Why is mediocre used negatively?

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If mediocre means "middle quality" or average, why is it used negatively?

Is a mediocre person an average person? If yes, why is calling someone mediocre such an insult?

It's like our culture expects everyone to be above average? This is statistically impossible. For example, it would be impossible for the entire population to score above average on a test.

Get graded on a curve? Give an A grade to the top 20%? Then why expect everyone to get an A when it's statistically impossible?

It's like our culture expects us all to be perfect and never make a mistake.

That's how it's used and what separates it from other similar words. When you expect better of something. When mediocre is a disappointment.

Like if you're in the top class, mediocre is a failure.