Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-30
The Average Man



In spite OF the fact that he IL continually being
used the firm foundation In the construction OF
theories. arguments and statistics has occasionally
been by precise persons that THE average man
does exist II you search for concrete example
OF the average you will not find him. Select any
individual you like and II will be found that in various
respects he s either considerably above or below the
average.
The average man" is hypothetical person
strictly; useful abstraction in demonstrating
given argument. but having no tangible ana
definite specification. As matter OF fact, he IL
merely imaginary character. representative OF the
dominant tendencies traits habits and customs OF
any given group Of human beings As abstrac-
ton he stands forth in the minds clear-cut
image. but when you locate him in real life you
find that the image has vanished has so changed
in contour to be almost unrecognizable.
Nevertheless for statistical and argumentstvc
purposes. the average man is very real. In one
spect another every human being IL representative
OF the average unless positively weakmnded
And 80, matter Of fact, state or a nation, or
a community. IL populated mostly by the average
The schools filled with CHILDREN,
who taught by average school teachers. Business
IL carried by men of average ability. and their
clerks and employees are average men and women
We the theater and plays Of average merit,
performed by actors Of average talent. and Sun
days the TO church and listens to
average sermon by average preacher and to aver.
age music sung by an average choir When be-
III ninety-nine times a hundred call
In average doctor. who gives the treat
ment. And when die we have average funeral,
and the newspaper noted our passing with
brevitv.
all details of life Il will be observed the vast
majority OF us adhere rather closely to the
procedure The facts that happen to be above the
average or somewhat below may give us transient
exultation annoyance but in the end they merely
have the effect OF sustaining the The
gratifying point. told by optimistic phil
osophers and satisticisns. is that there steady
slow, raising Of the average.
To the exceptional man. who Is distinctly above the
average In many respects there may keener
zes in living but with this added senstveness there
Is also likely to be greater capacity Of suffering.
So In the sum total OF his human experience he
be TO the general average than some OF HE
envious observers likely to suspect. The excep-
tional man who enjoy the fun OF his
ceptional qualities is very exceptional indeed
The average man in this world really has moth
ing TO regret. He is the strength OF the community
and ultimately the real OF its its
progress mentally, morally and physically no city
state or nation is better worse than it's
citizens Some schoolgirls seem blind to this fact BY
there IL tendency TO appraise a community by
its most prominent citizens. and by others it has
been declared that the real status IL fixed by the
conditions of living OF the submerged TENTH" but
II is reasonable TO believe that the question 10 really
determined by the standards OF the average.
There are various reasons why the average man
should feel fairly well satisfied with the conditions
average
be construed 'mediocry." and that this does VOL
ence to the human instinct TO excel I'm one way or
another But ambition is not likely to be killed by
conscious acceptance OF the facts The human strug-
gle to emerge from mediocrity will stiI persist but
realization that IL not likely to raise himself
very far above the average Will many pangs
OF baffled aspiration.
Physically the average man has every reason TO
feel content with his dimensions especially
II he is modest man, which he is. he could not
be considered He go along the street
without attracting attention. whereas the OF
ceptonaI altitude equatorial development is OBJ
ject OF curious interest And In the matter personal
comfort everything conspires to his advantage for
most OF the devices OF civilization built fit the
average man. The abnormally tall man and the
OF excessive avordupois continually struggling
man OF exceptional physique does when he
the average bathtub Is problem that defies con-
lecture.
Most OF inclined strive for something
that Is out OF the ordinary but the definite goal Is
seldom clear even 70 ourselves. Mostly vainly
pursuing wn-o' -the-wisps The average man does
this. but there is something in his experience in
his temperament that keeps him losing his bal
ance In the chase All in ALL the average man Is
commendable institution He is somewhere between
feet inches and feet in height with medium
chest and waist measurements and ~ he likes he can
ready-made clothes without much trouble. lie
does not drink too much and hts habits are fairly
regular. He may be somewhat foolish in a few re-
speets but he has enough common to hold his
foles In check. He does his work fairly WELL treats
his family kindly and has moderately good time IN
life And he Is going to get more out OF life time
At the reported rate OF increase II Is only
going be a few years before the average man
entirely happy. unless he takes to hAnkerng for an
aeroplane.