Something that has always bugged me is the subjectivity of the classic 1 - to - 10 rating scale. Different subjects are rated independently, some people rate more liberally or conservatively, and worst of all, each mark means something different to each individual person. The handing out of marks is not grounded in any sort of concrete set of guidelines. As a tool to communicate one's feelings on a subject, the 1 - to - 10 rating scale, as it is now, is unreliable at best.
As a service to mankind, I've developed a Universal Rating Scale TM. This scale can be applied to any subject, and be consistent in it's appraisal and relatability. It manages this by using a bell curve system.
The Universal Rating Scale TM gives out marks on a scale of 0 to 10. A score of 5 is neutral. Anything above 5 is positive, anything below 5 is negative. 6 is marginally good, 7 is solidly good. 4 is marginally bad, 3 is solidly bad. 5 is at the very top of the curve, and so the majority of marks will be within this 3 - to 7 range. Marks above or below this range are exceptional cases, and are not to be handed out lightly.
A mark of 8 is very good, a mark of 2 is very bad. 9 is exceptionally good, 1 is exceptionally bad. 10 is as close to perfection as it is possible to go, and 0 is the antithesis of this. Marks of 10 and 0 represent the furthest reaches of the curve, and should almost never be handed out.
So next time you're out with the boys watching pretty girls walk by, or someone asks you how your day was, or your waiter asks you how you're enjoying the food so far, you'll know exactly what to tell them.
EASY REFERENCE SUMMARY:
10: As close to absolute perfection as is possible. Once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime.
eg. The day you get married to your soulmate.
9: Exceptionally Good
eg. Winning $5,000 in a 50-50 draw.
8: Very Good
eg. Floor tickets to your favorite band.
--- (most things below this) ---
7: Good
eg. An cold Coca Cola on a hot day.
6: Marginally Good
eg. Getting a notification on facebook.
5: Neutral. No positive or negative feelings whatsoever.
eg. Someone you've never met and never heard of.
4: Marginally Bad
eg. Doing laundry, making your bed.
3: Bad
eg. Traffic when you're late for something.
--- (most things above this) ---
2: Very bad
eg. Having one night to write a 6-page essay worth 30% of your mark.
1: Exceptionally bad
eg. Getting dumped.
0: Absolutely soul-crushingly, gut-wrenchingly, hellishly awful.
eg. The day your baby was kidnapped and murdered.
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