By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The article contrasts the author’s upbringing, which emphasized personal responsibility for academic failures, with the modern conservative movement’s approach. It highlights the cases of Riley Gaines and Samantha Fulnecky, who gained notoriety after not succeeding in their respective fields. Gaines’s failure to win a swimming competition and Fulnecky’s failing grade on an essay about trans people led to both women becoming famous on conservative media, along with their parents. The author argues that this behavior contradicts conservatives’ stated values, portraying them as entitled and unwilling to accept blame for their shortcomings, which have since become a trend.
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From Riley Gaines to OU, conservatives are making their failures everyone else’s problem. Never before have people become so famous for coming in fifth place or failing a homework assignment.
It’s a curious phenomenon, isn’t it? The spotlight, once reserved for achievement, now seems to beam brightest on those who’ve, well, fallen short. Riley Gaines, the swimmer who tied for fifth place and has since become a prominent voice in anti-trans activism, perfectly encapsulates this trend. It’s as if the traditional markers of success—winning, excelling, achieving—have become secondary to the ability to leverage perceived victimhood into a platform. It’s a shift where tying for fifth, instead of being a footnote, becomes a launching pad.
The University of Oklahoma student, Samantha Fulnecky, adds another layer to this narrative. Failing a college essay is something many of us have faced, but to transform that academic setback into a cause célèbre, claiming the failure stems from a refusal to accept inherently flawed arguments, is another thing altogether. This isn’t just about a bad grade; it’s about casting oneself as a victim of an unfair system, a system that, according to this narrative, dares to challenge their deeply held, and poorly supported, beliefs.
This victimhood, it seems, is a cornerstone of the conservative playbook. The narrative is always that they’re the ones under attack, the ones whose values are being eroded, the ones whose very way of life is under threat. It’s a powerful tool, allowing them to deflect criticism, unify their base, and portray any challenge to their views as an assault on their identity. This constant state of perceived victimhood justifies, in their eyes, the need to impose their beliefs on others.
It’s easy to see how the political right has exploited social media for these ends. The algorithms are designed to amplify outrage and create echo chambers, where individuals are constantly bombarded with information that reinforces their existing biases. Social media has become a breeding ground for this kind of manufactured controversy, and it has allowed Riley Gaines and others to reach a large audience and monetize the grift.
This victimhood narrative also reveals a profound unwillingness to accept responsibility. It’s always someone else’s fault: the school, the immigrants, “wokeness,” the transgender community. Admitting failure, acknowledging weakness, is anathema to this worldview. Weakness, they believe, must be eradicated. This is where the hypocrisy lies. They demand personal responsibility, but they themselves are the first to shirk it when things don’t go their way.
The focus on participation trophies is ironic, too. These very people rail against the idea of rewarding effort over achievement, yet they seem to demand special treatment for their own perceived grievances. They are, in a way, seeking a participation trophy for their victimhood.
The consequences of this are far-reaching. The focus shifts from solving real problems to fighting culture wars, from policy to performative outrage. We are left discussing bathroom signs instead of educational reform, a failing grade instead of infrastructure. It’s a strategy designed to divide, distract, and ultimately, to maintain power.
This strategy is not new. The history of political movements is littered with examples of groups who have capitalized on fear and resentment to gain influence. It’s a simple formula: identify a perceived threat, portray yourselves as the victims, and then demand action to protect your interests. This is exactly what we are seeing today.
It’s a bizarre spectacle, to be sure. We are living in a time where failing an essay can turn you into a martyr, where tying for fifth place is enough to become a media darling. This constant need to play the victim is the defining characteristic of this new right wing political movement. The grift never stops, and the more outrageous the claims, the more the base appears to double down.
The irony is that, as a country, we are now becoming distracted by these shiny objects. We are losing focus on the real issues, and on the actual failures in our society. Meanwhile, the people who are creating the problems seem to find themselves with a new audience. It’s a bleak picture, but one we must acknowledge if we are going to navigate it.