By Riley Gill

The United States, in many ways, is seemingly the most powerful country in the world. While it may seem that way, a growing issue has begun to surface throughout the country. As a nation, we’ve started to become soft to issues that aren’t going anywhere. People are scared of hurting feelings, being let down, or not succeeding. They’ve started watering everything down so everyone can win. It may not seem like a terrible idea at first, but it’s starting to work against us. Winning feels good, but just because we like it doesn’t mean we should always have our way; without losing, or even second place, what’s the purpose of getting better?

Parents want to protect their children. There obviously isn’t anything wrong with that; it’s good parenting. However, trying to protect them from the whole world is impossible. Scraped knees, broken bones, failed tests, and missed practices are no longer mistakes that children can learn from. These little accidents and would-be lessons become absolute atrocities to mankind, horridly unacceptable in the eyes of their parents.

“We care too much about the outcome of our actions possibly affecting someone’s feelings. Your actions shouldn’t be based off of someone else’s emotions,” vented Senior Burk Hill.

Living vicariously through children is a widespread issue in America; soccer moms push their kids past their limits. Their children need to start over their sworn enemies’ kids for their own satisfaction, not for their kids. Children should want to be better on their own, not just because their parents aren’t satisfied with their commitment. Yes, parents obviously should get their kids to try new things and give it their best try. What they should refrain from is forcing their kids to study for four hours a night, start lifting at the age of ten, or running five miles a day, so they can have the satisfaction of being the mother or father of an athletically or academically excellent child.

Academics and athletics are not the only thing of importance in society. If the trend of cookie-cutting children to grow up and become the next Lebron James or Bill Gates is continued, America will place itself on a slippery slope to the bottom of the food chain. Innovation cannot be achieved by millions of kids all performing the same task. Diversity is one of the greatest keys to thriving. Society needs the artists, the musicians, those who some would call “burnouts”. You can’t have balance or equality without a realistic ratio of personalities and mindsets. Without dreamers, logical people would be captured within the bounds of reality. Without logical thinkers, dreamers wouldn’t be able to innovate simply because of a seemingly unrealistic idea. Balance breeds creation, and America has begun to destroy that balance by sheltering their children from their true potential.

All in all, children and parents alike have become scared. Being scared of not becoming the best is a plague shadowing a massive part of American society. What people seem to have forgotten is that just because you aren’t the best; does not mean that you can’t be great. Michael Jordan was the best; Scottie Pippen was great. Steve Jobs was the best; Steve Wozniak was great. Those who have come first never would have made it if there hadn’t been other people pushing them to reach the top. Competition will always drive people to their peak potential, and in this day and age that competition is being downplayed to the point of extinction. That competition is what makes us great, and makes us the country that we are. So keep score, watch your grades, perfect your sound. Be the best, so that others will want to be great.