Is competition a good thing?

[worrywort]

Is competition a good thing or a bad thing?

Sometimes it seems that competition can be healthy as it can be a driving, motivating force for people to push themselves to their limits. Particularly in sports, games and entertainment.

But on the other hand, sometimes competition just seems inherently wrong, for instance, in a societal sense or in the marketplace. When the ultimate goal in a competition is profit or power, fame, success or beauty, are we more likely to behave unethically? Is it fair to judge people by these meaurements? How are the losers treated in these types of competitions?

It seems to me like competition is a good thing only if its ultimate goal is good. What do you think? What exactly is the nature of competition? Are we born to compete with each other, like survival of the fittest? any other thoughts?

 

[mikebird]

Competition is the base of Civilisation.

Very good, if you're in charge on any kind of company, of any size, and growing. Terrible if you're an individual.

The population nightmare would become nirvana, if any situation arose, such as 28 Days Later.

 

[Kiwong]

I love the competition of races, it's the only time I get fit young ladies running after me.

 

[kihira]

^ Lol
........

 

[Honda]

Competition is part of life.... Whether its ethical or not...

What is wrong is wrong, no matter what...

 

[coyote]

i suppose it depends entirely upon whose opinion of "good" you're using

 

[EscapeArtist]

competition = helpful, IF one is centered on the goal as a cause, and not simply winning it.

 

[dyingtolive]

it is a necessary thing.. competition also came b4 cooperation.. i think competition can be healthy. if u lack competition in ur lifestyle, u can lose motivation. competition even in the form of games can reenergize u when u need a lift

 

[Lea]

I think it depends on the people how they take it. I think healthy competition is good, like in sport for example, when the people still remain friends in spite that they fight with each other. But the nature of people is often so that the ego and personal importance gains upper hand and they just pursuit their aims without caring about if they're hurting or destroying others in the process.

 

[Mickery]

Sure. What else would you do when two people want the same thing?

 

[MrJones]

Sure. What else would you do when two people want the same thing?

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[zlench]

It's part of life and losing can be a good thing even if it isn't very nice, you get on with it.

 

[Kiwong]

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One of the shortest, but best messages ever, Mr. Jones. Altruism need not be dead.

 

[MrJones]

One of the shortest, but best messages ever, Mr. Jones. Altruism need not be dead.

thanks

Competition is good, but capitalism has made that people want to compete in everything... and in competitions people can win, yes, but a lot of people lose. And some lose everything.
There is a point in which we have to notice that there's a limit, we have to be empathetic to make the world a better place

PS: I know it looks demagogic and utopic, but you know it's true

 

[Luke1993]

Well if I was a winner I would like it. But I basically lose at any form of competition so I don't like it at all. It's not just going to disappear overnight though so I will just have to accept it.

 

[MrJones]

Well if I was a winner I would like it. But I basically lose at any form of competition so I don't like it at all. It's not just going to disappear overnight though so I will just have to accept it.

So you know how losing is like, and you say that if you were a winner you would like competition. Are you saying that you want to feel better even if that means making other people feel like losers?

 

[Mickery]

One of the shortest, but best messages ever, Mr. Jones. Altruism need not be dead.

Doesn't seem like much of a solution to me. What if two guys like the same girl, they gonna share? What if money were divided evenly, where one person spends wisely and the other wastes it? True equality doesn't exist because it doesn't work and competition is an essential element of society by way of practical necessity, happily co-existing with altruism.

 

[Luke1993]

So you know how losing is like, and you say that if you were a winner you would like competition. Are you saying that you want to feel better even if that means making other people feel like losers?

Well I wouldn't want to be someone who wins all the time and makes others feel bad. I would just like to be able to win once in a while. So to be more "normal" I guess.

 

[MrJones]

Well I wouldn't want to be someone who wins all the time and makes others feel bad. I would just like to be able to win once in a while. So to be more "normal" I guess.

I realized that I may sounded a bit rude... if that's the case, sorry ::

But what you say is absolutely normal. Competition is, we like it or not, part of our lives, and everybody likes to win sometimes.

 

[worrywort]

thanks for the replies everyone

I'm beginning to think that competition is actually a bad thing. Imagine a perfect world, and imagine that you are in charge of the entire planet and that you have absolute control. Wouldn't it be best to share all the planets resources evenly between all people? And if all people had all their basic survival needs met, would competition still be neccessary?

I wonder whether, when humans use competition to push each other to their limits, they're just making the best of a bad thing. i.e. they're using the instinct to beat their opponent, to motivate themselves, despite the fact that the desire to beat your opponent is not a very nice desire.