Everybody exhale… 🙂 An article written in the the Good Brand Studio, “Challenging Our Average Models for Work and Education” written by Rachel Reilich, and a great summary located on  ThomasenCharles, written by Alette Baartmans, detail where a Harvard Professor, Todd Rose, author of the book; “The End of Average,” challenges our notions of  what average is, and seeks to establish individuality as it’s own measurement to be applied to education, institutions, guiding principles, you name it. It minimizes the idea that we compare ourselves to others, rather appreciate the differences that make up individuals and seek to develop those things. We’ve heard this before, though unless you know about the book, not exactly, (similarly, though not exactly), quite like- this. This “individualist approach” Rose believes, can shape for the better, education, corporate structures, life long learning and more, and this is also not to say it is not useful.

Rose offers a historical perspective regarding averages, (from summaries) beginning in 1819 with Quetelet who used astronomy’s method of averages and began to apply it to people, coining the concept of the “Average Man.”  Since then, “…the average became normal and the individual became error.” Along with theorists who promoted averagerian thinking, finally, in 2003, Molenaar named the error, calling it “the ergodic switch,” It states “…the fatal flaw of averegerians is the assumption that you can understand individuals by ignoring their individuality.”  According to Rose, “…embracing individuality, and building systems that actually try to understand people and develop them, will raise a generation of people who will be smarter and healthier and happier.”  Dan Blanchard also writes thoroughly about “The End of Average by Todd Rose” on his website. He starts out “Borrow this book if you have to! Borrow the information inside of the book if you are smart! And make it yours if you are wise!” 

So what is Rose proposing? At least in part, three Principles of Individuality, – The Jaggedness Principle, we can’t apply one-dimensional thinking, or a straight line to something that is jagged or multi-dimensional; The Context Principle, stating traits are a myth, to be seen in context, and use instead if-thenreasoning, if this, then, and the third; The Pathway Principals state there is no one(1) “normal pathway.” That in all pathways, at any time, for any goal, there are many ways to get to the same result, and the best path you can take, is based on your very own individuality. 

As Anya Kamenetz states; “Todd Rose is not your average guy. But neither are you” in her NPR article “Standards Grades and Tests are Wildly Outdated, argues ‘End of Average.’ In the same interview, Rose states, “People feel like if you focus on individuality, everyone’s a snowflake, and you can’t build a science on snowflakes. But the opposite has been true.”