Real achievement

Winning or getting top results is vague. Today parents push kids to get good grades even when the education system is unable to provide enough tools for even the top students to succeed. Perhaps it never did.

Life is even more complicated. Look at what is happening in the rising countries like the Ukraine, Turkey, Thailand, Egypt... There has been so much more transparency, education, economic rise and progress since 2000. But they are facing deep rooted problems on how to live together when they don't agree. Power grabbing, violence, skewed application of laws, revenge, lack of  forgiveness all help the groups involved to be locked in battles of words, of opinion and there is a risk of outright war.

In my part of the world, there is more stability on the surface because cultures here frown on dissent and confrontation in general. There is a tolerance of those in power that is better for short term stability but can hide the same deep divisions and problems that will not leave hearts and minds. Sooner or later tides will turn and the suppressed weaker groups could later be the stronger faction who will take power.

Democracy is meant to help dialog and smooth transitions of power without violence. But it too can become tools of the powerful to oppress the weak. When wealth disparity is high, the risk of instability, falling productivity and worst of all neglect of the young generation will also be high.

Real achievement then cannot be wealth or power or some trophy, despite that parents commonly push kids to get "qualifications" like badges of honor. In our times of change, relative peace, ever increasing channels to communicate and learn, we have little excuse not to achieve understanding, forgiveness, shared power, common goals and focused effort to move forward with our neighbors.

Real achievement is simply how we treat one another towards growth instead of playing politics, nurture stale mates and continue generations of escalating violence. Competition can be friendly, like what sports should be. The rewards of refocusing on people over the numbers will be real progress and better management of our lives on earth.