1010: Participation Trophies | Skeptical Sunday

Jun 30, 2024

Join Jason Feifer, Editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine and host of the Build for Tomorrow podcast, as he tackles the debate over participation trophies. He uncovers their surprising history dating back to 1922, revealing that these trophies aren't a millennial invention. Jason debunks the myth that they create 'snowflakes,' emphasizing that kids naturally shift their focus to winning. The discussion highlights how rewards in youth sports have evolved and their importance in fostering development and enjoyment, ultimately reshaping preconceived notions.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Slack's Origin Story

Stewart Butterfield's video game company failed, but its chat functionality inspired Slack.
This "loss" demonstrates how failure can breed success.

INSIGHT

The "Now" Error

Steve Harvey mistakenly claims participation trophies are a new phenomenon.
A 1922 newspaper article proves they existed over a century ago.

INSIGHT

Sports and Muscular Christianity

The Industrial Revolution led to increased leisure time and the rise of professional sports.
Muscular Christianity linked sports with virtues, influencing modern views.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Are participation trophies ruining kids? Jason Feifer debunks myths and reveals the surprising century-long history behind the debate on Skeptical Sunday!

Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we're joined by Jason Feifer, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, host of the Build for Tomorrow podcast, and author of Build for Tomorrow: An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career.

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

As it turns out, participation trophies aren't some newfangled millennial invention. These shiny symbols of showing up have been collecting dust on shelves since your great-grandpappy was in short pants. We're talking 1922, folks — when the biggest participation trophy was surviving the Spanish Flu!
All of these folks bellyaching about participation trophies probably have a few lurking in their own attics. It's like complaining about kids these days and their gimmicky rock music while air-guitaring to Led Zeppelin. Pot, meet kettle — you're both made of participation trophy material.
Despite what the armchair psychologists down at the local watering hole might tell you, there's no scientific evidence that participation trophies turn kids into snowflakes. As they grow, kids naturally get more interested in winning than just showing up — like trading in their tricycle for a Harley.
The whole participation trophy hullabaloo is less about plastic awards and more about our collective freak-out over parenting, work ethic, and why these darn kids won't get off our lawns. It's just generational anxiety dressed up in a well-worn, borrowed suit.
Want to level up your success game? Ditch the black-and-white thinking. Winning's got more flavors than Baskin-Robbins, so keep an open mind for what's possible. Embrace the past, eye the future, and you'll be batting home runs with life's curveballs like a pro.
Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!
Connect with Jason Feifer at his website, Twitter, Instagram, and

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.