Originally Posted by
RST
I would like to understand the thinking and mindset of a person who goes to the fair, enters their work, and is upset with getting a blue ribbon because other people also got blue ribbons.
A blue ribbon is understood to represent 'the best' of a group of things being judged. If there is more than one blue ribbon in a particular category of things, then obviously blue doesn't mean 'best' (there can only be one 'best'). I would guess this is why people would find a sea of blue ribbons upsetting -- the ribbon that was understood to indicate exceptional merit now has no significance. What's the point of a blue ribbon that means nothing?
This has nothing to do with people needing others to be shown inferior to themselves in order to feel affirmed, which is really an odious, insulting idea, and was therefore bound to raise hackles. If you genuinely desire to have a conversation, it would probably be best not to start out by insulting the group of people you wish to converse with.