I’m Terrified of Valedictorians

21,000 high schools in America means 21,000 valedictorians each year. It means 21,000 salutatorians who shamed their families. Lets not forget the ties and the disqualifications. Where do these phenoms go once they ascend?

The answer is both nowhere and everywhere. In a way, they vanish. Once society soaks them up, they blend in. But shouldn't that be expected? These people are good at a variety of things. Each an individual with their own interests, their own paths, but the one thing they have in common is that they are conquerors. Even the weak ones from Milwaukee, WI or South Carolina. They all share an accomplishment. They won high school and then they are let loose upon us. 

They knew about AP classes early on. They sat in desks with upperclassmen. They milked the teachers for every possible point on any exam. They knew the system and they conquered it. 

That’s what they will do for the rest of their life, conquer. The size of the conquests may vary and their successes will be relative to the field they reside in, but they know how to play a game to perfection. They master the system they want to belong to but now, there isn't necessarily an endgame. There may not be a graduation. They may work towards a promotion but they are just as likely to be in a dead end job in which they perform excellently. They may be drug addicts but you better believe they'll be a perfect meth head. 

Valedictorians are the mashed potatoes of people on the vast plate of life. Whatever they do, be it college, be it a dope job at Intel, be it a transgender stage production, be it marriage, be it a part time job at a gas station, whatever it is, these mashed potato people, they fill the mold perfectly. 

They are everywhere, and they are better than you. Always. 

Note: Imad was 64th in his class. 

5.18.15

A Dried Well

It seems all my thoughts and efforts are being directed at movies and channeled through the sister blog so this place that was once a repository for my work is now a barren womb of mental blankness. That and I really like thinking about movies.