Very thoughtful post @unbiasedwriter
I feel the school system gears us up and grooms us for only one thing and that is to get ready to run in a never ending rat race.
It always grades you and puts in slots of 1, 2,3
A much better approach would be where all can be the winners.
Perhaps the slowdown of the current pandemic gives us an opportunity to do just this: Bring a change in our mindsets.