We count Oscars, track championship rings, and argue endlessly about who has the most titles. But why do trophies matter so much to us — and what does our obsession with awards actually say about human nature?
There’s a trend these days to not give trophies to children. It creates a competitive and unequal environment and can hurt those children who are on the losing side. In fact, some will argue that trophies and awards are a silly thing for adults as well. After all, what are we really competing for?
But, for some reason, we love trophies, and we are obsessed with knowing how many titles a certain athlete has won and how many Oscars Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Julia Roberts have.
So, in this article, I would like to discuss three major factors leading to people’s obsession with trophies and awards.
The Obsession with Awards
The word obsessed is defined as preoccupied with or haunted by some idea, interest, etc. When a person is obsessed, he/she is dominated by desire, an idea, or anything. Though other people may see it as a negative thing, such as self-destructive, if it gives you focus and direction, then it’s a good thing that will someday lead you to success. For the audience and those who watch other people, it is a reason for admiration and can create a sort of feeling of your own victory when someone else wins an award in sports, music, movies, etc.
The following are the reasons or major factors why we are dominated by our desire to get awards and trophies:
Simply Because We Invested Our Time and Energy
As individuals, we’ve been eyeing the award for a long time, and we invested our time and energy so that we will be able to finally have it. We put everything on the line. We don’t want to put our investment to waste, nor do we want to sell anyone else. When we badly want to have something, and when we are dominated by our desire to have it, we focus our attention on nothing else but on what we want. We are obsessed with the desire to win and to see those we love to win as well.
Kobe Bryant said, “People just don’t understand how obsessed I am with winning.” Well, we can’t blame him for being obsessed with winning because the time and energy he spent on practices is no joke. Of course, he never wants to waste what he invested. His obsession is caused by his determination to win every game he plays, and he became a basketball legend whom a lot of people idolize. For fans, this is something that cannot be ignored, and in many ways, his approach is more appealing than that of indifferent people who do have a goal to compete.
Just Because We Wanted to Be Recognized, Or See Other People Being Recognized
Who would never want the idea of being recognized? If there is an opportunity, then why waste it? It is also one of the biggest factors of being obsessed with awards and trophies – the desire to be recognized. When we are recognized, we become somebody that other people look up to. When we see other people we admire being recognized, we look up to them and know our children will do the same.
In Essence, Awards and Trophies Are Great Achievements
Awards and trophies are something we consider as our great achievements. For example, the Grammy Awards, or just Grammy, are an award presented by the Recording Academy to recognize achievement in the music industry. It is a prestigious trophy or recognition that, even being nominated for it, is already an achievement in itself.
Stevie Wonder is among the most notable winners with a total of 22 Grammys as of 2015. Well, that’s superb! And if you are someone who is in the music industry, wouldn’t you be obsessed with this prestigious trophy?
Final Thoughts
To sum it up, we are so obsessed with awards and trophies, whether we are active or passive players in the game of life. Seeing someone make a speech after a Wimbledon final is emotional and exciting. The same goes for getting an Oscar award or a Grammy.
Indeed, trophies are silly in a way. Some people will argue, for example, that we should not compete to make the best music, and whether competition in music is a good thing at all.
On the other hand, awards and trophies essentially make people competitive and passionate about things. How could we watch sports, for example, without having a final result of a match or a season? Or would we have had the drive to build and develop innovative technological tools without the recognition at the end? Most likely, not.
So, whether it’s good or bad, right or wrong, we are and will be obsessed with awards and trophies.