This is a social political problem especially with 'exceptionalism'. People adapt to the environment they are in, that's one thing human beings are good at. In

This is a social political problem especially with 'exceptionalism'. People adapt to the environment they are in, that's one thing human beings are good at. In the US there is intense pressure right from school to colleges to work to be 'exceptional', and to be recognized and celebrated for it. There is nothing necessarily wrong, excellence is worth pursuing and to have individuals believe they can achieve it. But there is a huge difference between motivation by passion and interest and motivation by social recognition and celebration. There are pitfalls and side effects in a society from a toxic focus on 'winners' and 'losers', constant judgement, politics and one upmanship, the ability of people to work together without the need for self congratulation and diminishing the collective. It takes a village and all. Excellence always comes through, you don't need to do anything special, individuals who are brilliant will always shine in a self evident way without labels or self congratulation via their work, throughout history and now and in the future. But you can't progress alone, progress comes from a generational interlinked collective, and there is huge risk of diminishing the collective and brushing every other factor under the carpet by an extreme focus on individuals.