participation trophies
Awards for showing
Participation trophies are awards given to everyone who takes part in an activity, regardless of performance or achievement.
Common in youth sports and competitions, they're often criticized as emblems of a culture that coddles children and devalues genuine accomplishment: Back in my day, we didn't get participation trophies just for showing up.
The term frequently appears in generational debates, used disparagingly to characterize younger people as entitled or soft.
- ribbonsNarrow fabric strips
- medalsAwards for achievement
- awardsFormal honors bestowed
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- youthState of being immature
youth sports · sports · losers · winners · everybody · good job · softball · pee wee football · rec league · consolation · entitlement · snowflake generation · millennials · coddling · self-esteem · recognition · plastic · gold
- old-fashioned complaintskids these days, back in my day, no respect, work ethic, moral decay
- youth sportsyouth soccer, youth basketball, youth swimming, youth volleyball, youth wrestling
- millennialsavocado toast, student debt, student loans, side hustle, adulting
- useless stuffjunk, clutter, trash, broken toys, dead batteries
participation trophieschampionship trophy
Award for winning title
gold medal · first place · MVP award · blue ribbon · tournament champion
participation trophiesmeritocracy
Advancement through demonstrated ability
survival of the fittest · winner-take-all · Darwinism · trial by fire · sink or swim
participation trophiestough love
Beneficial strictness from affection
grit · resilience · bootstrapping · rugged individualism · character building
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