Participation Ribbon

Someone once said, "Follow your dreams."  Screw that!  Do you have a dream?  Don't follow that dream.  You hunt that thing down.  Stalk that motherfucker, corner it and devour it.  

I've been thinking about the whole concept of participation ribbons lately.  Not sure why.  Got me to thinking about the whole mentality that is pervasive in this world right now.  This feeling that, "we're all special and we all deserve to be treated just for doing our best".  Everyone has been to the baseball or basketball game where everyone gets a ribbon just for playing.  I never really used to be bothered by this.  My kids have each gotten participation ribbons for various sports.  At first, I thought, "well, at least they got something for their effort."  Lately, the thought has irritated me.  I think this practice has been instrumental in the downfall of the social interaction of this country.  The act of making sure everyone gets to feel special is based on a socialistic mentality and low and behold, what do we see taking place in this country right now?  We have a president that wants to make sure of "social justice".  He wants to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have any.  He wants it to be fair.  Let me tell you something that the sooner you understand, the better you will be:

LIFE IS NOT FAIR!  Life is not all sunshine and rainbows.  It doesn't give out participation ribbons.  Life is either lived or not.  It is not participated in.  Life will smack you in the face and never bat an eye.  It will kick you in the teeth, knock you down, and keep you there if you let it.  Contrary to what mommies and daddies have been telling you:  YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL!

The idea that someone deserves anything simply for participating is bullshit.  It is not a healthy way to go through life.  It causes one to believe they are entitled to things that they didn't earn.  This is bullshit.  Quite frankly, we don't DESERVE anything that we do not work for or earn.  When is the last time someone got a participation diploma?  A participation MD?  A participation promotion?  People that acquire these and other things get them through one thing, work.

Imagine a doctor.  As a student, they really were not stellar.  Actually, they just showed up for classes and tests.  They didn't really try.  Failed exams.  Having really done nothing to deserve or earn a degree in medicine.  At commencement, they are awarded a MD simply because they participated in medical school.  Would you like to be treated by this physician?

If you want something, you go get it.  You work for it.  You live, eat, and breathe that which you're dreaming about.  You don't quit.  You keep on working and never expect anything to ever be given to you.  Stalk your dream!  Don't plan on mediocre work to get you your dream.  A very wise and spiritual man once said, "The proof of desire is in the pursuit."  If you want something, I should be able to look at you and see what you're passionate about by how you're pursuing it.