Important polling from Reason shows that 40 percent of Americans are choosing decline rather than exceptionalism:
The latest Reason-Rupe poll finds that when it comes to kids and their trophies, 57 percent of Americans think only the winning players should receive them. Another 40 percent say all kids on a sport team should receive a trophy for their participation. [Emphasis mine, because ew.]
Here are the crosstabs* on this question:
Fortunately, no ideological persuasion** features a majority of its adherents willing to commit to American decline. Interestingly, the squishy middle—the self-described "moderates"—was the cohort most likely to support rewarding failure. This should not come as a surprise, since the mushy middle is so used to losing to wings left and right alike. They probably feel an inordinate amount of pity for losers as a result. That 80% of libertarians reject giving out participation trophies will likely be grist for the mill of those who think Ayn Rand has had too great an influence on the anti-roads set.
Anyway, never forget: Decline is a choice. And choosing to reward failure is tantamount to choosing decline. Don't choose decline.
*By the way, Reason deserves a great deal of kudos for making their crosstabs easy to access and, most importantly, free.
**I'd be willing to bet those who called themselves "something else" are probably just moderates who are so moderate they won't even choose the name "moderate." No labels or whatever.