companies which i am talking about, they sublet their contracts where people like you and me work upon these tasks.

So in the end we are working for a penny, where a dollar has been allocated for the cause. you get a penny and you return some part of it as tax and "those people"( people who run these companies) got 90 cent as consultation fees and contract fees

Now that was how we are being manipulated by our own govt. Govt create laws for snooping over people. Recent history is filled with example of people who had exposed how a tainted politician who conned his/her way to reach to top used this govt machinery to destroy his own people.

I can  talk on and on and on about this, but it is time to close my argument. By all means think upon it. You choose govt so that you should not be bothered to clean roads in front of your homes. You pay taxes so that govt can assign somebody and get it cleaned. But now govt is assigning money and that money is being horded by chosen few, who got listed by Time every year and you feel good just by watching them.

God bless you all.

Man and the BEASTS

Man and Religion

One of my friend updated his status on facebook as

“

Humans are very similar to animals when it comes about eating, sleeping, display of fear, and mating. The only thing that differentiates is religion. A man without religion is nothing better than a beast.

”

These words are of none other than the infamous Chanakya or Kautilya of Medivial India, who is said to be the best politician India ever had in that time. His book called Chankya Neeti is the collected work of his and contains the essential knowledge of how to actually be honest and efficient in administration and policy making.

Above cited quotation if presented as such can be of many debates among atheists and theists. People will start giving out many reason why and why not these words are right or not quite so right. But irrespective of the opinion of religious people I would say Religion or No-Religion, we humans are quite behaving like Beasts or worsts than Beast.

When we talk about beast we are talking about some creature with no sense of what so ever and it behavior is determined by its primary needs i.e food, survival, sleep, mating etc. And when we are talking about Human, we are actually indicating to an intelligent society which has its own social rules, lives in society and is bounded by certain rules.

Now first of all Major beast species are highly evolved like humans in fact most of them are here on earth longer than the humans itself. Lions live in strict family rules and to prevent what we call incest mother expels the kids out of their den. Chimpanzee follows its own society rules and they are even headed by a Alpha-male. In fact their society system is somewhat similar to the ancestors of ours. Which makes sense as we are their decedents.

Several castles if flourish in wild also have their own system, which cannot qualify as society but as herd, in which not a particular rule is followed but they show a considerable unity and primitive hierarchy which is based on the who is the most powerful, Alpha-male/female.

Elephants have a female leader in their herd who is all powerful. There are several examples in the mammals who qualifies as beast but shows considerable restraint in their behavior and follows a strict hierarchic, primitive society based system.

Even if you do not look at the beasts, insects tend to show enormous efficiency and unity like Bees, Ants. Who work in the counts of thousand and does not usually fight like humans all the time.

In all the above cited examples the main thing is to note that, though species may be inclined to defend their territory and attack other’s, but no species just leave their territory just out to claim another’s until they are devoid of their own.

Moreover I think they do not have a religion because, they are always struggling for the survival all the time. Trying to complete their basic needs to being alive and to do that they are doing whatever they are evolved for.

Now comparing humans, we have evolved over a rather short period of time, most considerable modification was done in past 10,000 years. Which is why we are young relativistically. Moreover we are not constantly struggle for our life, the complex but secure society had changed our primary needs. Most of us no longer fight for food or for shelter. The complex nature of our thinking and the “humanity” we possess, had ensured that we form a society fabric which makes our chances of survival really great.

So when survival was no longer a fight we created the religion and with time we adapted the religion to our needs. History stands witness as our religions has changed over time just for the sake of our own wish. So that means that Religion is no longer something bigger than man. It is just a philosophy which is formed by the general public, explained by general public and reflected by general public. In fact if you observe closely you will find the interpretation of Religion changes with geography. Hence we can conclude that Religion has little significance on our life what so ever. May be 1% of the total population follows a hard core strict code but that is exception.

More over the destruction we had brought upon this earth. Mass extinction of species, despite of having an active religion which was supposed to help our conscience to evaluate our environment had failed miserable. None of other species tried to capture the territory exclusive of themselves. By this I mean Lions does not cleared out jungles to plains, because they like to live in Savanah. Monkey’s and lions lives in same area and they follow a strict set of food chain.

So in nutshell nobody tried to dislocate the delicate balance of their local ecosystem, except humans.

According to Darwin every species should be fit for survival, those who had not adapted according to the environment got extinct and those who survived flourished. But we are playing with nature which we do not completely understand, We are trying to change the environment to make sure that we do not get extinct and it really does not strike our conscience that in our quest to save the single species we are actually destroying the others. The collective efforts which are being taken to counter this destruction is substantially less.

