A Plodding Mediocrity

Of himself, Benjamin N. Cardozo stated the following:

"In truth, I am nothing but a plodding mediocrity--please observe, a plodding mediocrity--for a mere mediocrity does not go very far, but a plodding one gets quite a distance. There is joy in that success, and a distinction can come from courage, fidelity and industry."

Every law student knows of Justice Cardozo. He has written some of the most famous legal opinions of the past century. I love reading his opinions! Not only are his arguments extremely sound, they are expressed in style that in unparalleled. One historian describes his work this way: "His style is unmistakable: limpid clarity, conciseness suffused with a moral almost spiritual luminosity, and a command of historical material that is unrivaled in the entire common-law tradition. The beauty of his prose must be rated with those of the Greek and Roman classicists whose works he read in the original language for his own pleasure." Another historian stated, "Except for Holmes himself, Justice Cardozo was the preeminent judge of the first half of the twentieth century. Indeed, Cardozo was the outstanding common-law jurist of the twentieth century."

Today I came across that comment Justice Cardozo made about himself, and I really liked it because it helped give me hope as a law student. After having received countless rejections this past semester after applying for legal internships, I've realized it does take some effort not to be discouraged. In this competitive law school culture, it's easy to fall into the trap of measuring your self-worth by your grades, your class ranking, whether you made the law review, your job offers, etc . . . In fact studies have shown that a significant number of law students go through some type of depression or anxiety disorders. Luckily for me, I haven't had to deal with any of these problems. I have my family to keep me from studying too much and to help me have balance in my life while going through school. I'm sure thankful for Sara and Mason and especially for all of Sara's support.

I think "plodding along" as a mediocrity would be a good phrase to describe how I feel sometimes as a student. I know I won't be the next rock star of the legal community, but I know how to work hard, and I know that if I continue to be diligent my "courage, fidelity and industry" will someday payoff.