Why are we all competing?

“World beating” seemed to be the phrase of 2020, at least from the lips of government spokespeople. It’s apparently no longer sufficient to be good enough; we must be better than that. We have to be or have the best of everything. If a country has more of something desirable than we do, then we’ve got to overtake them.

But when I thought a bit more about that, I realised competing is all-pervading. At grammar school we were assigned to one of four houses and then competed against the other three in just about everything we did. But sport, professional or amateur, exists only in the world of competition. Take golf, which I once dabbled in. There is something enormously satisfying in connecting cleanly with the ball and seeing it soaring into the sky exactly as you want it to, and it’s frustrating in the same measure when so many times it’s not like that at all. Why can’t we enjoy that on our own? Why does there need to be someone to play against? What if we just had one ball and alternate shots?

Competition is alienating; it sets one against another, whether it be people, companies, countries or whatever. It invites conflict. Whereas cooperation involves coming together, contributing to a common goal for the benefit of all. This may seem a bit pie in the sky but it’s at the core of everything. People are judged by what they achieve not who they are. We have the Sunday Times Rich list each year and celebrate however many new billionaires we have; which rugby players scored the most tries; which driver won most F1 races.

One of the very worst insults you can hurl at anyone is “You’re a loser.”

How refreshing then to learn that Jacinda Ardern and her government have it as a stated policy that henceforth in New Zealand, GDP will take its place behind the wellbeing of the people.

I think that’s probably a non-sequitur but it fits for me, which is what matters.