The pursuit of normalcy

We live at the tail end of the industrial age which could last a long or short time depending on the whims of those with power and money. But because of the pervasive media (social or mass) there is also power in numbers. Crowds are both easy and difficult to sway.

Unfortunately there are times when evil intent to take revenge or make up for some past debt gets disguised as reason for action and the masses can be pushed towards that. Another more subtle disadvantage on mass appeal is that crowds have no patience for complexity which unfortunately is the reason for most long standing problems.

But most institutions were designed to augment the mass appeal growth that appeared to work so well since reconstruction after World War 2. Now that the industrialization of the remaining large populations has begun at speeds faster than ever, perhaps the industrial age will meet its replacement sooner. Like a runaway train, the most populous countries are racing to industrialize and grow to catch up. What happens after that when even gross profit margins get squeezed to near negative ground and growth cannot make up for the losses? Maybe new markets will be there forever as if anything can last that long.

Even if growth by mass appeal can go on for a long time, this can be good or bad depending on the relationships on which they are built. When trust breaks down. When large powerful groups feel excluded, instability ensue. But the dependence on mass appeal, marketing and just numbers to get growth in the age of software is excluding more and more people.

Normalcy is the goal of the industrial age. 60-80% of the people are statistically normal. So companies, governments and public services have been designed to cater to the majority. It makes sense.

Take a closer look though and average is not really the goal of universities, learning, innovation and creativity. The exceptional is never normal. So why pursue something that is the most common denominator?

Pursuing normalcy is worthwhile if it yields valuable growth. This kind of mass appeal growth can go on if the following is true:

1. Profitability will not continue to drop as they have for the past 20 years.
2. Speculation will generate lower risk (despite the promise of short term rewards) for the longer term than true investment in talent, product, service and management excellence.
3. Entertainment is more important than productivity.
4. Cheap thrills are more fulfilling than culture, social engagement, learning and creation
5. If the masses make a mistake in judgement it is better than the rare wisdom of the minority. 
6. Discoveries and breakthroughs (enormous earnings are not considered a breakthrough) are in essence not worthy of the status quo except for money.

Yes, these are skewed to make my point. Of course you are free to be normal, ordinary and not stick out. It is after all the goal of most institutions to serve or sell to normalcy.