and what exactly is a "good grade," anyhow? that's a personal definition. if someone as high standards, then let them have high standards.
there are those who consider a B to be a good grade. hell, i'm willing to believe a number of students honestly believe that a C+ is alright. and really, that's fine with me if that's what they believe, but i personally want my damn A. if i put in the work for a damn A and deserve a damn A, then i'd better get my damn A, or you're going to hear from me. it's justice, really.
as someone who has had to put up with people trying to lower my standards ever since elementary school, i tell you all this: i NEVER EVER listened to you, and i'm damn proud of that. i got the scores i wanted (and more) because i pushed myself beyond my limits. try it sometime.
i'd like to say one last thing. for every class in which grades were normalized against everyone else's scores, your lower standards and your attempts to bring me down have only made using you as a stepping stone more palatable. think about this.