Is Competition Necessary in Leisure Activities, School, and Work?

Competition is the act of two or more people, or groups of people facing off against each other in order to attain a greater goal. It is used for many things from building team spirit, to enticing the best out of your employees. Through competition, people grow and improve themselves. Healthy competition makes people work harder and helps build self confidence. If on the "winning" side of a competition, people glow in the realization that their hard work has gotten them this far. On the other hand, those that finish later may learn new strategies for dealing with ideas and through healthy self criticism, learn ways to better themselves and their situation to the point of excelling. It is for these reasons that competition is important. Without a reason to compete, a society remains stagnate and devoid of progression.

Matters, used a pumpkin carving contest at her son's school as an example of why competition is important. At the end of the contest, the judges gave every child a ribbon instead of announcing one winner. Silvert states that, "it is as if we grown-ups believe that kids are too fragile to handle defeat" (Silvert p.12). While it is true that children may be upset at the idea of not coming in first, it is important to note that through each competition that they endure they are learning something new about themselves and the environment around them. "While games and contests illustrate the importance of drive and determination, they also teach our children how to lose," (Silvert p.12). Everyone enjoys positive feedback and affirmation as often as possible, but as life is fluid so are our experiences within it, and with that sometimes comes failure. As losing is as much a part of life as winning, it is important to teach the skills of sportsmanship and failing with grace early on. In Chiacos article, A Look at the Commercialization of Sport, it is said that, "Games helped children develop the skills that they would need in adult life