Is competition necessary to excel in life?

By softtalk

Offer a cake to two dogs, they fight for it. Offer that to two men or women, they share it. What we are doing in the name of competition? Do we behave like human beings or ...?

Is competition humane?

In practice, competition means "beat others." Let's take an example of an individual from the corporate world.

The Sales Manager of a company competes with the sales managers of the competitor companies, he or she tries to beat them, and ultimately to finish them off. He or she tries first to retain his or her own share, then starts grabbing the share of others', and ultimately tries to become the market-leader...

At the same time, in the office too, he or she has to compete, as there are three competitors waiting - the production manager, the personal manager and the finance manager. Our sales manager is to beat them also because only one of these four will be promoted. In the hierarchy, number of position decreases. The four managers fight among themselves. What's the result? You know!

This is where we are in competition.

Can competition be healthy?

In other words, can "beating others" be healthy? Should A Inc. and B Inc. decide among themselves that this year let A Inc. have bigger market share, and following year it should allow B Inc. to be number one in the market?

Let's see the same issue from another angle. Competition between one and other is actually fighting against each other. And here is the point where ‘dog-eats-dog' culture steps in. This ‘win-at-any-cost' harm all the competitors, and the society also. And that's how capitalism has become inhuman.

There is a vast untapped market. Yet we are fighting for small segments!

Say in a class there are thirty students. How many first boys or girls are there in that class?

- There can be only one first boy or girl!

Yes, it's what we think and believe. But is it not true that there can be thirty first boys or girls in that class? Say, one is first in exams, another is first in music, another in debate, another in soccer...

In the name of competition, students are trying to imitate the brilliant students, and, in this trap, they are losing their identity, they are ignoring their own talents. Instead of manifesting their natural strength and reaching excellence in their respective fields, they are getting lost in the jungle of ‘dog-eats-dog' culture.

Let there be more and more market leaders. Let all flourish, let all grow in their respective fields.