Awards

The other day, I watched a football game between youngsters (Pop Warner Football). It looked like it could have been fun except that too many parents were condemning their kids for not doing better.
After the game, EVERY kid was given a trophy (on both teams), even the ones that didn't play. No wonder that some of these kids see no real incentive in excelling. This same attitude carries over into our schools...you move up to the next grade regardless whether you "passed" or not.
Trophies, Certificates of Achievement, Acknowledgment plaques, etc. are given out like candy at Halloween.
To make matters even worse, this giving of awards for nothing has permeated all of society. Some absurd examples are Al Gore getting an Academy Award for a mediocre "documentary" filled with misinformation or local incompetent reporters getting Peabody Awards for doing a barely passable job. Worse than that is President Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize for not only doing nothing but extending his nation in war.
Shelves in homes across this nation are filled with awards given to people that "were just there" but contributed little to nothing to get that award.
We have permitted mediocrity to be the utmost achievement. Awards have become meaningless. This is shown no better than in all of the "Awards Shows" that we see on television, where groups are "honoring" themselves.
We are no longer in awe of people that get an award (regardless of their efforts). Awards are meaningless. The real achievement is when one exceeds their personal best. No statue or piece of paper is needed to validate that.
What has become of us, regarding awards ???