Once upon a time, there was a nation ruled by mediocre squares who have no tolerance for any individual who is unique.

"Think out of the box", they said, "but no, not that far out! No more than just one toe out of our box."

"Be creative", they exhorted, "but no, not that creative!"

"We welcome diverse opinions", they insisted, "as long as it is the 'right opinions' approved by us."

Read the "right news".
See the "right movie".
Listen to the "right music".
Live the "right lifestyle".
Kiss the "right ass".
Etc... Etc..

No, the mediocre squares do not really want unique individuals capable of forming independant thoughts and diverse opinions of all kinds. What they really want are different, diverse, and creative ways to kiss their greedy mediocre asses and to keep them in perpetual power.

Anyone who refuses to dumb themselves down willingly, are considered to be highly dangerous. So much of a threat they are seen by the mediocre squares, that the full force of law has to be invoked to dumb them down. Simply uttering a not-so mediocre honest opinion can end up extremely disastrous for any individual who is not affiliated with the mediocre squares. "Ruled by law Rule of law", they claimed.

Unique individuals are dangerous. Independant ideas are contagious. What if more and more commoners get infected by someone's "not so right creativity" and start refusing to accept that they have to live a mediocre life dictated by the mediocre squares? What if more and more find the courage to not be dumbed down? What if more and more realise that working till they die is not the only way to live? Oh no! The mediocre squares will be out of power in no time if everyone wakes up to the fact that those in power are really just... mediocre. Better waste as much state resources as it takes to fix every single one of them as soon as they show themselves to be unique.

And when more and more locals start leaving the city as soon as they can afford to, to start life anew in places where they can truly be themselves, the mediocre squares pretend to wonder why. "We have to stop this brain drain", they said. And so they did, by opening the immigration floodgate of the nation to people who are either already more mediocre than them, or are willing to pretend to be mediocre.

Of 2 out of every 3 locals who remain, they are apparently still very comfortable with their mediocre lives and getting ruled by the mediocre squares. Never mind that the costs of living are escalating. Never mind that their jobs and land are slowly but surely being taken over. Never mind that their purchasing power has dwindled and that the real value of their mediocre wages are decreasing. If the mediocre squares say that everything is going well, then it must be true!

Do you happen to live in a nation ruled by mediocre squares?