standard testing

  Are our highest standards becoming the lowest common denominator? That's the impression I have been getting lately. It has been going by many names, progressive and liberal being the two frontrunners. What is really being promoted is a lack of standards, as a standard. The logic being if we just lower the standard, everyone meets the standard. The first instance I can recall of that, at the personal level, was my class being graded on the curve. I saw that then as taking away from the top performers to give to the lowest performers. I also felt it was an inherently unfair method. Today there are those that insist the wealthiest should be forced to pay more for equal services because they can afford it. In my way of thinking then a mechanic should have to fix my car and his rate based on a curve, you now, on how much I can afford to pay him. After all, he has a skill that I don't and should be forced to share that skill, at an affordable rate. Should it make a difference if it is a different skill ? Like a surgeon or an attorney. shouldn't they just paid on the curve? 

 Now this grading on a curve, or progressive and liberal reasoning, is being extended to our moral and ethical standards as well. Just lowering the bar a bit, a generation at a time. It has been well documented throughout history that is exactly what leads to the decline of empires. The Roman empire is the shining example of that. Interesting to note is that modern day scholars attribute some of that to mental illness. I'm sure you've heard about that. The Emperor, Caesar and at least a portion of the Senate where all just a little bit off from drinking water contaminated with lead. The list of health issue associated with lead is extensive. In recent years we have all heard a lot about the drinking water in Detroit. There is lead in the water! Well, the truth is homes built before 1945 in Detroit are likely to have lead pipes supplying the water to those homes and that is where the contamination is coming from. Some are blaming that on the rise in violent crime in Detroit because you know, only the poor people live in those older homes. And the poor people have no choice. Rich people should build them all new houses! 

 Of course it really makes no difference how the standard gets lowered, either by design or accident the result will be the same. Society begins to decline. Still the narrative will always be about equality. Whenever one group begins to advance beyond another a perceived inequity will exist. That inequity is always championed by the ones that have the least, that's just how it works. It isn't fair. That is what I was told when I asked about grading on a curve. The purpose was to make it fair for everyone. Those that studied the most would benefit those that studied the least. The smart kids boosting the scores of the dummies'! Justified by a simple statement, well everyone is better at some things than others, that doesn't mean they aren't as smart. Everyone is smart in their own way. Yes, that's true, but this test is about apples, that is the area of knowledge being tested. 

 Our highest standards were expressed in our founding documents. That was stated plainly with the words, all men are created equally. The objective was working toward that goal. that is the quest for freedom we all hear about. That doesn't mean that everyone gets exactly the same thing. Men are created equally, with equal abilities to succeed in life. Being created equally doesn't guarantee that you will be born under equal circumstances. There will always be a strata in society! This is true in every society ever. Even the most socialist of nations has leadership and that leadership certainly enjoys privilege's and benefits above the general population. It is often pointed out that those men that wrote those documents, and leaders after that were slave owners. That's true. So how could they say all men are created equal and still hold slaves? How can you kill a baby in the womb and call that a choice? Well, it's an accepted standard today isn't it? Yes, many people support that vehemently. It's the same thing back then, only the accepted standard was holding slaves. It is worth noting that in a mere 82 years after our founding, slavery was abolished throughout the land! 82 years in the life of a government is such a brief period of time. Slavery, as an accepted institution had existed in societies throughout history. Indeed it still exists in some today. The state of Vermont in 1777 abolished slavery in that state! Yes, that's a fact. Had it not been for the resistance of the secessionists the practice would have been abolished throughout the land much earlier than it was. The reason for the resistance? Profits. It took a war to gain that ideal, all men are created equal. And that is what was being fought about! No man should be forced to be subservient to another unless so ordered by law as punishment. Had to include that otherwise you could never justify imprisoning anyone. The reasoning being, criminals are not equal to law abiding citizens, those maintaining the societal standard. 

 Does all that sound familiar? It should, it has been repeated over and over again. All we have to do is learn from the past. It is a help to accept certain realities however, like equal opportunity doesn't mean equal results. Another reality is we are all created equal, but will not live equal lives! Output is dependent upon input. And another basic fact, scientifically proven and verified, is you can not get more energy out of something than the energy you put into it. That applies to life as well. And now I keep seeing this hypothesis that if the high achievers just give to those that achieve the least that will create equality. It won't work. You can't have high standards by creating "middle of the road" standards. The reason is simple enough. Soon the "middle of road standard" becomes the high standard and must be replaced because, well, that isn't fair. That continues until everyone has nothing! Well, except for a few that control everything. Eventually it ends in despotism. That leads to rebellion, the stating of "higher" standards and ideals for a society. The cycle begins again. 

 Is mankind doomed to repeat this cycle? Yes, I think perhaps we are. That's what makes us human beings. I have to question why God, or any higher intelligence would have made it so. I harbor no doubt that a higher intelligence created this world, this universe. Things are just too ordered to say it happened by chance. Is it just an unintended circumstance? Or is it as simple as, free choice. We were given free choice to do as we please. We have just chosen to act in this way. It's our own fault. Now that sounds right, usually when things go bad in your life, over a long period of time, it is because of the choices you made. The scientists say we (humans) are only about 2.5 million years old. Not so long given the age of the earth. Could be we will learn one day and adhere to the highest standard without compromise. Now, there is an ideal. I don't think God, or whatever, grades on the curve. I don't think he/she/ or whatever takes from one to give to another. I don't think a Saint can be reduced to raise the sinner up. Yeah, I was bad, but Saint Peter was great so that evens the score. In my opinion, that just won't fly when it comes down to it. I think you have to maintain the highest standard, always.