Bitter stomps of rage, nasty retorts, and even the sneer of a victor: all too common sights and sounds of the average day for the average American citizen. All these interactions, despite their negativity, persist in being a part of life. Competition, while truly beneficial in the fields of evolution, the economy and several others, can have a nasty effect on the world population and turn even the simplest game into a hateful ordeal.
People have to incorporate competition into their daily lives. Without it, life would be a dreary, monotonous existence. Picture a life where Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (and sometimes Monday night) were devoid of football; or worse, football was a game of hugging the opponent to death, and the throwing of an interception was more common than a completion in an effort to be kind to the other team.
Even the most fundamental principles of our country would be destroyed without competition. America would no longer be the greatest country in the world; in fact, it might not even exist. The bitter rivalry between the Western European countries in the early colonial age, which resulted in vast expansion into the New World and the Americas, would not have occurred had there not been competition for dominance in the world. However, the lack of the fierce struggle for land and resources would have avoided some of the worst deeds of human kind’s history. Raging wars of the colonial period ravaged Europe, and the “white man” obliterated and enslaved virtually all the Native American tribes that they displaced through imperialism.
The center of the average high school student’s life is based on competition: sports. There are dozens of sports at USC High School, and all are very competitive. The one question that must be asked is how far does the extent of competition drive high school sports. Students at USC are quite lucky, having fantastic coaches and good athletic abilities. The pressure on students here to excel at sports is not as substantial as other school districts, but it is still formidable. In other areas (and sometimes here), pressure has overwhelmed students into illegal activity to improve their abilities. The steady increase in the use of steroids has been an awful result of the increase in competition for high school students and has nasty effects down the road. In addition, injuries due to the unrestrained desire of coaches to win have become more frequent.
On the whole competition is a negative influence on people. While it can bring out the best in people, it more often destroys bright days and afflicts the people involved. Competition really becomes destructive when the noble cause of winning is disregarded, and the disastrous win-at-all costs attitude is assumed. If only everyone focused on enjoying the simple things and not turning life into conflict, the world would be a better place.