Recently I read a New York Times article discussing grades. To put it simply, it claimed that colleges were having difficulty with students expecting As for effort. According to schools, no matter how hard students try, they might never receive an A, as an “A” should go to the students who perform the best in the class.
Something in this article spoke to me, even more so now that I am teaching in a classroom. It is evident that there is a lack of healthy competition between students today. Rather than pushing themselves to achieve as much as possible, they are content to simply coast along catching the As as they fall gently in their lap like manna from the sky.
When did society decide that everyone deserved to be the best? The best, by definition, is exclusive. It stands as singular and isolating. There should only be one winner at the end of the day, and just because you try does not mean you will win.
The devastating consequences of a lesson never learned are more evident than ever now that I am a college graduate. All around me I hear the cries of my peers complaining that they deserve better jobs than the minimum wage ones now available. They feel it is beneath them to do anything less that the most prestigious jobs. So much so that many are willing to move back home.
I must take a minute to add an aside. I too have been living at home for a short period since graduation. But in my defense, I was working the lowly jobs so many of my peers turned down. I chose to stay at home to save moeny so that when I set out to pursue to my dreams I will be adequately prepared for success. (I may also be prepared for failure, but I choose not to see that as an option.)
I also see evidence of the entitlement of my generation each and every time I enter a bookstore. The sheer amount of trashy literature decorating the shelves is astonishing. Who told these people that they could publish a book? Furthermore, who published them?
There is much more to be said about the topic, but I find myself overwhelmed and annoyed. I can say this much though, my students who get “A’s” this year will really deserve them, and I hope to leave them with a greater message than “An A for effort.” I hope they will learn that everyone can succeed at something, but not everyone can succeed at everything.
Oh! This reminds me. I once met a devastatingly handsome man who was good at everything he tried. It was disgusting and I could barely stand to be around him. In the end, he is alone because no one can stand comparing them-self to him. So who really wants to be the best at everything?
The End
BRAVO!
Well said!