I know there are nuances and caveats here.... but from my perspective, wealth is not subjective and/or arbitrary. It's quantifiable. Sure, the measurement sticks we choose to measure wealth can be arbitrary, which is where the nuance can enter here.

Mediocrity, however, cannot be measured. One person's idea of "success" is another's nightmare. What does it mean to be "mediocre", or "successful", or "happy"??

I know a 70 year old man who spent his life as a U.S. marine and then a federal LE Agent. He amassed a greater than average amount of wealth. He exercised daily. He worked hard. Most people who know him would probably say he was not "mediocre".

He was diagnosed with cancer about a year ago. He's a different man now, because the cancer is making it impossible to live how he used to live.

Is he now "mediocre" after spending a life being non-mediocre? Did his lifetime of extra hard work change anything, in the grand scheme of the universe? Will anyone remember him, or care about him 50 years from now?

How can mediocrity be measured? What is it?

Mediocrity is simply a short-term, relative concept. People have their periods of strength, and then they become weak. We experience ups and downs, most of which are derived from forces completely external to us.