Children and "Participation" Awards

At that moment, it all came together for the LEGO team. Those theories about time compression and instant gratification? They seemed to be off base. Inspired by what an 11-year-old German boy had told them about an old pair of Adidas sneakers, the team realized that children attain social currency among their peers by playing and achieving a high level of mastery at their chosen skill, whatever that skill happens to be. If the skill is valuable, and worthwhile, they will stick with it until they get it right, never mind how long it takes. For kids, it was all about paying your dues and having something tangible to show for it in the end – in this case, a pair of tumbledown Adidas that most adults would never look at twice.

-- Martin Lindstrom, Branding Expert & Consultant

America is a kinder, gentler, place than it was when I grew up. We're now a nation of weak pussies and seemingly proud of it.  Our military might is evidenced by the growing suicide rate among our soldiers and veterans.  Our educational system is second to almost everyone.  Our economic woes have so many Band-Aids on them we can't even see what the issues are anymore.  Our children grow up thinking that just participating makes them a winner.  In war you don't look at the enemy and deter them from attacking by letting them know you're participating, unless your team happens to be number one in the world for kicking ass and taking names.  As it turns out, young people seem to be at odds with this idea of "participation awards."  It seems they have a desire to be the best at what they do, what position they're assigned, or what team they're on.

There's a lot to be said for growing up in the "school of hard knocks."  Difficulty and challenge separates the wheat from the chaff, the survivors from the victims.  Don't we all wish we lived in a world where there weren't victims?  Well, we don't.  Simply wishing we did, and liking like we do, isn't enough to make it so and it puts our children at risk physically, and mentally, to make them feel we live in this kind of fantasy world.

Making it in this country is hard enough while having to compete for fewer and fewer jobs as you struggle to fight off illnesses with a healthcare system challenged with treating as many patients as possible in the shortest amount of time, in the cheapest way possible, because nobody can afford to pay the disappearing medical students much less the secondary insurance premiums you find yourself saddled with because you make one dollar over the welfare limit in wages and, besides, your state opted out of the abortion of an "Affordable" Healthcare Act shoved down the throats of hard working Americans.

We teach our children to vote for the candidates that will give them everything.  We don't teach them that these same candidates will deliver them nothing while taking what little they have.  Why do we do this?  Maybe we want this world to be kinder and gentler through government oversight and a boot on our necks.  Don't waste time thinking for yourself; let the government do that for you.  A nice sentiment, the only problem is, it hasn't worked anywhere else except China, and even they've realized the necessity for capitalism if they wish to compete for "Top Dog" in the world. Maybe we should be requiring all children to read George Orwell's, 1984.  Hey, we don't learn from history, much less teach it anymore, so let's repeat history and prove that we can make those same failed ideas and philosophies not work in the present, as well.  Is this a concept, or what?

It almost seems like anybody over the age of sixty, believing this is an intelligent course of action, was a hippy growing up in the peace and freedom movement, had their brain fried on drugs at Woodstock, grew up in an "entitlement" family or had socialist teachers.  Whatever the reasons, whether they admit it or not, they are victims, and parents that grow up to be victims do their children a disservice by teaching those children to follow in their own weak footsteps of victimdom, especially when the children really desire to be so much more than weak minded victims waiting for the inevitable bully which they don't even realize is already upon them in the guise of their parents, teachers, and a government we have allowed to grow out of control.

Maybe we should take a page from the LEGO playbook. This chapter of the LEGO story is interesting to read, and should be changing the way we look at bringing up our children. I invite you to read the attached story by following this link:

LEGO engineered a remarkable turnaround of its business. How'd that happen?

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint.

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.