As there are more devotees of theology here than I imagined, I thought that the subject of competition may be less threatening, and perhaps open a dialogue that goes beyond belief.

In sanskrit, the word bodhi is a feminine noun pointing to a particular type of wisdom,...the wisdom arising from heart-mind. In my view, competition is a huge barrier in uncovering the heart-mind.

Competition is not only a distraction from spirituality, but also has an inherently hostile, “us versus them” mentality that is contrary to the underlying nature of human beingness. Competition is about as natural and as needed as the Abrahamic religions. Just as there is no such thing as healthy delusion or a healthy religion, there is no healthy competition. Competition does not build character; it reinforces low self-esteem.

Competition encourages animosity, envy, hostility, hate, war, and illiberalism. The synonyms of competition include contention, rivalry, conflict, strife, struggle, and combativeness. For competition, there is only a winner if there is a loser. When viewed integrally, competition undermines all healthy human enterprises. Competition reinforces a psychological dependence on external, object-ive activities. In a competitive society, only the winner is good enough, and who can win all the time? Success is seen through defeating others, not through cooperation.

Harvard Business School’s Professor Teresa Amabile has given much attention to team creativity, as well as to organizational innovation, creativity, and motivation. In one experiment, Alfie Kohn reports that she had two groups make artistic collages. One group competed for prizes through a contest, while the other was unaware of any competition. Several professionals then independently judged the art. The collages that had been made by those competing for prizes were considered far less creative and complex than the noncompetitive crafted collages.

Researchers have said, that competition is almost always connected to external awards and approval. Children in competitive settings, whether they win or lose, begin to define themselves externally, which is a weak foundation for their developing self-concepts. Studies have linked external motivation with competition (reward-driven, playing only to win, ego-oriented) and internal motivation with cooperation (mastery-driven, self-determined, task-oriented). (Amabile & Hennessey, 1992; Chandler & Connell, 1987)

Educator Alfie Kohn points out in his impressive No Contest: The Case Against Competition a multitude of negative effects of competition, many of them subtle. Kohn says that competition arises from four myths. The first myth is, “the idea that competition is just part of human nature,” which really manifests a perpetual struggle in society. The second is that competition builds character. However, it has been shown that only those with low self-esteem require competitive activities. People with high self-esteem have no need to prove anything externally or to beat others. The third myth is that competition is fun. Actually, competition reduces spontaneous play to a dynamic of superiority and humiliation.

Fourth is the fallacy that competition increases productivity. However, study after study has shown that cooperation, not competition, leads to higher levels of achievement. “That most of us consistently fail to consider the alternatives to competition is a testament to the effectiveness of our socialization.”

Janelle

Janelle,your'e great and I really appreciate you being here but your'e only nearly right.Maybe it's my generation and coming from a country that didn't stress winning so much though it used to have a fine sporting tradition.'Playing the game' was the ideology(or delusion) of my parents' generation-the 'Game' was the thing and was probably the ideological faith of a ruling colonial administration.However hackneyed and hypocritical that may seem now it civilized what could have just been tyranny and the rule of force.
Secondly,you conflate certain aspects of organized sport and it's increasing commercialisation.Modern day soccer is getting more and more like the Roman games with its cult of the Super-Athlete or 'Gladiator' over against the older local loyalties and 'Team Spirit'-I know youre having the same problem with Football and Baseball over there.
Thirdly,and a corollary of 'competition'-Team Spirit'-how could anybody object to that?The old-fashioned shaking of hands,referees,'and umpires,'Fair Play'-these surely are 'social goods' and the 'Glue' cementing what my Archbishop Rowan Williams calls the 'Social Miracle'-yes I know YOU know we'd get to that!-lol.
War it AINT! Can you think of anything more different?Plenty of competition but no rules there-AND no umpires!
Is competition all that bad in play (the Arts and Sport?)-though I do take your point about modern Capitalism.
I would rather see England play(and invariably lose) soccer against Germany than make war though if you'd ever seen an England /Scotland Rugby game at Murrayfield you'd think William Wallace had come back to life!Sport seems at its best to have all the excitement and thrills of war without the grief and pain-a 'No-Brainer' surely?
Back to theology-I beleive in the 'Survival of the weakest'-that I think is the spirit behind my Faith-all the rest is propoganda!Blessings-Nina-xx

Janelle, I would love to talk competition with you especially since you want to site some university research studies and principals of Buddhism.

