I used to think, like the author, that the "everyone gets a trophy" epidemic in America was a major problem. Lately, I've come to realize that this is but half

I used to think, like the author, that the "everyone gets a trophy" epidemic in America was a major problem. Lately, I've come to realize that this is but half of the problem. The other half is America's growing culture of Celebrity Worship. You see it all over: in the way America's youth treats Facebook and Twitter, in the exponential growth of "reality" shows and "talent" competitions, in the rise of celebrities who are "famous for being famous". With the way that America treats celebrity, not just as something to be desired but something to be expected, it's hard to blame parents for having that "everyone gets a trophy" mentality. The reality is that someone needs to sweep the floors. Someone needs to build the buildings, dig the ditches, and work the assembly line. The fact that America seems to have forgotten how to do those jobs and still maintain a sense of accomplishment, a sense of self-worth, is directly reflected by the employment crisis the country currently finds itself in. When everyone is trying to be a celebrity, you end up with a country full of celebrities and drop-outs, of highly-paid, highly-skilled workers, and McDonalds' cashiers.