Winners Vs Losers

Winners or whiners? It is thus that the world categorizes us. Winners or Losers. We all love winners. Mostly it is thumbs down for the loser. Winners are treated as gods. Our world today is a winning crazed world. As the captain in The Caine Mutiny says, "In my ship, extraordinary performances are standard, standard performances are sub-standard and sub-standard performances will be punished." Why this crazed emphasis on winning? Most of us are good at one thing. Its acceptable to be not so good at other things. But while we cry for acceptance even when we fail, we are not so charitable when others fail. We even take a sadistic pleasure when others fumble and slip. We are reluctant to lend a helping hand, afraid that someone may call us weak. We are quick to criticize, pounce on their failure. Many young people are afraid to take a risk because they are so afraid of losing. They are so afraid of criticism. We are turning our society into a society of losers.

It is often said that sport is not about winning or losing, but taking part. But is it really that way? Our athletes take performance enhancing drugs, indulge in dirty tactics, everything to win. Magnanimous winners and gracious losers belong to the prehistoric age. It is with these thoughts that you sit to watch Little Miss Sunshine, a delightful movie about a delightful bunch of losers who strive hard to win. But it is with their loss they learn the important lessons of life. It is so with our lives. It is our losses that teach us more than our victories ever can. Stallone's Rocky is also significant in this regard. Rocky is the loser in the movie, but it is he who wins the audience's appreciation not Apollo, the winner. It is common knowledge that most of the high profile winners actually lose out on a lot of other things. How many young achievers end up committing suicide is any body's guess. The relentless pressure to perform and sustain that performance, to be consistent, takes a toll on their mental stamina and they feel trapped. They see no way out and end their lives in desperation.

I prefer to be a loser and stay happy and sane, than be a winner and end up in an asylum.