Let's start with the country with the highest percentage Buddhist population, Thailand, where 95% of the population are Buddhist. Thailand is basically two separate countries, the haves and have nots. Myanmar is third on the list and and I guess I can ask how do you think competition or lack of is working in that Buddhist environment?

Alfie Kohn does have many interesting and useful views on education. The biggest downside is his views are great on paper but don't always work in the real world. Many concepts such as removing competition rely on a Utopian society where everyone does their part. You can maybe put Kohn's ideas into practice in a contained environment like a select classroom, but applying it in mass is a much larger challenge.

I also challenge you on your view that there is no healthy competition. Life is full of competition and someone not prepared to compete will have problems in the real world. Two people applying for one job are competing. Right now in the real world you may have hundreds applying for that one job. Do you suggest they draw straws? Or maybe more realistically they will compete with their personalities and resumes. Once again you are picturing a Utopian society where everything is great including a job for all who want one. My simple point is that is not real.

A lot of what you are suggesting is really great if it was not for relying on everyone to participate to make it work. I think when you look at it that way, everyone's ideas would likely work if everyone else participated. The conflicts around the world and within most countries will always prevent that from ever happening.

Hugs,
Marsha

I certainly see the "Team-Spirit" within the competitive structure,...instead of me versus you, it's us versus them. Perhaps that could be viewed as step towards non-separateness,...I'm not a psychologist or socialologist. My BA was in Religious Studies.

As for Thai Buddhism,...theirs is the most popular and dogmatic Buddhism, called Hinayana Buddhism. There are basically 3 Buddhisms,....Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Only Vajrayana or the Short Path is fully absent of competition.

The intent of my post however, was the Great Feminine and Competition.

Ever hear of the Charge of the Goddess?

Listen to the words of the Great Feminine,
who was of old called Yum Chenmo, Nut, Isis, Inanna, Ishtar, Shekhina,
Lilith, Vajrayogini, Yeshe Tsogyel, Queen Dakini,
and the Wisdom underlying all Means.

Understanding the Great Feminine and Her 'Parts of Balance'
Brings fortune, joy, and sapience to sentient beings.

Those born during the Full Moon inherently carry the essence:
Of naturally intrinsic service to the wisecrafts.
Yet all may partake of Her mysteries,
Assemble within sacred space,

When the cycle of the Moon is Full,
We may bathe most amply in Her 7th House wisdom.
Gathered in Her presence,
Unashamed to disrobe the garments of beliefs,
The nature of wisdom and ways of magick are revealed.
Sing, feast, and allow sound to become music, and music joy,
Ascending beyond patriarchial beliefs.

For in the presence of the Feminine, there is no fear,
No conflict, no hope, no delusion, no time.
The sacred threshold where bliss and emptiness rest;
Beyond the vibration of a full moon is a silent passage,
Where we are liberated to drink from her cauldron;
A nectar for the heart of essence, and awareness of the Over-Self.

The gnowledge of the Great Feminine uncovers all illusions,
Untangles patriarchial space–time constructs.
Divesting useless suffering, and inviting peace.
Unfettering useless happiness, while welcoming love;
Living within wholeness—a unity in the Now,
For fear clings to past, as hope holds tight to future.

Hear the words of the Goddess; Mother Space; the Lady of the Air;
Sky-Dancer whose substance is the expanse of the universe.
She has birthed the forms of the Earth and Heavens,
And calls all souls to arise, returning to Her Wisdom.

The call of the Goddess is as music that embodies fortune and joy,
She is the Soul of nature, Who gives life to all form;
For through Her all things proceed, and unto Her all things rise back.
She is the ascension that lifts us from the descension,
Revealing the Wholeness beyond the sum of opposites.

As the Heart sutra expounds,
The wisdom of the Great Feminine uncovers authentic compassion;
In turn compassion is the threshold of joy, love, and the understanding of Life.

Behold the Great Feminine; the Sky-Dancer;
She has been here since the perceived beginning,
Embodying the dark sky around and through us,
And as consequence all form is initiated.

Janelle

Sorry Janelle, I don't believe any of that. I believe God put us here for a purpose and gave us the tools to take care of ourselves. I don't believe being born on a full moon or standing on your head during a full moon do anything. Basically you are reciting the equivalent to Christian laws or commandments. I believe they establish good morals to live by, but I don't see myself going to hell if I don't get them all right. But if you find peace in your beliefs, glad to hear it.
Hugs,
Marsha