Tragedy of ‘normal distribution’

The statistical bell curve is taught in school.  Statistically, a study of a population will yield a bell curve, or the ‘normal distribution’, where the most common answer or result clusters around the middle. 

Given that phenomenon, it is puzzling that there is a relentless drive for perfection, for getting to the top, for being the best.  The tragedy of the bell curve, though, is that most end up in the middle, no matter what effort is made.  Most are not superior, nor better, nor more excellent.  Statistically we are probably just average, yet quite extraordinary while we’re at it.