on, 更不用说莫扎特或李白苏东坡了。
write an article to answer the question : "In the 21st century, why are most people obsessed with being mediocre, average, and normal rather than aiming to become extremely wealthy, a great self-taught polymath, a freakish athlete, and a great philosopher for life?" 适者生存，而非强者。这个问题其实是在问：为什么成为一个平庸者更适应如今的社会。社会来自分工。没有分工就没有必要组成一个社会。没有比较精细的分工就不会有比较高级的文明。这是所有文明共通的，按理说，如此发展，只会使有卓越才能的人不至于被埋没。例如如果这世界上没有市场交换，莫扎特只能在篝火边唱唱歌跳跳舞。但是，不幸得很，人们组成社会除了为了在市场上交换，还常常是为了抵御外敌与灾害。短期就算了，长期的战争准备会要求统一思想，这就是为什么颠沛流离的犹太人会从多神教走向一神教。一神教有逻辑漏洞，不能解释黑暗的客观存在，只能搞出个天使与魔鬼的最终一战来解决，于是世俗没有教堂里的辉煌重要。达尔文宗是个异数。他们不仅入世，还把圣战引入了商业乃至工业。法国只能革命，提出所谓的普世价值，跟上潮流，摩登文明这个天使与魔鬼的结合体如同病毒从西欧传遍全球。类军事化追求不断胜利无限扩张成了几乎所有社会的特征，如此必然过度最求标准化，以实现高效率，包括要求人人都是一块可以随时替换的平平无奇的城墙砖头。
ChatGPT 说：

Why Are People Obsessed with Being Mediocre in the 21st Century?

Introduction
In a world brimming with opportunities for exceptional achievements, why do most people seemingly settle for mediocrity, embracing the safety of being average and normal? The question strikes at the heart of modern civilization and human behavior in the 21st century. The answer lies in understanding that mediocrity is not a flaw but an adaptation—a strategy suited to the dynamics of contemporary society, which is shaped by division of labor, market exchange, and a long history of militarized efficiency.

The Roots of Civilization: Division of Labor and Specialization
Civilization as we know it exists because of division of labor. In primitive societies, individuals might have needed to possess a wide range of skills to survive, but as human communities grew and specialized tasks emerged, societies began to reward interdependence. Advanced civilizations, from the ancient Mesopotamians to modern global economies, thrive on the principle that not everyone needs to excel at everything.

This specialization ensures that talent in one area, like Mozart’s genius in music, finds its place through market exchange. Without such systems, extraordinary capabilities might remain unnoticed or underutilized, relegated to mere tribal performances.

However, this same system also introduces constraints: the structure of society inherently favors predictability and reliability over extraordinary individualism. For societies to function smoothly, they need most individuals to fill roles that support the larger system, not disrupt it.

The Legacy of Conflict: Standardization and Survival
While division of labor underpins peaceful coexistence and market exchange, history shows that societies also organize for collective defense and survival. War and disaster preparedness require unity and conformity, often at the expense of individuality. Over time, this necessity has shaped human behavior and cultural systems in profound ways.

From Diversity to Uniformity
In times of crisis, a unified ideology strengthens group cohesion. This is why historically, societies facing existential threats gravitate toward systems like monotheism, which demands singular allegiance and simplifies moral frameworks. The spread of one-god religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam reflects this adaptive response to conflict and chaos.

The Rise of Modern Militarized Efficiency
The industrial revolution marked a turning point, blending monotheistic zeal with market-driven pragmatism. Protestant work ethic—rooted in Calvinism—combined religious duty with secular success, effectively introducing “holy war” into commerce and industry. This gave rise to an era of relentless standardization, where efficiency, expansion, and success were the highest virtues.

Modern societies, modeled on industrial logic, increasingly value uniformity and replaceability. Whether in education, corporate workforces, or even lifestyles, the emphasis on "plug-and-play" individuals demands mediocrity as a baseline for societal operation. The exceptional, while celebrated in theory, becomes a disruptive force in practice.

