Cooperation is the glue that keeps society together, but a certain amount of healthy competition is also good, even necessary. The problems arise when it becomes cut-throat competition, or when we attach self-worth to it.
Competition can become an obsession. Especially when certain accolades are attached to it. And especially when it’s culturally enforced through the media, in schools, in the workplace, and at home. When your value is determined by how you rank in a particular category relative to other people it won’t be good for your self-esteem.
Living as though you have something to prove, that you matter, is a game that can’t be won. Partly because the game will never end and partly because it’s a false premise.
Competition is something that should happen more passively. For example: two businesses trying to serve the same client base shouldn’t be obsessed with destroying each other. The focus should be on being of better service to clients, and as a natural result one will likely do better than the other.
That’s the way it often is, but in many cases there’s a lot of cheating involved. Sabotaging your “opponent” or manipulating potential clients isn’t a decent way to behave.
网友评论