Everyone's a Winner: Life in Our Congratulatory Culture

by Joel Best

Overview

Every kindergarten soccer player gets a trophy. Many high schools name dozens of seniors as valedictorians—of the same class. Cars sport bumper stickers that read “USA—Number 1.” Prizes proliferate in every corner of American society, and excellence is trumpeted with ratings that range from “Academy Award winner!” to “Best Neighborhood Pizza!” In Everyone’s a Winner, Joel Best— acclaimed author of Damned Lies and Statistics and many other books—shines a bright light on the increasing abundance of status in our society and considers what it all means. With humor and insight, Best argues that status affluence fosters social worlds and, in the process, helps give meaning to life in a large society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520267169
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	03/07/2011
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Joel Best is Professor of Sociology at the University of Delaware and the author of Damned Lies and Statistics, More Damned Lies and Statistics, Flavor of the Month, and Stat-Spotting, all from UC Press.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Life in an Era of Status Abundance
2. Prize Proliferation
3. Honoring Students
4. Everyday Heroes
5. Ranking and Rating
6. The Significance of Congratulatory Culture

Notes
References
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Clever but never condescending. . . . Best finds something profound in our willingness to treat our world as meaningful. "—Publishers Weekly

"In this pithy, witty, and wise little book, Best characterizes the college rankings arms race, the new hero, and the self-congratulatory US society. . . . Highly recommended."—Choice

"This is a very entertaining read."—Bookloons Reviews

"We all want a way of getting the best for ourselves, but also solidity and a firmly grounded moral compass. He [Best] raises the interesting possibility that these ends are at least contradictory, and probably incompatible."—Times Higher Education

"An enjoyable introduction to cultural sociology. . . . Enjoyable and easy to read writing style."—Sociological Research Online

Editorial Reviews

Sociologist Best (The Stupidity Epidemic) takes on the idea of status abundance in contemporary society. "At the newsstand," he explains, "I can find magazines rating the best colleges, hospitals, high schools, employers, places to live..." to such an extent that "Several times each day, I encounter claims that someone has been designated excellent by somebody else." Best (no pun intended) examines the implications of "status inflation" from several perspectives, including in the proliferation of the "hero" designation, the U.S. News college ranking system, and in K-12 education, there discussing the different approaches most of us take when considering our often failing school systems: "opportunity" advocates (concerned with racial/economic divides), and the more staunch "mastery tradition." The former argue for more recognition to boost self-esteem; the latter are concerned that rewarding sub-par students creates unrealistic expectations. Best presents both sides with clarity and vigor and is clever but never condescending. "Status affluence suggests that contemporary society has found more ways to assure more people that their lives have value and meaning," he notes, and despite the inherent humor to be found in this, Best finds something profound in our willingness to treat our world as meaningful. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"The way that Best explains how to move from an abstract theoretical concept into the realm of observation and measurement is clear, thorough and powerful."

Social Forces - Amy E. Singer

This is a very entertaining read.

Bookloons Reviews - Bob Walch

In this pithy, witty, and wise little book, Best characterizes the college rankings arms race, the new hero, and the self-congratulatory US society. . . . Highly recommended.

Choice

We all want a way of getting the best for ourselves, but also solidity and a firmly grounded moral compass. He [Best] raises the interesting possibility that these ends are at least contradictory, and probably incompatible.

Times Higher Education - Les Gofton

An enjoyable introduction to cultural sociology. . . . Enjoyable and easy to read writing style.

Sociological Research Online - Tristan Kennedy

"Clever but never condescending. . . . Best finds something profound in our willingness to treat our world as meaningful. "--Publishers Weekly

"In this pithy, witty, and wise little book, Best characterizes the college rankings arms race, the new hero, and the self-congratulatory US society. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice

"This is a very entertaining read."--Bookloons Reviews

"We all want a way of getting the best for ourselves, but also solidity and a firmly grounded moral compass. He [Best] raises the interesting possibility that these ends are at least contradictory, and probably incompatible."--Times Higher Education

"An enjoyable introduction to cultural sociology. . . . Enjoyable and easy to read writing style."--Sociological Research Online

From the Publisher