The Fallacy of "Healthy" Competition

[Carmen]

Has other people noticed, like I have ,that there is no such thing as 'healthy' competition. Competition usually always brings out the ugly side of human nature. Someone always has to be 'beaten' either physically, pschocologically or emotionally.

The competitive world is an ugly dog eat dog world that does not nurture individual potential and endevour. Third world countries are overwhelmed and bullies abound. This attitude is also reflected in our schools with bullies being a huge problem. The competitive bully is always a coward. They never take on those who are equal in strength! Bullying is a reflection of a competitive society.

There are so many levels and aspects to this perceived 'healthy' competition that aint so healthy in my mind. What are other member thoughts on this?

Cheers

Carmen

[Christo888]

Carmen you are so right on!

Below is an excerpt from something of mine.

"The battle for Earth your mind and your body...

"Bullies will always choose a peaceful opponent."
'Ara'

...And the answer is that the peaceful opponent needs a Trump card of self empowerment modulated by Harmony and Balance, the rock in a sling, that prevents the bully from ever thinking twice about coming back here again!"

[orthodoxymoron]

Should a slave not resist a slave master? Should evil not be fought against with good? Is constructive competition not an essential part of responsible freedom? Should the Oympics be outlawed? Should elections be banned? The absence of competition is a dictator's dream.

[tone3jaguar]

Someone always has to be 'beaten' either physically, pschocologically or emotionally.

That would be the definition of unhealthy competition. Competition can be a very useful learning medium for an individual in the process of their spiritual evolution. Once you have reached a certain level in your personal journey in this reality then competition no longer is useful to you. If the apposing sides in the competition are competing in order to improve themselves and not to build their egos would be healthy competition. Unhealthy competition is where one or more of the teams / individuals in the contest are only in it to build their egos and could care less about improving themselves.

It is only when you invest part of your ego into a competition that you risk damage to your psyche. In that case, the competition is not the problem. The problem is the materialistic paradigm of the participant(s).

[Dantheman62]

So I take it that you don't play cards, chess, checkers, scrabble, monopoly, and so on?
Aren't those healthy competition?
What's the sense of having any games at all if there's no winner and loser?
Healthy competition is healthy because it makes you think and come up with strategies.
I don't think you can associate a bully with competition.
If I win in a game of chess am I a bully?
I think you can associate bullies maybe in competition as there is rules in every game, and the bullies are the ones who break the rules usually.
Competition builds quality!

[burgundia]

I think what Carmen meant was competition comparable to a rat race, something that drains you out of your energy, is stressful and a source of unnecessary anxiety. Competition as opposed to cooperation. Through cooperating , collectively, we can achieve more.
Competition=men
Cooperation=women

Competition is the old paradigm.....

[orthodoxymoron]

I know exactly what Carmen is referring to. Corrupt, Violent, and Heartless Competition is literally killing us...but going to the other extreme is a trap and a mistake. Definitions and Attitudes are so important here. I tend to be a timid and uncompetitive person. I often feel like I don't belong here in our dog eat dog society. To me...learning what Constructive Competition truly is...and achieving it...is almost a sacred work. To me...Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King are examples of people who truly understood and implemented Constructive Competition.

[Carmen]

Hmm, food for thought. Olympic competition is more about equals competing against each other. Ugliness sure is evident in this also. Drugs, cheating are quite common.

Slavery is the ultimate competition where the bully takes all! A slave should always strive to be 'free'. To compete against a slave master would be nonsense. Freedom should be the slave's objective, not competitiion. The same applies to a dictatorship.

Elections, weelll!!! They sure bring out competitive **** and abuse and lies. Don't get me started on that one!

Thanks for your post though ortho, it has caused me to define what I mean by 'competition' It is a mind set of 'beating' someone at something and feeling as though you are king of the heap.

It is definitely natural to be competitive in this 3D world and I myself have had an extremely competitive nature. What I think is that competitiveness defines this realm, but is not useful, desirable or progressive in the higher realms.

I have studied/observed myself in various aspects of competition because this applies personally as well as in family and community.

For instance, I always sucked at tennis playing cos I was always trying to 'beat' my opponent. When I stopped that, and just competed with myself and my attitude, the tennis improved considerably.

These might seem like silly insigficant examples, but they are my examples into this subject.

