Reflecting on the issue of competition recently, I thought of the Gore Vidal syndrome. "Whenever a friend succeeds, a little something in me dies," he said. Delivered in a certain setting, this may prompt a few laughs. But Vidal is saying something both truthful and depressing.
I was drawn to the subject of competition by two recent occurrences. First: A few weeks ago, the Governor of the Bank of Canada David Dodge remarked that competitiveness was paramount for all sectors of the economy. He wasn't just saying competition was an economic virtue. He was approaching it like a religious sacrament.
Second: In a recent conversation I had with Jesuit priest John Dear, he offered a sharp critique of North American culture. "In the U.S. culture you're only somebody if you have a lot of money and possessions," he said. "This is what's at the heart of violence."
To some, Fr. Dear's comment may seem extreme. But I suspect we frequently go into denial about the issue. For starters, it's not a popular thing to say. Also: In some circles you'll likely be treated like a strange alien from another planet for saying something like this.
But we inflict much harm on each other (and ourselves) in the name of competition and social advancement. We also impart a toxic message to our children when we make competitiveness an economic virtue.
I understand someone feeling threatened when competition is said to be at the heart of violence. Recently I found myself watching a football game and angrily cursing an official's call. Later I wondered what came over me. Not wishing to seek therapy, I decided that referee was simply wrong (and it had nothing to do with my competitive "spirit"). But I realize that competition was at the heart of my outburst.
In his book No Contest: The Case Against Competition Alfie Kohn writes that: "The desire to be better than others feels quite different from this desire to do well. There is something inherently compensatory about it. One wants to outdo in order to make up for an impression, often dimly sensed, of personal inadequacy…If competition has a voice, it is the defiant whine of the child: 'Anything you can do, I can do better.'"
What worries me about competition is the sense of unhappiness and self-loathing it leaves in people. As Christians there's a point where we have to critique the competition that's peddled as a virtue. But too often we say nothing, because it cuts too deeply into what we've come to accept in our culture.
It was depressing in the late mid-1990s in Ontario to see school boards seized with the idea of allowing students' marks to be compared with other schools. The desire of some parents to see this expand went beyond ideology (and bordered on the religious). The entire spectacle was unlovely to behold.
With reports of increased drug use among teenagers in some North American cities, I wonder if more Christian communities should be reflecting on how we make competition into a virtue. I'm not suggesting this is the direct cause of drug use. But studies show more teenagers grappling with emotional problems, self-loathing, and burnout. Could the emphasis we place on competitiveness be a contributing factor?
It would be a sign of hope to see more religious leaders speak about this problem too. We hear family values and moral values trumpeted frequently, but I'm thinking of a bolder critique of the culture of competition. This sort of critique won't be welcomed, and I guarantee it will be ridiculed and subjected to abuse. But it's necessary.
My father used to talk to me about how some people didn't wish us well. He struggled with this as a man of faith. As I grow older, I think of this more often. My own particular struggle is with those who sing hosannas to the spirit of enterprise and initiative, but never support --and even hinder-- those who embark on new projects and small businesses. But that's an issue for another day.
On a positive note, I suspect there could be more willingness among parents to look at competition. More mainstream news media are identifying the fallout of an economy that's leaving more people stressed out, ragged, and unhealthy. Recently the Toronto Star reported on a "Yuppie flu" in which people are chronically overtired and hard-pressed to get through the day.
I admit Fr. John Dear raises a painful truth when he speaks about the violence at the heart of North American culture. He says we've lost the imagination to even imagine something different. I believe he's right, and we should be looking for the courage to speak more often about this.
Gerry McCarthy is the Editor of The Social Edge.
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