That's the trouble with meritocracies.

Remarks like "Winning isn't everything, its the only thing.", or "He who dies with the most toys, wins." used to be considered contemptible. Even people who felt that way kept it to themselves. Now its considered admirable, evidence of competence, determination, ambition. Gordon Gekko is the new hero, Glengarry, Glen Ross the new paradigm..

We've entered the age of the bully, where the Chris Christie's and Dick Cheney's of the world are looked up to as heroes, because "they get things done" and "they don't take no shit from nobody".

Whether the "shit" is real or not, and whether what they get accomplished is worthwhile, is irrelevant, the intimidation of perceived weaklings is elevated to a character strength. The thug is a hero and his victims are effeminate and cowardly.

This is not limited to politics and sports, its just more noticeable there. Look at how Penn State rallied around their pedophiles, the rape, violence and drug culture in sports, the cult of firearms...

What's pathetic about these new role models of ours is not how cruel and ruthless they are in seeking out victory, but to what trivial and petty lengths they will stoop to to win.