Boosting your child’s self esteem was a popular goal during the 1980s and 1990s. Several parenting books about how to make your child feel better made the bestseller list. The idea soon trickled down to schools, perhaps most visible in sports. During competitions, there were winners and – no losers. Even the children who finished last received a trophy. Rather than make a child feel better, later research showed it made many children feel inadequate, being recognized for something they didn’t accomplish on their own.
There are many ways to win awards. But often nabbing that top prize fails to deliver expected results. How many actors who have received acting’s top honor – an Oscar – later reveal that the thrill of holding that golden statuette was fleeting. Rather than enhance the winner’s resume, the honor often harmed rather than helped. Think of some of the past honorees – Tatum O’Neal, Mo’Nique, Kim Basinger, Cuba Gooding Jr., Mercedes Ruhl – who were never able to repeat that success in a followup role. The latest actor to confess that the Oscar didn’t boost her career is Melissa Leo who won for her supporting role in The Fighter in 2011. During a Q&A with The Guardian, Leo said that her career was “much better” before winning the award. “Winning an Oscar has not been good for me or my career,” Leo said. “I didn’t dream of it, I never wanted it and I had a much better career before I won.”
That brings us to the topic of The Nobel Peace Prize, which, for some reason, has become an obsession for Trump. Those aiming to placate the leader of the Free World have offered him other awards, including FIFA’s inaugural “Peace Prize – Unites the World,” presented to him in December by the organization’s president Gianni Infantino. Since the World Cup will be staged in California in 2026, the move was viewed by many as a way to placate Trump before the event.
The latest winner to suck up to Trump is Maria Corina Machado, the first Venzuelan to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Knowing that Trump wanted to win that 2025 honor, and hoping to influence his decision about putting in place leadership for Venezuela, she put together a facsimile of the award and handed it to Trump when she visited. While Trump happily accepted the award, the Nobel committee was quick to point out that the prize cannot be transferred to another person. And, needless to say, Machado has not only damaged her reputation, but left the White House empty handed.
Why do we become so fixated on awards? If we truly believe we did a good job, whether in sports, acting, or being a positive force for change in the world, why do we need a shiny object to confirm that achievement? Recently, I looked at the awards I have won from a media organization and felt they were meaningless. Yes, it felt good to be recognized for writing a good story, but it was a moment in time and I have moved on. I took all of them and threw them in the recycling bin. (Although when I saw that someone had started a movement to send their unwanted trophies to Trump, I was sorry I didn’t mail them to the White House.)
The recent Golden Globes was a disappointment to many. And now we have to gear up for the Academy Awards. And then, of course, the competition to end all competitions, the Olympics. I always have a problem with how subjective some of the scoring is, particularly in figure skating. And don’t get me started on all the doping scandals that have left many of those gold, silver, and bronze medals worthless. Search online for all the athletes who have won medals and then struggled afterwards.
I know that bestowing awards on the winners is not about to end any time soon. But maybe we can put all of this hoopla over wining in perspective. What really matters is whether we believe in our heart of hearts that we did a good job. We shouldn’t need an outside source to hand us a cheap trophy to make it official.
Top Shutterstock Photo by focal point
