Last night the family was privileged to go to the the local elementary school “Spring Concert”. The program was split between a number of pieces performed by the strings orchestra and the band. In between each set the principal of the school got up and extolled the excellence of the performances we had just been privy to.
Now I know what I’m about to say is rather harsh and sensitive mother’s out there should not read any further since it’s their little Johnnies and little Suzies that I’m referring to but what I heard last night was not excellence. In the spirit of giving everyone a chance the concerts brought together everyone in the elementary school who had parents savvy enough to find cheap stringed instruments from eBay and dress their children up in what passes for “finery” these days. (The girls we’re wearing skorts and the boys had their clip ons)
The entire experience was akin to persevering through an hours worth of tedious plodding blackboard scratching. (remember blackboards??)
I’ve heard a few of the individual children play in different venues and I have been amazed at their talent however when the entire pack is put together those talents are obscured by the mediocrity of the rest. Which last night for me turned into a critique of our cultures egalitarian silliness. Surely if we want to proclaim something excellent and wonderful it ought at least first be excellent and wonderful. Instead we call the horrible wonderful. Why not have a competition and reward those who by their diligence in practice and due to their natural talent actually excel? Instead we call them all wonderful together and cheapen the entire idea of excellence.
To quote that sage of the modern world – Dash from the Incredibles – If everyone is special then nobody is.
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