Competition poses as both a beneficial and a detrimental aspect of society. It heavily influences our lives. People compete to get a certain promotion or job, a spot on a sports team, the highest GPA, and in some cases a significant other. We compete with others based on our weight, looks, and clothing. With all the competition jealousy easily arises. Competition serves us in a good way when we use it to positively motivate ourselves to reach our potential; but it serves us in a detrimental way when we put both ourselves and others down for the sake of the upper hand in the competition.
We all walk on a path to our best selves. We want what is best for us. Sometimes we get so caught up in achieving the desired end that we forget our surroundings and only focus on our needs rather than our friends’ and families’ needs. Merely focusing on our end goal, whatever that may be, can incite us to get jealous when someone else succeeds. Our self-encompassed minds become trained to dislike when others win rather than feeling happy for them. This is not the way to feel because in reality, everyone grows at different rates. Just because someone is ahead of you, does not mean that you stopped growing or failed. It just means you might not be ready to take the next step. The patience one develops for oneself makes one realize that it truly is a joyous moment when someone else does better than you because they grew. One day it will be our turn to take the next step in our journey, career, etc.
Competition can also lead us to want others to fail. This terrible thought can destroy our compassion and kindness without us knowing. Our drive to compete will make ourselves ignorant to our own condescending thoughts. We are all on the same journey. This should help us develop a universal love for everyone. Every person has failed at least once in their life and felt the denial, sadness, and shame that comes along with it. Failure hurts; we should help each other up when others fail rather than hoping they fail and smiling if they do.
In my philosophy class we studied Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. In this work Aristotle claims that happiness is not honor or wealth. According to Aristotle, happiness is contemplating about God. Development of the moral virtues is a way to ultimate happiness. Many times, we compete for honor and money. Honor depends on the opinions of people, which is a very variable factor. Money can come through fortune which is a very inconsistent, temporary means. Happiness is permanent and can stand by itself. We stress ourselves out over honor and wealth, when in fact being a kind person and doing our work well, even without recognition, pleases the soul. External things and pleasures please our bodies and egos. The best part of ourselves, the soul, grows when we act kindly. We do not need honor or wealth to be happy so why stress over competition?
Competition can motivate us to do good in the world, but it can also alienate us. We are all one on this earth and we need to build each other up. When someone else succeeds, it is our joy to see them grow. Each of us grows at a different rate. Therefore, we should not let competition dominate our lives.
