In traditional sports, there must be winners and losers. That is because the
athletes are pitted against each other. If the Red Sox score 4 runs on Tuesday
and 2 runs on Wednesday, the Yankees know that scoring 3 runs will win one game
and lose the other.
Their success is directly tied the success (or failure) of the opposing
team.

As an Eagles fan, it was always thrilling to beat the Cowboys.
Sometimes it was talent. Sometimes, it was luck. Sometimes, it was simply a judge who
didn't believe in work release. If we won because we played well, that was fine. And if we
won because the Cowboys played poorly, that was fine also. Eagles fans will take a win over
the Cowboys any way that they can get it.

That's the way it has to be in
sports. Sombody must win. Somebody must lose.

We don't need the same
kind of competitive spirit in our schools. We should not associate our success with the
failure of others. This is just dead wrong. No one has to lose at stenography in order for
you to win. We can all win. We can all reach the golden land of steno
heaven.

There is no need to resent those who progress faster than you. Don't
wish bad luck upon them. Maybe they will get there first, but it won't slow you down. You
will still get there in the same amount of time.

And try a little compassion for
those who are not performing as well as you. Most students will experience at least an
occasional period of non-progress. So you may very well end up in that same situation someday.
It's not fun when it happens, and it is a lot easier to endure when you have friends who
honestly care for you.

Schadenfreude: 1) pleasure taken
from the misfortune of others or 2) guilty joy.

Yuck.

Steve Shastay