Peanuts Begins by Charles Schulz for July 20, 2023

I wasn’t even born back then, how come Schulz got me down to a T?

You’re safe, Charlie Brown. Mediocre is usually slightly above average. It’s a sort of grudging “good enough.”

Someone must be mediocre.

All the children are above average in Lake Wobegon.

Where did she learn such a big word?!

Maybe her mommy called her mediocre? Abusive parents are everywhere, even in Peanuts.

Oh yeah, well I bet you’ll be even mediocre-er.

She sure is a meanie

Someone’s got to be average. And that doesn’t mean you’re not good at anything.

Given the way he was regularly treated, I’m amazed (and quite impressed) that Charlie Brown didn’t grow up to be a serial killer…

Why is she so mean?

That’s mean ( as opposed to median).

I wish I knew why they all picked on CB. The earliest strips show him as much more confident.

“Even if he were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance?”

—Senator Roman Hruska (R-NE), 1970, responding to assertions that G. Harrold Carswell, President Nixon’s nominee to the Supreme Court, was at best a mediocre judge

The strip is beginning to take is nasty turn. Violet, Lucy and “Original” Patty become cruel to CB. Not my favorite strips.