Mediocrity as Adaptation
Given these historical and structural pressures, it becomes clear why mediocrity flourishes as a social norm. People are not inherently averse to excellence, but the systems in which they live shape their behaviors and aspirations.

Economic Realities
Most modern jobs prioritize predictability and reliability over creativity or genius. The “brick-in-the-wall” metaphor aptly describes how individuals are slotted into roles that maintain the system’s stability rather than its transformation. Pursuing greatness often involves risks that few can afford in a world where economic survival depends on conformity.

Cultural Conditioning
Education systems, designed for mass production of workers, teach uniformity over individuality. The industrial-era legacy persists, training students to meet standardized benchmarks rather than exploring diverse talents or unconventional paths.

Social Pressure
Societies that prioritize homogeneity for efficiency stigmatize deviation from the norm. Great athletes, polymaths, or philosophers often face isolation or resistance before their achievements are recognized. For many, the cost of standing out outweighs the benefits.

Cognitive Overload in Complex Systems
Modern life inundates individuals with choices and information. Navigating this complexity often leads people to prefer the path of least resistance—adhering to societal norms and pursuing average goals. Excelling in multiple domains, like becoming a polymath or philosopher, demands focus and energy that most people cannot afford amidst their day-to-day responsibilities.

The Cost of Standardization
The obsession with mediocrity is not without consequences. By prioritizing standardization and efficiency, societies risk eroding creativity, diversity, and innovation. The relentless pursuit of victory—be it economic, technological, or political—fosters short-term gains at the expense of long-term sustainability.

Loss of Cultural Richness
Standardized systems homogenize human experience, diluting the richness of diverse perspectives and practices.

Environmental and Social Strain
The industrial logic of infinite growth and expansion drives ecological collapse and social inequality, mirroring the unsustainable ethos of “win at all costs.”

Psychological Impact
Individuals caught in the mediocrity trap may experience existential dissatisfaction, yearning for a deeper sense of purpose or fulfillment beyond societal expectations.

Redefining Success: Beyond Victory and Mediocrity
To move beyond the mediocrity obsession, societies must challenge the narrative that equates progress with victory and efficiency. Instead, they can embrace a more balanced approach:

Valuing Diversity
Encourage systems that reward unique contributions and foster creativity, even if they don’t fit traditional measures of success.

Rethinking Education
Shift from standardized testing to personalized learning that nurtures curiosity and adaptability.

Cultivating Philosophical Perspectives
Encourage individuals to explore life’s deeper questions, valuing wisdom and reflection over material success.

Fostering Community
Rebuild systems that prioritize relationships and well-being over relentless competition.

Conclusion
Mediocrity thrives in the 21st century not because people lack ambition, but because it is an adaptive response to the demands of modern systems rooted in efficiency, standardization, and survival. While this adaptation supports societal stability, it often stifles individuality and creativity.

To reclaim a world that values greatness in its myriad forms, we must redefine progress—not as victory or efficiency, but as a journey toward harmony, diversity, and collective well-being. Only then can humanity escape the trap of mediocrity and embrace its full potential.





您说：
翻译成中文版。
ChatGPT 说：

为什么在21世纪，人们痴迷于平庸，而不是追求卓越？

引言
在一个充满机遇的时代，为何大多数人似乎满足于平庸，乐于追求平凡和正常，而不是努力成为极度富有的成功者、全才自学者、卓越的运动员，或终身的伟大哲学家？这一问题触及了现代文明与人类行为的核心。在21世纪，平庸并非缺陷，而是一种适应策略——适应分工高度复杂、效率至上以及历史长期战争化影响的社会。

文明的根基：分工与专业化
文明之所以存在，源于分工的需求。在原始社会，个人需要掌握多种技能才能生存；但随着人类群体的扩大和分工的出现，社会开始奖励相互依赖的合作体系。从古代的两河文明到现代全球经济，社会的基础是让每个人专注于某些领域的工作，从而推动整体的发展。

