Three Reasons Why Competition Isn't Really Healthy
By: Bean Jones
In a world where winning the rat race--or any other contest that pits one individual against another--is considered a stellar achievement, pop culture analyst Alfie Kohn's No Contest: The Case Against Competition highlights a more enlightened perspective.
The book, which has been controversial since it first came out in 1986, criticizes society's obsession with competition. Kohn cites three very good reasons why our contest-driven mentality isn't really healthy:
1. It divides us. Kohn eloquently argues that our struggle to defeat each other--at work, at school, at play, and at home--turns all of us into losers because we waste our time, resources, and energy in our "fight" against our rivals. Instead, we could have decided to join forces with our competition and accomplish so much more.2. It corrupts us. Kohn believes that it is not a part of "human nature." Indeed, he writes, the fact that most of our workplaces and schools value competitiveness instead of excellence push some people to employ dirty tactics in order to win.
3. It alienates us. "Rather than building character, competition sabotages self-esteem and ruins relationships. It even warps recreation by turning the playing field into a battlefield," states Kohn.
The points that Kohn highlights are worth pondering on. Reading the book also had me recalling a quip made by comedienne Lily Tomlin: "Remember, young people, even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat."
Comments
Very good advice on the bad side effects of competition. Thanks for your rich content email.
Exactely right! Why? read Wallace D. Wattles "Science of getting rich".
Competition is a fear-based idea, assuming there is not enough for all of us.
George Buigner, CEO www.a1studio.at
What a perfect quip at the end of this article.LOL
It brought a smile to my face.
As I run a business I find that working with others in my exact field is actually beneficial. It is also much less stressful being friendly with them and they have given me valuable tips that have helped.
Healthy competition is good. It is good to impress upon the fact that each individual is Unique. Instead of competing with each other and creating a feeling of unworthiness (for the loser) it is best to explore the strength is us and the other person and work in harmony.
Healthy competition is good. Yes! So long as judgement is fair enough. In the other side of the coin is that it is in this way we can prove ,develop or discover our God hidden talents.It is also a way of relating people ,learning process on how to accept defeats sometimes in our life and the ground to practice the real sportsmanship.
amie
True, very true, one has to
unlearn everything to become
non-competitive.
Thanks Mark.
Regards
Sudhakar
I've known it for a long time-- but how do you respond when others around you are still stuck in the Win-Lose paradigm? In the absence of a better strategy, most of us seem to revert to the Tit-for-tat exchange, which gets no one anywhere...
I totally agree with your article. The best results in education were acomplished in schools in Finland, because their students don't compete between themselves. Student compares only his own results and evaluates his own progress...
When others are stuck in the 'win-lose paradigm' just HELP THEM TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE. At first they find it strange (and they keep an eagle eye out for THE CATCH) and then slowly realization emerges and they see that this approach helps everyone and there is no downside. It takes patience (great patience) and often takes a little longer than you can comfortably stand to wait. But if you hang on in there long enough it works and then the payback to both of you is more than worth the effort. Most people give up too soon!!
Yes, definitely. I spend a good chunk of my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First (which Mark Joyner has endorsed along with over 80 other entrepreneurs and marketers), on why businesses should work together and not apart. We see this constantly in successful businesses, from Internet JVs to mega-entities like GM and Toyota, FedEx and the USPS, and even IBM and Apple.
I think you have to apply the principles to each given situation rather than paint a wide brush, either to the side of competition or to the side of cooperation. They are yin and yang, so I would make a case for balance, as each contains the seed of the other. Currently, however, in the financial business world, things are out of whack. You have high level decisions based on monetary benefit alone (compete for the greatest individual monetary rewards), making it difficult for the daily employee relationships and processes to flourish through cooperation. Sports competition, is another arena (I couldn't help that one, it just tumbled out) where the recognition of the yin and yang energy can have great synergies. For example, I coach girl's fastpitch softball. There is the obvious competition in our games and tournaments. There is also the competition between players that can easily be destructive. And attitudes, demands, and competitiveness of parents can be poison. Fostering and nurturing cooperation and positive spirit among all these personalities can result in greater joy, execution, and winning during the actual competition playing games.