Another instance of the difference to me between competitivenes and co-operation was in stage productions that I have performed in and directed. In our little country town everyone who comes along is "good enough'. They dont compete to get to take part. When I directed I also applied what I knew about competitiveness and human nature. I said to the members "I am directing this production. Ive never done it before. I want it to be excellent. If you have any critisizm or ideas, bring them to me. If they are valid or workable we will incorporate them into our show." This worked a treat. Everyone had import that were creative. Everyone felt validated and we had a great show. I knew that I didn't have all the knowledge, but together we could create something fabulous and we did.

I also have taken part in a major opera production in the city. I was fascinated to observe the difference between big city/small town approaches. It was all about competition. The members were more jealous of each other because we had had to compete to take part. People were not as friendly and open because of the competiive nature. It was great to be part of a professional show, but it sure lacked the pure fun of our country shows

Do you see what I am getting at here? Just because something is natural and normal and familiar. Does that make it necessarily progressive or right?

Love and Light

Carmen

[Dantheman62]

Competition builds quality, it is progressive and right and necessary!
I can give you a thousand examples!
Just ask, LOL

[burgundia]

Originally Posted by Dantheman62

Competition builds quality, it is progressive and right and necessary!
I can give you a thousand examples!

This is a man's point of view. You are a man so you think like a man....

[Carmen]

Yes Dan, chess, monopoly etc are great example of healthy competition. They can still bring out the worst of "competitive' people though. Some people will cheat all the time to win!! Then its not about the 'game', its about winning, competition. You must have known people like that. It can be quite funny at times, but taken to the extreme its not a nice characteristic.

[iainl140285]

Originally Posted by burgundia

This is a man's point of view. You are a man so you think like a man....

In order to progress may I suggest you dont think towards thinking like a man OR a woman.

Both must meet. Both halves must merge to form one

[Dantheman62]

OK but, think about this for a minute, if we didn't have any competition at all then we would have the same old stuff that we started with.
Everything from cars to tires to motors to horses to dogs to television to computers all got better and better quality through competition.

[burgundia]

Originally Posted by iainl140285

In order to progress may I suggest you dont think towards thinking like a man OR a woman.

Both must meet. Both halves must merge to form one

Ok so you men compete, and we women will be cooperating..

[Seashore]

I relate to what you're saying here. I have always felt that I don't want to "beat" anyone. And I love the spirit of cooperation.

Of course sports are good for people because of the exercise and the fresh air and being together with people. So I guess that is "healthy competition."

But I know what you're saying. And I agree with it!

[iainl140285]

Originally Posted by burgundia

Ok so you men compete, and we women will be cooperating..

As long as we function as one

[Dantheman62]

Yeah right burgundia, have you ever watched women's tennis?, women's golf?
women's basketball? phew, talk about competition!

[burgundia]

Originally Posted by Dantheman62

Everything from cars to tires to motors to horses to dogs to television to computers all got better and better quality through competition.

Do you think it couldn't have been achieved without competition?
great minds that invented things were not competing against each other (unless they were forced to...)

[Dantheman62]

NO!

[burgundia]

Originally Posted by Dantheman62

Yeah right burgundia, have you ever watched women's tennis?, women's golf?
women's basketball? phew, talk about competition!

I guess it doesn't run in our blood...
Did you see how lionesses look after one another's cubs?
A lion will kill the cubs he did not sire when taking over the pride ( competition against other males).

Did you see synchronized swimming? women are really good at it..

[Dantheman62]

Really I'm having fun here and can talk about this all night! LOL

[Carmen]

I agree with you iain. The balance of male and female is necessary. Competition is then balanced with co-oporation. Co-oporation is the service to others aspect and the excellence aspect is the competition.

Okay Dan, bring it on. Lets have your examples. I do agree that an element of competition is necessary, but surely it is an aspect of making something greater or better , not in being king of the heap.

This whole subject is something that I am still working out for myself, so I appreciate members contributions.

Cheers

Carmen

[Dantheman62]

OK Carmen here's a great example!, think about animal breeding, like when you go to a state fair and enter your prize bull in a competition, or your prize pig, or whatever.
Aren't you striving to have the best one?, and if you lose then won't you work harder to raise the next one, so as to bring the quality higher to maybe win next year?
HaHa I know this is right down your alley, LOL

[burgundia]

Ok, i am going to bed now....and i am not going to compete, i am going to cooperate..
just joking...i am going to fall asleep immediately....

[iainl140285]

Originally Posted by Dantheman62

Really I'm having fun here and can talk about this all night! LOL

I see both points of view and this is really a great thread.

Lets throw in the ultimate competition scenario - war.
War, and competition through war pushed people to develop nuclear weapons. Impoved ways to kill each other (or defend themselves).

What kind of competition is this?