If EVERYTHING is Amazing, then NOTHING is Amazing!
psychology·@denmarkguy·
0.000 HBDIf EVERYTHING is Amazing, then NOTHING is Amazing!
<html> <p>I remember, about 20 years ago, living near a middle school that used to distribute those <em>"Student of the Month"</em> bumper stickers to parents to parents whose kids were-- presumably-- <em>"Student of the Month."</em></p> <p>After a few years, it became a bit of a local joke because it seemed like <em>every single kid</em> in the neighborhood was "Student of the Month." Three or four times.</p> <h2><em>Accolades and Meaning</em></h2> <p>Whereas I have no doubt there some bright and deserving kids around, thinking back on those days got me to thinking about the whole "positive self esteem" movement and what it is doing to the world.</p> <p> <div class="pull-left"> <p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/kPgJbWz.jpg" alt="JoshuaTree" /><br /> <em>Joshua Tree, near Yucca Valley, CA</em></p> </div> </p> <p>We live in a world that seems obsessed with <em>"positivity."</em> We're working positive self-esteem, we practice positive thinking, we have positive psychology, people practice positive focused intention... and on, and on.</p> <p>More and more, I encounter extremely positive people... for whom everything and everyone seems "<em>awesome!</em>" and "<em>amazing!</em>" Whereas I can't fault having a positive outlook... there comes a point where a certain cognitive dissociation from reality sets in.</p> <p>I'm sorry, but falling down the stairs and cracking my skull open is <em>not</em> "<em>awesome!</em>" And that guy who robbed me at knife point is not "<em>amazing!</em>" even <em>IF </em>he did rescue his brother from drowning before he turned into a psychotic meth head.</p> <h2><em>Devaluing True Excellence</em></h2> <p> <div class="pull-right"> <p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/o7gkjXk.jpg" alt="DesertFlowers" /><br /> <em>Desert flowers near Yucca Valley, CA</em></p> </div> </p> <p>There's an interesting conundrum here. </p> <p>I fully believe the whole positivity thing was created with good intent, and a genuine desire to make the world a better place.</p> <p>Alas, when you re-label something "<em>pretty average</em>" as "<em>brilliant,</em>" you might make some Average Joe feel better for a moment, but you've also just devalued the meaning of <em>true</em> brilliance. And by no longer recognizing just a <em>few</em> for their <em>"excellence,"</em> the benchmark for excellence keeps getting <em>reduced</em> by a few notches. </p> <p>And then we sit around wondering why the world seems increasingly mediocre. </p> <h2><em>Student of the Month Meets Real Life</em></h2> <p> <div class="pull-left"> <p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/CBDwwVG.jpg" alt="DirtySunset" /><br /> <em>Sunset on an evening with forest fires</em></p> </div> </p> <p>As parents, I <em>know</em> we all want the best for our children... which is only natural. But artificially inflating the scope someone's abilities helps noone. Because there will come a day when your kid's artificially inflated sense of self will come face to face with a world that truly isn't kind or sensitive... and reality will set in. The real world does not generally take kindly to "C-" performance masquerading as an "A" student.</p> <p>Short version: The sudden shattering of that inflated false image will hurt <em>far more</em> than gradually learning some <em>real</em> (and realistic) life skills over a period of time.</p> <p>Don't believe me: Watch what happens to people who go on shows like "<em>American Idol</em>" and "<em>The Voice</em>" because they've had an army of <em>"yes-people"</em> tell them how "<em>awesome</em>" they are... and yet, they can't sing their way out of a bag.</p> <h2><em>Reality Inflation Leads to Dumbing Down</em></h2> <p>As of late, I have been reading quite a few articles about what seems to be a general "dumbing down" of the world. I can't help but think that this excessive positivity might be part of the problem. </p> <p>If we start living in a world where everyone is led to believe they are "amazing," then-- effectively-- nobody ends up being truly "amazing," since amazing is average. And, what's more... TRULY putting in an amazing performance loses its meaning, because there's no way to distinguish it from the average-amazing.</p> <p><em><strong>What do YOU think?</strong></em> Have you noticed a societal tendency to "over positivize" people and skills? Do you think it devalues the work and talent behind true excellence when we start calling everything "excellent," mostly out of fear that someone might feel "left out?" I know this can be a "sensitive" subject for some, but I'd love to hear your opinion! Leave a comment-- share your experiences and feedback-- join the conversation!</p> <p><em>(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)<br> Published 20170702 14:23 PDT</em></p> </html>
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