Variant: Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity trust upon them.
Source: Catch-22 (1961)
Context: Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three.
“Young men in meetings put in common nothing but their mediocrity.”
Source: Pène du Bois (1897), p. 99.
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Maurice Barrès 7
French novelist 1862–1923Related quotes
“Women want mediocre men, and men are working hard to be as mediocre as possible.”
Quote magazine (15 June 1958)
1950s
Context: When human beings have been fascinated by the contemplation of their own hearts, the more intricate biological pattern of the female has become a model for the artist, the mystic, and the saint. When mankind turns instead to what can be done, altered, built, invented, in the outer world, all natural properties of men, animals, or metals become handicaps to be altered rather than clues to be followed. Women want mediocre men, and men are working hard to be as mediocre as possible.
“After all, it is a common weakness of young authors to put too much into their papers.”
Contributions to Mathematical Statistics, New York: Wiley, 1950, p. 10.308a.
1950s
“Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.”
1840s, Essays: First Series (1841), Art
Alan Axelrod, Business Book Juggernaut – An interview with Mike Hofman, Jun 1, 2004 http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040601/qa.html.
La modération des grands hommes ne borne que leurs vices. La modération des faibles est médiocrité.
Source: Reflections and Maxims (1746), p. 168.