Opus 2026-088: How Are You?

Sunday as we were all sharing in the ritual of “How are you”, I shared that I was above average.  Some wag had to call by bet and raise me with, “How did you get above average?”  As often happens, that made me think.

When I hear words like “average” and “normal” my mind goes to the George Carlin routine about how half the people in the country are below average.  It doesn’t give us a very high bar.  I looked around the congregation and I had to admit that the group was well above average.  There were people I disagree with, but that could be a mark of intelligence in itself.  I didn’t see any millionaires or CEO’s of major corporations but I did see people who had made a lot of right decisions.

I have been around stupidity.  I was, after all, a public school teacher and was required to attend faculty meetings.  I remember the guy who worked in special ed who had failed the BEST exam about five times.  Keep in mind that it was something any high school graduate should have no trouble with.  I remember the math teacher who shared she had not read a book since college.

It is scary that the people I know that seem so normal are all well above average.  Keep in mind that you only need to survive eighteen years to vote.  When you add ignorance to stupidity, the future is in doubt.

homo unius libri