这一分工体系确保了像莫扎特这样的人才能够通过市场找到自己的位置。如果没有这样的系统，即使是音乐天才也可能只在篝火边歌唱。然而，分工制也引入了限制：社会结构固有地偏爱可预测性和可靠性，而不是个体的非凡表现。要让社会平稳运行，大多数人必须填补支持系统的角色，而非成为扰乱它的少数人。

冲突的遗产：标准化与生存
分工推动了和平的合作与市场交换，但历史表明，社会也为集体防御和生存而组织。面对战争与灾难，统一思想和行为的需求往往压倒了个体的自由与创新。这种压力深刻塑造了人类行为与文化系统。

从多样性到统一性
在危机时刻，统一的思想与行为能够加强群体凝聚力。因此，历史上面临生存威胁的社会往往从多神教转向一神教，因为后者更容易聚合力量。

现代化的军事化效率
工业革命成为转折点，将宗教的统一性与市场的效率结合在一起。以加尔文主义为代表的新教伦理，将宗教信仰与世俗成功联系在一起，将“圣战”理念引入商业与工业。这种思维模式催生了追求效率与扩张的标准化文化，其结果是将社会构造成一个庞大的机器，需要每个齿轮高度一致，替换性强。

平庸的适应性
在这种历史和社会背景下，平庸成为一种广泛存在的社会常态。人们并非天生厌恶卓越，而是现代社会的运作逻辑塑造了他们的行为和目标。

经济现实
当今的大多数职业更需要可靠性和可预测性，而不是创造力或天赋异禀的表现。个人被视为“墙上的砖块”，被分配到维持系统稳定的角色，而不是推动变革的先锋。追求卓越往往伴随着高风险，在经济压力下，许多人难以承担。

文化教育的塑造
工业时代的教育体系以生产标准化的工人为目标，培养的是服从统一标准的人才，而非激发多元潜能。

社会压力
强调效率的社会常常对与众不同者抱有敌意。成为卓越的运动员、多学科的全才或哲学家，通常会面对孤立或阻力。在多数情况下，超越平庸的代价超过了收益。

复杂系统中的认知超载
现代社会的信息与选择过多，使许多人更倾向于遵循最低阻力路径，追随社会常态而非冒险走出常规。在多个领域追求卓越（如成为全才或哲学家）需要极大的专注与精力，而日常生活的压力让大多数人难以做到。

标准化的代价
对平庸的迷恋并非没有代价。社会对效率和标准化的过度追求，可能削弱创造力、多样性和创新。

文化丰富性的丧失
标准化系统让人类体验趋于同质化，压制了丰富的多样性与个性表达。

环境与社会压力
工业化逻辑的无限扩张导致生态危机和社会不平等，体现了“胜利至上”思想的不可持续性。

心理负担
陷于平庸陷阱中的个人，可能会感到深深的不满足，渴望更深层次的意义和超越社会期待的价值。

重新定义成功：超越胜利与平庸
要超越对平庸的痴迷，社会必须重新审视进步的定义，摆脱将效率与胜利等同的观念，而走向更平衡的路径。

重视多样性
鼓励能够奖励独特贡献的系统，让创造力和多元化有更多发挥空间。

重塑教育体系
从标准化测试转向个性化教育，培养学生的好奇心和适应能力，而非仅仅满足规范要求。

重拾哲学思考
鼓励个人探索生活的深层问题，培养对智慧与反思的追求，而不是仅仅追逐物质成功。

重建社区价值
创建以人际关系和幸福感为核心的体系，而非盲目竞争与攀比的文化。

结语
在21世纪，人们对平庸的追求并非源于缺乏抱负，而是对现代社会高度效率化、标准化系统的适应。尽管这种适应性有助于社会稳定，却也抑制了个体的创造力与多样性。

要摆脱这一平庸陷阱，我们需要重新定义进步的内涵——不是胜利或效率的追求，而是多维度的和谐发展。通过汲取中国文化“中庸”与“内在修养”的智慧，我们可以找到更均衡的路径，拥抱个体与社会的无限潜能。