Sykes Rule Number 11: Phooey

Today Charlie Sykes blesses us with 3 of his fifty ways to leave your common sense in the trash heap of history.

Rule 11: The After you graduate, you won't be competing against rivals who were raised to be wimps on the playground. The  Duke of Wellington once said that “the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton ” – reflecting his view that competitive sports shape a nation’s character. We sure as hell should hope that’s not true about America unless, that is, we plan on going to war against an enemy who also values non-competitive, risk-free, self-esteem building play activities for its young….

Here is the scoop according to Soglin:

• It is doubtful that Wellington ever said these words.
• If he did, the comment is directed to strategy, not physical prowess.
• The biggest playground wimp in the world, could blow both Wellington and Napoleon's armies off the battlefield. Just ask Albert Einstein.

As for Sykes' rule 10, Life is like dodgeball, we all know that is false.  For a more valuable insight, I refer all of you to Mark Twain:

• All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.

And to quote the aforementioned Albert Einstein on life:

• Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.

Comments

[The Editor's Eye]

Sykes: "Life does involves competition ..."

This is a book about schools and education?

[kr]

No, this is a book about hard right, selfish values.

How about Ben Franklin's "Either we wall hang together of we all hang separately."