Indeed, if we will grant to cowardice the rewards of courage without the effort and sacrifice, why bother with courage at all? Cowardice is in no short supply in our world, and it will become even more common now that we have rebranded it as courage. That is why we admire people who persevere: because they are rare. To be brave is to refuse to quit precisely when most people would. It may be human, it may be relatable, but it is the opposite of brave. It is one thing to say: “Simone Biles quit, but let’s have some empathy.” It is quite another to say: “Simone Biles quit. We are meant, now, to rise to our feet and joyously cheer what all people throughout history, and most people living in the world today, would consider shameful and unfortunate. As always, it is not enough to merely tolerate another person’s decision or to be compassionate towards their struggles. What makes the Simone Biles story troubling is not that the women’s gymnastic team had to settle for a silver medal, but that our cultural powers that be want us to celebrate cowardice. The problem is that now we are exhorted not simply to understand why someone quits, but to actively applaud them for doing so. It is enough to be disappointed and be done with it. Nobody is suggesting that athletes who quit ought to be tarred and feathered in the street.
That is why, when someone quits, we normally shake our heads and say, “That’s a shame,” and then we move on with our lives. Lots of people quit when things are hard. It is hard to live up to high expectations. If Simone Biles had bailed on her team and apologized after the fact, and the public had reacted appropriately to the news, then there wouldn’t be much to else to say on the matter. But the one thing that it cannot be is admirable. This is what makes quitting understandable. The pressure she experiences as a world famous athlete on a global stage must be quite burdensome on both an emotional and physical level. In this case, there is no doubt that the difficult thing was very difficult indeed. This is the universal rationale of all quitters everywhere, for all time. People quit things all the time, and they almost always do it because the thing they are quitting is too difficult and not very fun. On one hand, there is nothing terribly surprising about the reasons she gives for quitting. Returning to this theme later, she said that it’s important to “put mental health first” because if you don’t then “you’re not going to enjoy your sport.” She complained about the “pressure” that she’s under. “This Olympic Games, I wanted it to be for myself when I came in - and I felt like I was still doing it for other people,” she said. Biles has since explained that she left the competition in order to focus on her “mental health” and her “mindfulness.” She complained that the Olympics haven’t been “fun” this year. There was some talk early on suggesting that Biles had been physically injured. Her teammates would finish second behind Russia, while Biles went on to receive even more acclaim than a gold medal would have earned her. Olympic athletes of all time, chose to abandon her team in the middle of the finals. The best gymnast on the squad, one of the most celebrated U.S. After struggling in the qualifying rounds, and botching her first event in the women’s team finals, Biles decided to withdraw from the meet. That is what Simone Biles did to earn this exuberant applause. It was all perhaps the most effusive praise that has ever been heaped on a quitter. Women’s advocacy groups have thanked her. CNN called her performance “ impactful.” She has been hailed for her strength and for “ setting an amazing example” and being a great athlete and role model. Articles have been written extolling her bravery and declaring that her achievements this week have sent a “ powerful message” to the world. The White House Press Secretary expressed “gratitude and support.” Deadspin gushed over “ the most impressive move of her career.” Former Olympians joined in the group hug.
Prominent politicians like Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush have made public statements applauding her. From the way that Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is being praised this week, you might think that the decorated superstar put on a heroic display during the team competition in Tokyo and led her squad to a gold medal.
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