I’m reminded of a great quote by Chuck Palahniuk, that “sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.” I think you’ve touched on an important point — that there’s an entrenched, systemic chase for subjective, extrinsic rewards that extends far beyond students. Until an articulated exploration of motivation becomes the cornerstone of a community’s vision and action, I’m afraid we’re just chasing our tails — and the feathers we’ve jammed up there.