To the charlie browns out there who think that effort with result of 85% as opposed to hardly any effort and result of 100% is better, I want to know who you would pick to run an organization, a company, any institution…
Effort should be rewarded and encouraged but in the end of the day… RESULTS ARE WHAT COUNT! (I agree that with torah it might be different… in terms of quality of learning and so on…) I am talking about a world in which superiors demand results and no matter what or how much effort you put in, if you don’t get the job done perfectly you will be showed the door! If someone wants to sit in kollel they have the luxury of relying on their “ameilus” and effort… but not in a competitive job market especially when a lot of jobs are being outsourced to begin with. Only those who prove themselves to be achievers with results to back them up will be those that manage to continue to put food on their tables!
Side note: I agree regarding almanos and yesomim and poor people although I am not “liberal” by any stretch of the meaning. However, THE ARTICLE… the focus of discussion here is a graduation ceremony and part of growing up and maturing is realizing you might have “chesronos” and dealing with it instead of adults and teachers sugar coating it and possibly making the situation much worse down the line!