Mao the unknown story

If you look you will see that web-log has not been updated in more than a week. Certainly my mind has not been asleep but working tirelessly on updating and moving the web site to a new server. You did not know this did you? Even today there are links to pictures and posts that do not work…..ugggh. There is always more to do to keep things up-to-date here at “The Average Man” web-log. This afternoon I took a look at the site and was wondering what is the point of it all if I do not have a chance to write something that is of interest to me and burdening my mind. Too much maintenance is bogging me down and the creative juices are all pent up so to speak.

In between the busy schedule of life, school and family I have been reading a little for pleasure. The newest book is one by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday who authored the book, “Wild Swans”. Their new book is titled, “Mao: The Unknown Story“. This text is really an accomplishment in research and perseverance. The Unknown Story of Mao is a masterpiece. This biography of Mao tells the story of the Communist Part battles and its rise to power, and the ruthless exploitation of power once established. Reading this book brings to mind so much of what it means to be human. What do you mean by that I hear you asking. I tend to be a little introspective in these things and this is where it begins. The story of the Communist revolution in China is a perfect example of human nature, the yearning for freedom that we all have and the corollary of how power and authority corrupt and destroy freedom. Maybe someone could draw an analogy to the United States government at this point. Anyway, this book is highly recommended for the thinking person and those interested in the history of modern China.
Something else that has been on my mind lately is the idea of what it means to be “An Average man”. I was asked a while back why I chose that as a moniker for the web site blog. It brings up an interesting subject of what it means to be average and what it means to be a ‘Man’ in the general sense of the word. Certainly ‘Average’ cannot be a bad thing can it. Well I guess that depends on what the group is that you are averaging. For instance, if you take the average medical student and look at their study habits would you expect that would be a poor finding? Or, how about a recent exam that all of the SRNA (student registered nurse anesthetist) students had to take – the SEE exam; we were told that we must score above the 50 percentile or else we were in trouble and had to do remedial work. The truth of the mater is that 97 percent of the people taking this exam do well on their national certifying examination. As it turns out the 50th percentile of this group is a very desirable position when you look at the outcomes of the national pass rate for the CRNA examination (certified registered nurse anesthetist). So is it bad to be average I ask? Again, it depends on the group that you are average in. The second part of the equation is the “Man”.

The other part of the question first addressed must look at the generic ‘Man’ part. Essentially the whole matter comes down to this it seems to me. My perception is that Buddha was an ‘Average’ man as well as Jesus Christ and so many other great spiritual leaders. Certainly Mao was an ‘Average’ man. So when I call myself an ‘Average Man’ does that mean that I am equating myself to these giants? Hardly that really. What I would say is that these giants are more similar to you and I than they are different from us. They are examples of what an ‘Average Man’ can do and become. Maybe that is a better way to look at it. This web log’s purpose really is to show what you can do. If you gain any hope for the future, any glimmer of light on your soul so that you desire something more; if you say, ‘Yes, I can do this’, then my job is finished here. In the mean time I will occupy my time and explore what it means to be an “Average Man”.

This is what happens when there is too much web maintenance and not enough writing to unburden the soul. Sorry about that but then gentle reader you chose to be here.