Losing

Anyone who knows me knows I'm an American Idol fanatic. Last night we saw Kristy Lee Cook get voted off, and the suspense, drama, and emotion surrounding her departure far outweighed the celebration of David Cook's clear victory in his brave rendition of Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby."

Granted, there aren't any officially declared "winners" in the show until the end. It truly is survival of the fittest- or most vocal- or likeable (you decide).

But it begs the question... are we drawn to competition as a culture because we really are so invested and engaged in the process of the winner emerging, or is it really about seeing who is the last one not to lose?