I wasn't going to comment after reading this yesterday because I didn't have much to add. Now this morning I'm reading a book and learned a new term, "terminal uniqueness" which made me think of your post.
One of the definitions is "Feeling worse than everyone else because of the severity of your problems, or feeling better and more special than others."
It's kind of ironic because so many of us want to believe we are better than others or would even rather believe we are worse than others. Somehow, we can't stand the thought of being "average." Anyway, I thought this term fits with your post.
This is a problem that started with Millennials. It is not their fault, but ours. In the boom of the 1990s and early 2000s, we get into a system that everything got to be celebrated for the kids. There is now kindergarten graduation! So when these kids go to work place, they needed cheerleading for everything!
It's so true. Have you watched the scene in Meet the Fockers where they make the joke about the 9th place ribbons? Hilarious.
Yes, I have watched all three movies, and I remember the scene clearly.