If I would have to say or rephrase the famous words by chanakya, I would rather say

“

Humans are very similar to animals when it comes about eating, sleeping, display of fear, and mating. The only thing that differentiates is its endless greed. A man without greed is alomost better than a beast.

”

From the Vantage Point: India and Russia.

Since I have taken birth, and gained conscience, I can say that, deep inside I respect Russia. Well this feeling can be reflected by many people inside India. In fact according to a survey 45% Indian says positive things about Russia or Russian Federation. And 78% in Russia or Russian Federation feels positive about India.  

Most of us know Russia because of the support she had provided since India gained independence. But the friendship lies deep with in diverse culture of India and Russia. These two countries enjoy the close friendship, strategic partnership in key areas, and good business across sectors.

It was in late 15^th century when first Russian named Afansasy Nikitin, who was a merchant arrived in Indian Subcontinent and published his travelogue. In 17^th century Indian Businessmen settled in Astrakhan, from where they traded goods across Russia. And from there onwards the trade picked up between two countries, but it soon led to clashes in Modern Day Afghanistan where British Empire and Russian Empire had clashes and disputes over trade and territory.

The great Bolshevik revolution, which also consist of an appeal of Bolshevik leaders to world against Colonial rule had a deep impact over India’s Struggle of freedom. Moreover Lenin was also interested in India, which is evident from his Collected Works, which contains observation on India from 1900-1903.

His exact words in which he praised the Indian Freedom Movement.

“I am glad to hear that the principles of self-determination and the liberation of oppressed nations from, exploitation by foreign and native capitalists, proclaimed by the ‘workers’ and peasants ‘Republic' have met with such a ready response among progressive Indians, who are waging a heroic fight for freedom. The working masses, of Russia are following with unflagging attention the awakening of the Indian workers and peasants. The organization and discipline of the working people and their perseverance and the solidarity with the working people of world are an earnest of ultimate success. We welcome the close alliance of Moslem and non-Moslem elements. We sincerely want to see this alliance extended to all the toilers of the East. Only when the Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Persian end Turkish workers and peasant, join hands and march together in the common cause of liberation only then will decisive victory over the exploiters be ensured. Long live a free Asia'.”

And in my opinion, this was the first step towards modern era of friendship between India and Russia. In 1918, The Commissariat of Foreign Relation of Soviet Russia released a Blue Book, which was on the condition of India under British Empire or British India. In the exact words of its editer K. M. Troyanovski

“There can be no general peace without a free independent India .... India is the center of Western activity in the east. India will, therefore, be the first fortress of the Revolution on the Eastern Continent. We, Russian Revolutionaries and inter-national Socialists, feel it our duty to rejoice at the announcement of a revolution in India but also to support this revolution by direct or indirect means and with art our powers.”

It establish the fact that Russia was helping India, even before we (general public) knows it. Moreover Mr. Nehru had great respect for Lenin which was evident in his policies, which was pro socialistic or I can say was almost socialistic in its approach (for more reference to Prime minister Nehru’s policies you can visit National Archives in Delhi).

In the report corresponding to the effect of October revolution in 1918, Secretary of State of India, Edwin Montague and Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford admitted that the freedom fighter of the country is inspired by the uproot of Czarist regime of Russia and consider the Soviet Russia as its Friend and not its Enemy.

The influence of Soviet Russia was continuing on Indian Political leadership in 1920’s and 1930’s as well. The visit of Mr. Nehru in to Russia on the occasion of 10^th Anniversary of Bolshevik Revolution proved fruit full as he was able to win the admiration of Russian Leadership. Mr. Nehru had a strong image of Russia, in to his mind and he considered Russia to be an Anti-imperialistic, and is a fortress against war and aggression, ignorance and obscurantism. From his maiden visit he concluded, USSR is a powerful country and it was in best interest of India to be Friendly with this country.  

In 1930’s Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore visited to Russia and he was impressed with the Russia and stated that Indian future depends upon USSR as it is fundamentally against the exploitation of Man by Man and state by a state.

In Second World War the heroic struggle of USSR inspired even Gandhi-ji, who wrote (from his collected works) as

“The Power of the Viceroy is no way less than that of the Czar. We, too, can resort to the Russian remedy against tyranny. The movement in Bengal for the use of Swadeshi goods is much like the Russian movement? Our shackles will break this very day if the people of India become united and patient, love their country and think of the well-being of their motherland disregarding their self-interest. The governance of India is possible only because there exist people who serve.  We also can show the same strength that the Russian people have done”

It has been evident through archives that despite of the offer made by the Indian National Congress to Britain about full support in War if and only if India be granted full freedom, Leaders have sympathy towards USSR and they relied on the constant support of USSR to work forward.

