Life's Not Fair Mike Myatt

The thrill of winning a trophy for the first time is always memorable, however, it brings up the question: Is receiving an award for participating just as exciting? Participation awards are a topic highly debated among those of all ages, with none agreeing on a single answer. Individuals who are under the impression that they are essential believe they boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem. This may be true in some cases, but these trophies could be doing more harm than good. Although in the moment they may appear to be wholesome, they have a lasting effect on children as they grow older. Many children put loads of effort into winning awards, which is belittled by participation trophies that are not only unhelpful and unrewarding, but don’t teach them the important values learned by losing.

In “Losing is Good for You,” Ashley Merryman argues that society should stop handing out trophies for participation and instead let your child loose sometimes. Merryman states, “today, participation trophies and prizes are almost a given, as children are constantly assured that they are winners.” She later goes on and says that children who are given so much praise will crack “at the first experience of difficulty.” In her opinion, she does not believe that every child should be given a trophy because it will affect how they handle a different task. She claims that children would be better off losing than winning, and she also think that children should not get a trophy for everything they compete in.

Overall, I support Merryman’s claim that society rewards all participants despite their qualifications to hold the title of a “winner”. Today the term “winner” has become a cliché where people have driven the idea of success to the brink of extinction. Meaning, that society has over produced the idea of a winner to the extent that some other title would have to replace the phrase “Congratulations, you are a winner”. Personally, I believe that Merryman demonstrates the effect that as children are constantly provided trophies, certificates, and other methods of reward, each of these materials tend to tamper with the foundation of the meaning of being a true victor. Merryman states that, “nonstop recognition does not inspire children to succeed. Instead it causes them to under achieve;” with this statement, Merryman shows the key idea that as children

Fair does not always mean equal. Fair and equal are not the same this can be illustrated in the similarities and differences between Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut and Martin Luther King Jr's “I Have a Dream speech.”

definition of fairness as taken from the video, along with an event in my educational history

Continuing with the idea of people believing that it is unfair how the upper class has more advantages in life, this bring us to the “meritocratic model” which is the model that “recognizes inequities and tries to correct for socioeconomic disadvantages” says Arora (Arora 87). This is the system that is related with the United States (Arora 87) and the reason that most people believe that this model is fair is because people with low incomes or with fewer benefits are offered programs such as the Headstart program and subsidized healthcare. Doing this would help out the needy and put everyone at somewhat of an equal place in life. However thinking deeply into the idea of these programs, they are not entirely fair from everyone’s point of view. For example, some people are born with something that Arora refers to as the “natural lottery” which is described as “people who are born with certain talents and attributes- for instance, oratory, musical acumen, physical beauty and health, athleticism, good memory and

In the article “Do Our Kids Get Off Too Easy?”, author Alfie Kohn argues that treating kids leniently does not impact their future negatively because it can give them unconditional self-esteem. He believes that when children “never … receive something desirable … unless they’ve done enough to merit it” (Kohn) it can create “a fragile, contingent sense of self” (Kohn). Kohn compares this with the arguments of the opposing side to reveal how they have no evidence on how scolding kids’ losses will help them in the future. He notices that when children only receive awards for when they behave well, “every human interaction… is regarded as a kind of transaction” (Kohn). Kohn challenges those that ridicule the competitions that give all the children

The topic of whether children should receive participation trophies has sparked national debate. According to a recent

New laws being passed every day, and outstanding people making a change. Throughout the years, America and its social equality has grown. “One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal..” (Lee Page 208). This quote states “all men are created equal.” People now go with this quote all the time because they now know how to treat everyone right. From all the laws passed, and the people who decided to stand up for their rights, America and its equality has grown better. “1955: Rosa Parks refuses to surrender her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955.” (Blacks and the Great Depression). Rosa Parks made a huge change in African Americans and their equality that day. Instead of giving up her seat, she stood up for her equality. She stood up for the rights and equality for all African Americans so not only they could sit where they want on a bus, but also be treated like people too. For my specific topic, these statements will state another way we see social equality in present day America. "The handful of people in this town who say fair play is not marked white only" (PDF Chapter 24, page 240). This quote shows that not only white people can be fair, but African Americans can too. White people could easily commit the same crime as Blacks. Now in present day America, people of all different colors/races commit crimes every day. They’re kind every day, and they do so much other than sit around all day. Life in America for Blacks has gotten so much better than what it was in the 1930s. “1964: Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, enforcing the constitutional right to vote.” (Blacks and the Great Depression). It’s good that now not only white people can vote, but everyone can. It definitely made an incredible change in America and the equality for Blacks. Now, African Americans have the right to vote so they have their own

A child decides to join a tee-ball team. During the season, he sits on the ground and picks grass in the outfield. At the end of the season, this child gets an award: best flower picker! Some may say that this child just needed some self-esteem to help him get along. In reality, this child got a reward for doing nothing, even for not doing what he was supposed to. When children, such as this one, receive pointless awards, they assume all rewards come with no effort put in, they expect everything in life to come easily, and they don’t learn how to work diligently to earn rewards.

For example, George and Hazel’s son was taken away because he was way above the average level. This didn't happen to the other families. Also everyone is treated differently by how smart, quick, and good looking everyone is. Another example could be that the government is treating Harrison differently from the rest of the society because he is above average in every other way, and the government is afraid that he could over power them. This is significant because when you treat someone equally, you treat them the same way you treat anyone else. But this shows that everyone is treated by different levels not equally. Others might say that everyone is being treated equally because of their handicaps and they interrupt their thought if they

Through the study this term of the central text, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and related texts, films Rabbit Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce and In the Name of the Father by Jim Sheridan, my understanding of the concept of justice, or what constitutes justice, has altered considerably. We all think we know what justice is, or what it should be. In Australian colloquial terms, it is the principle of a “fair go” for everyone. In a perfect world, everyone is treated fairly. No-one is subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sex or disability. But the reality is that the world we inhabit is far from perfect, human beings are by their very natures

In essence, this issue is usually a huge challenge in meeting cultural and personal challenges in children. For this reason, the teacher must be able and willing to offer that child whatever he or she wants. However, the concept of fairness should not be confused with equality; a teacher ought to know that fairness is when children get what they need (Horner, 2005).

Although life is unfair, it can be worthwhile by surrounding one’s self with friends and family. In Swear to Howdy, it is unfair that Joey’s father is abusive, but Joey has Rusty making life worthwhile. Jared, in Shadow Club, finds it’s unfair that he works tough and is still the second best runner in school, has Cheryl, Randall and even the rest of the Shadow Club. Keevan, in the Smallest Dragonboy, has Heth even though Keevan is meager and often called a babe. Jonas, who has no freedom of choice (unfair), has Asher, Fiona and the Giver in The Giver. Finally, in Mother to Son, the mother, who has an unfair life because her life “ain’t no crystal stair”, has her son. These characters have unfair lives/circumstances, but still generate

There are many reasons why giving each kid a trophy is not a good reason. First off this is not how it works when your get into "adult life" so to say. When you grow up and have to work for the things you want you are not just handed things like trophy's for coming in last. No you will actually have to work for it and if we teach our kids that we don have to work for things and it will just be handed to us then that’s is how they will think how life works. Then they will wonder why they are not successful in life and it will because they are to used to things being handed to them from there childhood.