Bittersweet

It feels good to win. When we win we seldom concern ourselves with how the losers feel. Whether the roots of that feeling good are cultivated to produce pride/concern doesn't really matter all that much because it's usually considered part of "human nature".

The quote become cliche "winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" has become so ingrained in the culture that it deserves its place/examination in the Wikipedia. Recently however the opposing players in team sports fraternize before and after contests although this is expressly forbidden in professional baseball "3.09 Players in uniform shall not address or mingle with spectators, nor sit in the stands before, during, or after a game. No manager, coach or player shall address any spectator before or during a game. Players of opposing teams shall not fraternize at any time while in uniform."

It is not inevitable for exclusivity to accompany success. Since we are all in this together and since there are no winners without losers, it makes little sense to become dissociated with one another over arbitrary (often random) outcomes. One major change is the current "gracious winner" speech after a game wherein the star comments on how hard the losing team played. It's apparent over the years that conflict is recognized as baser than cooperation.

In American Service Academies there's a mantra "rank has its privilege" which has a dark side: "exclusivity", a manifestation of greed. Why it's still important to anyone to take credit (but not always blame/responsibility) for an arbitrary entitlement frustrates analysis since certain vices aren't particularly fashionable.

Most know that it feels bad to lose and since we are all members of one another then my victory is my sibling's loss and doesn't merit celebration. When we exult we seldom ponder the downside of winning or feel sorry for fellow participants forgetting that along with deference/praise come interruption/confrontation.

Whether the roots of that feeling bad are cultivated to produce denial/blaming mattereth not one whit because it's "just fate."

When talk is of losers it often considers defeat to be somehow immoral rather than the inevitable accompaniment to victory.