Also it should be noted that formally Indian and Russian Delegates first met in April 1945, in San Francisco Conference of UN. It was there when Vice- President of Interim Govt. Mr. Nehru expressed his interest in cultivating the friendly and favorable relations with both USSR and USA. But the response from US was cold. Also it was evident there itself that India was not going to be in any of the Sides of soon to be polarized world.

On 21^st September 1946, approx. 11 months before the Independence of India, PM Nehru forwarded a letter of formal Diplomatic ties to Moscow, on which a reply came back on October 2^nd, 1946 with warm and positive response.

Mr. Nehru then took the help of V .K. Krishna Menon and K.P.S. Menon (two seasoned Diplomats of India) to establish the Diplomatic relations with USSR. By November, 1946 Mr. Nehru got confirmation from Foreign Minister of USSR V. M. Molotov, for the same.

In April 1947, USSR formally announced the establishment of Diplomatic ties and Exchange of Diplomats, which was seen as approval of Indian Freedom policy.

Mr. Nehru appointed his sister Vijay Laxmi Pandit to be the first ambassador to USSR. On the eve of 15^th, August 1947, USSR greeted India with Freedom message and formally recognized the Indian Govt. and State.

So history tells us that even before common people know, leadership was already in talks with each other and there starts an era of Trust which is still working despite of recent heart-breaks.

In the coming parts of this series you would learn the betrayal of West and how USSR helped India to stand on its own feel.

It will include the Kashmir dispute as well.

Like always, I hope that (essay) was able to improve your knowledge or entertained you, if you feel bored you can always switch back to the Bollywood masala site or play games or kill a few corrupt politician. 

The Love - Hate - game of India and America (USA)

If you are Indian, then this is the most interesting topic for you probably, as I have seen most of people obsessed with how US agencies (spy), can do things in India. In fact if you were in India in the 90's decade and anything goes wrong, Political statement would have come as "This has foreign element in it". Funny is not it, how political leaders, react to cover their in-competency?

But not many people know that, India was a strategic location for Chinese Burma India Theater (CBI) front in Second World War. It was in WW II when American soldiers came to India with lots of money and advance weaponry systems. Moreover it was President Roosevelt who pushed Britain’s Prime Minister Churchill for India’s Independence (partially), but when Churchill threatened him with his resignation, he (Roosevelt) backed out. Also US’s primary interest in India was to Aid China after Second World War. This position of USA was only due to its principal opposition of Colonialism only.

India and America goes way back in 1940's. But the real game Started just after the non alignment movement by Pt.Jawahar lal Nehru,  Sukarno,  Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah and Josip Broz Tito.

The Inclination of India towards Russian Federation (then USSR) started when USSR backed the Claim of India over Kashmir, and in year 1955 the Visit of PM of India to USSR and return Visit of USSR's President Khrushchev to India irked Prople’s Republic of China (PRC) and Pakistan. Moreover close alignment of India and Russia was always a problem to USA. And this had serious effects on Indo-American relationship. Moreover even as of day, India is second biggest defense market to Russia.

Soon after the Independence India was busy in its internal development and NAM while Pakistan took this opportunity and joined West Bloc in 1954. Since USSR used this opportunity to back Indian claim over Kashmir, The India- America relation became thorny due to both; backing of Pakistan by USA and India-USSR closeness.

Soon the India China War erupted in 1962 and that was the breather for India as by that time US was trying to counter China Strategically, and gave Support to India in order to Counter China, as She (America) was inclined to stop the socialism from spreading and if India lost very badly against China then it would be serious Blow to US interest in South Asia.

As in 1961-1963 President Kennedy said as

 “Chinese Communists have been moving ahead the last 10 years. India has been making some progress, but if India does not succeed with her 450 million people, if she can't make freedom work, then people around the world are going to determine, particularly in the underdeveloped world, that the only way they can develop their resources is through the Communist system.”

But soon after Kennedy, the relation went back to the cold and thorny as a result of President Nixon’s close working relationship with Pakistan and India’s then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s Inclination towards USSR. To add to the chill, US not only supported openly in 1971 Indo-Pak ware but also deployed its aircraft carrier to attack Indian Army base (according to recently declassified papers). Due to that the relation was more of Hate than love and It remained like that till President Clinton came to visit India in 2000.

IN 1998, when India did the nuclear test, there was severe sanctions on India by US. But it has little effect on India as at that point of time Indo – US trade only contributed around 2 % of overall GDP of India. Moreover India was a growing economy and only JAPAN aided with US to impose direct relationship with India.

But due to Economic reasons these sanctions was lifted soon, but high tech was still out of Reach from India.

Meanwhile as usual Russia and India maintained their close alignment in defense field and was also increasing it to economic and other areas.

In 2000 President Clinton visited India, and it was marked as a new era of working relationship with US. From 2000 to September 2001 the relation was neutral as both country was cautious about what to do.

