In skiing, we are confronted with a distinctive binary opposite: the idealistic skier and the mediocre skier.
When we speak of idealism, we are referring to a technical one. Any technical ideal for which we strive always involves a conviction in the possibility of achieving it. We anticipate future perfection through ideals, because without them our evolution as skiers would be impossible.
Evolution is not an objective; it is a process, that is, a continuous and varied effort for a better adaptation to the context. To evolve is to vary, and as we vary our experience, our ideals are modified not so much by imitation as by imagination.
At some point, as novice skiers, we begin to recognize appropriate and inappropriate skiing by observing our peers. Our initial stage is directed towards others, evolving as a member of the surrounding community; that is to say, we acquire our habits by imitation. According to our experiences, we may later decide to continue evolving as idealistic skiers within our environment.
As idealistic skiers we are enthusiastic about new ways of skiing and share them with our colleagues. Yet, when proposing new technical concepts, the understanding of these ideals for the common skiers will be complex the more it differs from their current skiing, since it is difficult for them to discern our proposal as a practicable reality. However, as postmodern skiers, we would not have achieved our present technique if idealistic and audacious skiers had not persisted in applying their proposals.
Being idealistic, we successfully adapt to our skiing environment by employing our imaginative skills. We enjoy exploring new situations and invests time and effort into our personal technique. We exhibit curiosity and spontaneity, offer no resistance to change, and disagree with authoritarian technical models.
Imitation is conservative and acts habit-forming, whereas the idealistic imagination of how one should ski is evolutionary. Mediocre skiers simply imitate through imitative patience, blending in with others, and skiing other people’s skiing; whereas idealistic skiers invent by varying through the creative imagination of their own skiing, which differs from that of others.
But, in these postmodern times, are we really dominated by mediocrity? It appears that the pursuit of excellence is something that is largely unacknowledged by the majority of skiers, as they opt for an under performance and remain in their comfort zone disguised as normalcy.
We do not view mediocrity here as something negative or pejorative, but rather as something that is carried out in the middle. Although mediocre skiers may intend to improve, they settle for the ‘average’, or moderate. They act, over and over again, as they always have done for fear of losing what they had achieved, presenting the following traits: staying within the same skiing space, being indifferent to difference, finding no stimulus in initiative, and remaining attentive to their own skiing structure by repeating it. Since they lack the disposition to build their own skiing, they prefer to imitate the skiing of others.
Mediocre skiers cling to their chains, justifying their actions. They are unaware of the importance of self-actualization and improving their skiing skills. Since getting out of mediocrity means skiing by taking charge of their own freedom, they prefer that others make the skiing decisions, because in this way they avoid indecision.
Consequently, their excessive prudence suspends their own initiatives; therefore, they ski below their level without obtaining any improvement since they cannot form an ideal by being dependent on the skiing of others. Since they are not devoted to their own improvement, they should not feel guilty about their situation, but accept it. Some will observe mediocrity in the lack of practice of their own qualities, while others notice the tendency to procrastinate possible evolutions.
Let us remember that the technique employed by mediocre skiers has been conceptualized by idealistic skiers. Consequently, today’s routine will be replaced by another ideal, and so forth. Due to their inability to form an ideal, mediocre skiers prefer to conform to the common way of skiing, which makes them fearful and indecisive in challenging situations. They avoid leaving their comfort zone and exploring new spaces, repeat what is preferable, choose the bad over the good to be known, and make routine, that is, the habit of renouncing to improve, their daily practice as long as everything is based on the least effort.
Mediocre skiers do not exercise self-reflection; they ski for the needs of the current situation, not for technical principles. Their focus of attention is external, and they present little creativity. They also lack enthusiasm and commitment to improve, are characterized by their resistance to change, and have limited technical responses and behaviors. Their degree of adaptation to the environment is low, and they are averse to novel or unanticipated circumstances because they perceive them to be risky.
