50 or 100 Words
Prick the Entitlement Bubble
Thrifty Words 100 and 50 Challenges #6 and #27: Entitlement
I have a problem with “everybody is a winner” and “everybody gets a prize.
I believe it creates a false sense of accomplishment and breeds entitled little pricks who grow up to be entitled big pricks.
Healthy competition is, well, healthy. But healthy competition has a winner and a loser. Or a winner and a not winner.
My belief is when two or more people compete to reach a certain goal, whether it is a correct proof for a mathematical theory, or a foot race, the best apple pie, or a bid accepted for contract work, the goal is the prize. Most people don’t agree with me, of course. Most people need some extra form of motivation. Money, a ribbon, a trophy. Something.
I understand the origins of everybody gets a prize and everybody is a winner. Or at least I think I do. I imagine it started as a way to avoid bullying and lose shaming. Poor-sport winners are far worse, in my humble opinion than poor sport-losers.
The poor-sport loser walks away upset with themselves. They express it by knocking the chessboard off the table or taking their toys and going home.
The poor-sport winner shames the loser. Says things like, “In your face!” and…
