Natalie Doud
Congrats! You failed. That is trophy culture in a nutshell. Trophy culture encapsulates participation trophies and awards given to people for doing the bare minimum. Recompensing mediocrity, encouraging the sole pursuit of easily attainable goals and wiring children to believe that most failures in the real world are met with rewards.
While trophy culture encourages a positive mindset and motivational atmosphere, we must consider the long-term effects.
Receiving a participation trophy only sparks a secondlong feeling of happiness, inducing immediate gratification. However, research has shown that delayed gratification is more beneficial in several different ways.
According to Psychology Today, delaying gratification promotes good habits, a proclivity for patience and self-control. This is especially crucial today, as the pandemic is forcing us to test the limits of these qualities. In order to see positive, long-term results, we need to stay inside and avoid seeing others who are not in our social bubbles for an extended period of time. However, cases continue to rise daily, as people are finding it challenging to abide by these new restrictions and are unwilling to wait until the pandemic has died down to see their friends. But their solution to isolation is only temporary, as the pandemic will continue to worsen and we will need to isolate ourselves even longer. Therefore, fostering a tolerance to instant satisfaction can be very beneficial in future circumstances.