Discussion: Wise thoughts

I also read that and find it very refreshing. It´s a long way from "the American way" where winning is everything.

Of course she wants to win but if you´re pleased with your performance and feel you have done your best on the day - why be grumpy - accept that someone else was better and keep training to get there next time instead.

"Winning is everything" is neither uniquely nor identically the "American way," though certainly Tove's attitude is in general laudable. I suppose it's important in orienteering - where bringing all the components of a perfect performance is very difficult - to strive for a perfect race but recognize the need to be content with progress toward that goal, not necessarily attaining it.

Of course I know that the "American way" isn´t solely American - athletes from all countries want to win - but it often shows in the way American athletes never give up where others would have. That should actually be a positive trait I suppose as opposed to the sometimes overly tactical ways of more careful atheletes.

I´m still pretty certain that an American orienteer would be perfectly happy with WINNING a silver as opposed to LOSING a gold... (or maybe not?). If you´re the favourite it´s probably harder to accept the fact, but when being the underdog it´s a different story.

"Fuck anyone who thinks I should be happy if I come second"--is that how Google translates this for you, too?

Heh, yeah, I thought that was funny. I think saying "... should be necessarily happy..." makes her point a little more clearly. Perhaps someone who speaks Swedish can comment.

OK - I´ll have a second look and be back...

I´m back:

The Google translation is rather spot on I´d say.
Maybe the first "fuck" is a bit harshly put. It is slightly milder (and more PC?) when it´s put as "I do not care about" when it´s translated from the same expression later in the same sentence...

The general essence of her comment should be quite clear though.
In the end it´s only her own feelings that decides whether she´s pleased or not - not the metrics in terms of placing at the particular race or what others thinks she should be pleased with.