Buchmayr 1

Lucy Buchmayr

Ms. Michko

Block F

05/07/2006

Competition Q1 Revision

Competition is unavoidable because it is, and always will be a part of human nature.

Due to this fact, competition is prevalent in almost all parts of life. Whether it’s life

determining—like getting into a certain college, or competing for a desired job; or entertainment

based—like supporting your favorite sports team, competition is everywhere. Individuals decide,

however, how they react to competition emotionally and physically. Although competition can

create resentment between opposing groups, it can ultimately serve as a motive to set and

accomplish more ambitious goals while also building community.

Competition on a large scale often forces people to work together which creates a new

opportunity for different groups to connect. When WWII came to a close, the once allied Russia

and United States went through a period of vast tension due to their disagreements and search for

power. During the Cold War in the 1960’s, the United States and Russia both desired to come out

as the world super power, with the most influences and technological advancements. The shared

desire between the 2 countries ultimately created the “space race” where Russia and the US

competed to be the first country to ever enter space and prove their dominance. This competition

created motivation within the individuals of each country due to their national pride, allowing

them to set goals that seemed impossible. They came together in order to problem solve and

were able to accomplish these “impossible” goals. These accomplishments gave hope to the

future of mankind in more ways than one. In the U.S. during WWII and the Cold War, citizens
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of all races and genders began working together for the first time in American history to help the

greater good of American society. Since everyone in American society was united due to the fact

that they all shared a common enemy, they were able to unite in a way that they never had

before. The desire to win the competition blurs out the lines for impossible and allows for new

conditions and achievements to form. At the beginning of this time of unity for America, its

citizens thought that Kennedy was crazy for proposing ideas such as the moon landing, or equal

rights for all citizens. After the time of competition, however, Americans came to the realization

that these things were possible under the right circumstances.

Competition can build community in a similar way through less serious purposes, like

entertainment. The world cup, for example, has shown to unify countries based on their sense of

pride and desire to win. The world cup is one of the most streamed sporting events of all time, as

watchers from all around the world watch to support their team. People often get together to

watch games or wear their country’s colors to advocate for their team. In Barcelona the week of

the World Cup, thousands of people were found dancing in the streets together. They even gained

the nickname “La Torcida” from the Portuguese which translates to “the ones that twist.”

Everyone knows, however, that it really means soccer fans. The national pride felt within the

Brazilian people became a common ground for the large mass of people in this country. Even

though these people did not personally know each other, they danced together and cheered

together, due to the sense of belonging that had been found. This sense of belonging stemmed

from competition due to their similar emotions, hopes, and experiences at the time. The world

cup final in 2022 came around quickly which was Argentina vs. France, and although the US

wasn’t involved, it was still largely popular. During the final game, I was at a track meet in

Boston where 20 teams from all over the state were present. All around the stadium, and even
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though we were in a public setting away from home, everyone was watching the World Cup.

When something good happened for either team, people all around the stadium would erupt in

applause, all in unison. We were all sitting at the edge of our seats, sighing and cheering together.

Although I did not know these people, I felt closer to them somehow. Due to the fact I knew

these people had similar values, interests, and experiences to me sparked from competition, I felt

a sense of community with these people that I didn’t even know. Community is important to

running a cohesive society which is why competition can be important.

In this track meet, individuals could have chosen to resent those who cheered for opposite

teams, but we instead came together with good sportsmanship in spite of our different hopes for

the outcome. Although people can choose to resent each other due to competition, they do not

have to let their emotions get the best of them. Although people can grow to resent each other

due to competition, it is ultimately one of the largest driving factors for people everywhere to

come together as communities and motivate them to set higher goals.