A Recent Reminder · 6:31am May 31st, 2015
Earlier today I was reminded of something... something about human nature. Something that a lot of people get wrong in one way or another. It's a subtle thing that is often referenced as a problem with today's society... the 'participation award generation'. The phenomenon where society says you have to give awards to anyone who 'participates' to any degree to avoid 'discouraging our youth'. This is wrong and leads to the propagation of trash in our society. However this is usually mentioned by the 'if you don't win then you're trash' people. They are also wrong. There is nothing wrong with not being the best, not 'winning'... with or without tiger blood, Charlie.
A core aspect of human nature, one of the things that makes us human, is doing your best and then striving to improve. As individuals and as a race we always strive to become better than we are. It is part of what makes us human. Trying and failing is alright, it shows you your limits and reveals your weaknesses. Once you know your weaknesses you know where to put your future efforts to improve. Once you know your limits you can work to surpass them. Yet so many cripple their children by either teaching them that just giving a half-assed attempted is enough, or that it is worthless if they aren't the best. Take a race, it is alright to come in last if you've done your best. They say 'winning doesn't matter' and it is true, because seeing the distance between you and the winner shows you how far you can go, how much you can improve.
I have read stories on this site that were, frankly, terrible. But despite that the author earned my respect both as a person and as a writer because did their best and actively tried to improve. Then I've read mediocre stories that were written by people who, didn't. By people who were trash. Authors who were less than wannabes because they made it clear that they didn't care. That they half-assed it and didn't care how good it was and had no interest in improving. People that were trash not because they didn't have the ability, but because every day they looked at tasks in front of them and chose to be trash. Nobody is born trash, nobody is forced to be trash. To be trash you have to make that conscious choice everyday. If something is worth doing it is worth doing right. If you decide to do something you do it to the best of your abilities and if that is not enough you work to become better.
Of course this is just a part of what it means to be human. Not a decent human being, a 'good person'. That is when you also strive to help those around you to improve, to be the best that they can be. To enable the people around you everyday to realize their full potential instead of knocking them down so that you stand higher.
In the end I suppose I should thank the trash that reminded me of this today. For they have unwittingly inspired me to give another ten percent. It's 2:30 at night and I'm on my way to bed now. But in the morning, when I get up to start my morning routine, I'll be extending my cardio by ten percent. I'll be adding ten percent more reps to every set. When it comes time for self study I'll be extending the study time by ten percent. And yes Powerdrainer, I'll even be setting aside ten percent more time and effort for editing. Because I am a human being, and everyday I choose to be a human being, and not trash.
I'm flattered that you are going to put even more effort in helping improve my work. So thank you for that. And I agree with everything you say in this blog. It doesn't matter whether you come in first, second , fifth or last. The real victory one can gain for any kind of challenge is the satisfaction by doing it, and crossing the line despite their limitations, knowing that even when it got difficult they pushed on and prevailed.