A journey from I to We

As soon as the idea of competing with my friend creeps into my mind, I find many things changing inside. The things I would love to share with my friend now turns into my winning secrete and I start hiding those. Analyzing this, I feel that the spirit of competition that seems to be bringing out my individual best may actually be a different thing altogether. It may happen that that might not be the best but just a comparative edge over him/her observed at that moment. Further, it stops the sharing that would have helped both of us move towards perfection in that field. We can also observe how appreciation and honoring of the position holders in a class brings smile on the faces of a few only, and others feel like the losers and incompetent. It creates a kind of gap. When do we observe a bigger celebration – when one of the students of our class wins over other classmates or when they accomplish a task together?

Am I pushing the idea of cooperation over competition too hard!

Just a moment!

I don’t say that a good effort should not be appreciated. But do we need that to be declared as a comparison among differently gifted individuals? One may be good at one thing and the other may be at some other thing. My point is, can’t we move to a collaborative style of learning where every individual is important and contributory? Can we think of a society where growth and development of every individual is a concern of every other individual?

The statement “Survival of the fittest” has given a reason to compete, and so has added to the woe. This meant to express the animal instinct for the fulfillment of physical needs, when followed by humans has led to hatred and war. We try to compete for a thing considering it to be scarce. In reality, we have much more resources available on this earth than needed for our comfortable survival. It’s the improper distribution of resources that has caused misery to a big population. It’s not the need, but our greed that is causing panic.

Another reason to compete may be to show our superiority over others thereby earning respect. But what we can observe is that the real respect comes not because of one’s superiority in a field, but because of one’s utility in making someone’s life better and happier. Happiness is not in standing at a height and looking down from a pedestal. Even if we feel so, it's momentary. The joy increases and lives longer when many more are there to join in our celebration. It can be ensured if our actions don’t create superiority or inferiority complexes, instead add to the creation of a harmonious society. Our zone of happiness is as vast as our feeling of belongingness is.

So, the question is whether competitions can nurture belongingness. Do competitions have the binding power to give the competitors a feeling of brotherhood? Where is greater happiness - in living alone at the top or living among the loving people all around?

(I had written this sometime in 2018. I found it while searching something. Happy to share with you today!)