Do you want the United States to be the greatest country on earth? I'm sure a lot of people will say yes. What about being the greatest country we could possibly be? Even though this might not be as impactful, I'm sure a lot of people would still say yes. What if you had to choose between the two?
There are definitely benefits to being number one. I'm sure a lot of people would prefer this approach between the two previously mentioned options. Personally, I think there can be drawbacks to obsessing over being the best. In short, being the best isn't just about how good you are. It's also about how others are inferior. An unhealthy obsession can potentially create a desire to hinder others.
Credentialism has created a potential issue with this mindset. We are living in an increasingly globalist society. Increasing credentials in one nation can help put one country above another. That's because the country gains all the benefits from the increased credentials while the problems are spread out more globally. Credentials are devalued, and people who learn outside of the schools, including some who are highly capable, are deprived of opportunities.
"Free" college does nothing to increase opportunities. It merely changes which countries have those opportunities. Jobs that would have been created in one country are created in another country instead. This policy is very expensive, increasing the cost of living. When you combine the cost with credential inflation, these policies will actually do more harm than good.
Another example of being the best among competition and being the best possible could be found in the sports project I have shared for My Idea Outlet. I believe that the best starting point for my ideas is county-level parks and recreation. Although there is a part of me that would like to lead my county to having the best sports program of anyone, that's a horrible primary goal. I would much rather have competition in a superior model than to be the best by default. Being number one would most likely involve holding back from others that could help improve the model.
In the case of my sports concept, there are ideas that would be too resource-intensive for a single county to develop. To get the most out of scheduling and matchmaking, it would be best for multiple counties to be able to pool resources for a deeper and more complex model. I should also point out that I want the best athletes in the county to have the opportunity to advance to higher level competitions such as a state championship. These ideas can't happen if I try to keep others from competing with my county.
In all fairness, there are situations where a drive to be number one has value. I have never watched a sporting event where someone lost a game and boasted that their team was the best they could be. My issue is when a desire to be at the top results in hindering others, especially when that hindrance is more substantial than the benefits of certain actions.
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