Competition

Competition

A friend’s blog recently stated that a certain quote from Vince Lombardi that winning was everything was actually a misquote. After researching the matter, two quotes of Lombardi’s in regard to winning caught my interest: “Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.” And: “If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, why do they keep score?”

So long as competition exists, obsession with winning will also. Another long-time friend and I have a (sometimes intense) lifelong discussion going about competition. He believes that all competition is bad and should not exist. I do not. In all the years during which we’ve discussed the subject, neither of us has changed our minds. However, in the past several years his point has begun to be more understandable.

Imagine for a moment what would ensue if competition did not exist. Races, sporting events would still exist . . . with no scoring, no winners, no losers. It would be literally a game, exercise, fun. Would there be motivation? Drive? Interest? Could anything be marketed? Would fans still exist?

Think for a moment about friendly games . . . during which there is no tension, no positioning for being the one with all or the most points at the end . . . hopscotch, jump-rope, other children’s pastimes. Piano/music recitals, plays, dances. We'd still have organized games, sports. There’s participation, skill and fun; action. No winners, no losers. Simply a display of ability. So . . .if there were no contests, no prizes, no glory, would we still want to participate? What happens next? Competitive organized sports . . . now suddenly there’s good and not good; there’s making it and not making it; there are stars and also-rans. The fun becomes occasionally vicious, and certainly creates skill tiers among young people at a time in their lives during which they are deeply vulnerable and involved in developing crucial levels of self-esteem.

It’s conceptually intriguing to imagine life without competing with each other. Would we be more evolved, less violent? Could the human race aspire to a higher road? Might we be more concerned with loftier pursuits, moral and otherwise, if we dispensed with clashing with each other to find out who will vanquish the other? Is this state of affairs simply getting in our way?

Many advanced civilizations have encouraged competition . . . even demanded and exalted it. The Romans come to mind, along with several prominent countries of this planet which have been involved in technological/arms races for decades. The points and winners here are only slightly subjective. Organized religion even has its own type of competition, popularly known as evangelism . . . align with us, we have the right stuff. We’re the real winners, God is on our side.

Perhaps it is impossible to live without challenging each other . . . crusades, duels, wars, and now broad-spectrum marketing, which may be the most deadly of all. Must be a winner, or you could be a loser, and you’d better align with winners if you want to have the ‘right stuff’ . . . or be seen as competent and/or desirable. Competition doesn’t even have to accumulate or acquire points; it can simply be who comes out on top in any race to be first. It can be pretty subjective, seemingly without organization; as in who makes the team, who is chosen, who is eliminated.

And what about politics? The party system in this country, for instance, is the ultimate competition machine. No one need even talk about the super-manipulation going on all around and in this well-established mode of control. In fact, the competitive spirit overtakes everything else, most notably ethics, morals and honor. Forget everything except winning.

In short, it would be like trying to get rid of eating or drinking; talking or sex. If it isn’t inherent, no one can prove it. Likely none of us would even think of questioning the idea at all. It’s part of the human race, the way we perceive it. A case could be made for eliminating all competition, however; we would then be a super-race of committed, bonded humans working and playing for the common good, for all mankind. And if you can wrap your mind around this, I have this bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you.