So now we have a “non-judgmental” gym in Scottsdale, which doesn’t provide any scales.

We’ve had schools abandon “top ten” lists for scholars, and end the practice of valedictorians.

Then there are kids who get “participation awards” for just showing up, irrespective of contribution or talent.

Why not abandon all accountability, all indicators of excellence, all the positive outcomes of competition? We could stop keeping score at athletic events, shrug off the trains not being on time, forget about the bank making errors in our accounts, forgive the manufacturers when the medications don’t work, laugh at the mischief of the criminals.

When I moved to East Greenwich, the sign in the post office said all mail will be deposited in the boxes by 8 am. Today, it’s some time between 11 and noon. The effort wasn’t to improve the service or even sustain it, but rather to lower the standards.

If you want to lose weight and stay in good shape, watch what you eat and exercise regularly. And go to a gym where they believe we’re all adults who can make our own decisions and don’t need to be shielded from reality. I don’t need help in feeling “good,” I need to be “well.”

I used to strive to stand out in a crowd. In these days of timid political correctness I just have to stand in place while the crowd recedes. So I have to work harder to stay sharp with people who understand, as Damon Runyon emphasized, “The fight isn’t always to the strong and the race isn’t always to the swift. But that’s the way to bet.”