"In a competitive culture, a child is told that it isn't enough to be good -- he must triumph over others. Success comes to be defined as victory, even though these are really two very different things."

Pilebsa · 1 year

This guy seems to be part of that movement to reduce any and all conflict kids may come into contact with, the same camp that made obesity a "disease" and suggest that you shouldn't really discipline children, and nobody should ever criticize anybody else, and everyone needs to unconditionally respect each others' fragile sensibilities. I think one reason why our country has turned into a bunch of insincere, non-confrontational bags of jell-o is because of attitudes like this.

I see nothing wrong with competition. It doesn't have to promote violence. There's nothing wrong with losing either. The author confuses the game with the playa.

Although I do agree when it comes to things like the Olympics, it seems that nationalism is being prioritized over individual achievement. I think this is mainly the work of NBC and the corporations and committees. As someone pointed out, the posters and images for the olympics used to center around athletes and now they're more abstract logo-type images, like corporate branding - less about the individual.

stevetac · 1 year

Pure garbage. There is nothing wrong with the joy of competition as experienced by the child. Many Eastern traditions teach that you learn as much losing as you do winning. How is dealing with the real world bad? Even in a primitive culture there is competition to survive.

The only wrong part is when social Darwinism is brought into play, or the parents are experiencing vicariously through the child.

You must live in a horrid place.

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