But the after math of the 9/11 attacks over world trade tower changes the perspective and by 2005, India was recognized as the strategic partner of US. Both US secretary of Defense and Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited India to cut several deals of defense as well as civilian nature.

The presidency of G.W.Bush II was marked with its foreign policy to work with India and iron out the differences and to increase the bilateral trade, which is as of now stands as 20 billion of imports and 30 billion as export to US. In 2006 when Bush visited India, it was a different season already.

The long winter of hatred had passed and now was the spring of friendship. His initiative of nuclear deal was really a tough thing to implement as it generated lot of resistance in India.  But at the end the pact was signed and way was clear to import nuclear materials for power plants.

Since the change in the Presidency of Bush to Barak Obama, the whole affair has been stagnant or can be called as maturing, as no special initiative was taken from Obama Administration to form a better working relationship with India.

Still while two nations are walking hand in hand for the curb of terrorism, Human Trafficking and certain other issues. It needs to noted that US still supplies Pakistan a Huge Aid , while that money has been routed to Extremist and used against India.

The though India and US has signed a pact for sharing intelligence but the agencies lack the coordination and motive to do that. The partial stand on the Islamic Extremist in Taliban and that of Seria along with Stance on Tehran (Iran) has also created its difference between two nations,

Moreover the Recent US slowdown, and second attempt to raise the Debt ceiling has profound effect on New Delhi. Today in this situation, the demand is of close collaboration and it is evident that both could not do without each other.

At the end I could say that the story of India – America started like a traditional Bollywood movie, first the hatred, then attitude and then converted into friendship.

The Mere Mediocrity

Nothing is as approved as mediocrity, the majority has established it and it fixes it fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.

The moment you take birth on this earth, you are in a race. This race is a rat race where you start running since the moment you are born and there is no escape except death. 

Now most of us who are really fortunate as we can still enjoy some luxuries of life but still we cant elude the race. 

This rat race, has a by product which is called mediocrity. I am not social scientist to explain how it really work but here is my thought. As per society norms there can be only one champion. The person who has best of everything, in life, which can be measured in the scale of money. 

and after that there is positions 1 to 10. 

Just after that mediocrity starts and goes till less than very end. Most of us lies in this mediocrity and will never try to be champion(overall) of life as the rat race is too demanding. 

The moment we are born we are already in two kinds of rat race, one which was started by our parents and one which was started the moment you are born. Now parents are already in race so all the decision made by them are influenced by the race itself. for example you needs to study, and theoretically you study all most same kind of books everywhere, so why to make you study in most expensive school? the decision of your schooling, your friends, your acquaintances are all a direct result of their(your parents') choices. Hence you own a part of personality of your parents. 

Now Since your parents are not at top ( i am assuming that average reader is a mediocre), nor at bottom, you inherit mediocrity before you know what actually that means. A child's personality is a mixture of its parents and teachers, as most of the research had proved that both (parents and teachers) had great influence on him. So child is a at most mediocre in his early stages until he starts to understand that what does it means to fail and to be at top. 

The most notable thing is that our society does not actually approve the failures, despite of the fact that most of the leaders who had been unsuccessful earlier but is successful now says that failures are good. In fact most scientist says do not be disheartened by failures. 

Though our text book screams to take risks and get rewarded, in fact the stories also reflect the same phenomena. Once a brave prince took great risk to free a damsel in distress is exactly what we are taught.

But at the same time upon failure there is no one to support that prince and metaphorically today's Youth is that prince who have to win on all costs. 

Upon practical grounds no is no error of margin, by the virtue(actually vice) of TV and Social Media you are already in a pressure of doing exactly what others are doing and hence your chance of actually doing something new or something which can lead to the top diminish rapidly. 

Society actually wants people to be stable financially as soon as studies are finished. The expectation of a Job, stable and financially secure leads strait to mediocrity.

So when you try to become stable asap, you leave the opportunities which can reward you handsomely and can make you reach the top. You ignore the opportunities which had high risk high reward scenario and why you do it is because of your mental conditioning was in such a way that you automatically take decision in favor of low paying certainty than high paying uncertainty. 

Now some countries had a better time like USA in 1800 - late 1900 when the society there actually encouraged its its people to take up more risk and reach the top. 

Also the dangerous mindset of the mediocrity, with which we are suffering has started to seep in our culture and working. When it happens the progress stalls as people focus on whats certain, or whats available. They fails to anticipate the changes which are about to come. 

At the end, i can say that the Mere Mediocrity will someday leads us to stalled progress ( not completely) in most of the challenging areas, though there will always be a few who will defy the risk and move ahead, but that would be select group of people ( even now those people can be counted on fingers). and hence you and me can never be the winner until we shed the whole bloody bulshit mindset.