compEtitions in modErn lifE - my viEw

In school we compete for better grades. In sports and games we try our best to beat the other competitor or competitors. The commercial world is an ongoing race for more profits. Countries try to subjugate other countries by means of force. As a whole, the human race has engaged itself in a mighty round of competition. No one is spared. The winner reaps his gains, the loser withdraws to compete another day, just like me for instance.

Competition is very much a part of modern life. In every sphere of human activity there is some form of competition going on, be it to a larger or a smaller degree. Some of us cope well; and there are some who fall by the side. Yet there are some who shun competition, preferring not to get involved.

for those who cope well, competition allows them to develop and realise there abilities. Record-breaking feats by athletes make us realise that human being are capable of wondrous performances. The four-minutes- a mile was an impossibility a few decades ago. Now, any world class miler can break four minutes with ease. Training and competition have resulted in improvements beyond our wildest dreams. Nobody can say for sure what sort of times and distances future runners, jumpers and throwers will be capable of. It is left to be seen what keen competition can produce.

In actual competitions we see faults all over the place. Punching, kicking and elbowing are common sights in a soccer match. Pushing, jostling and tripping are part and parcel of distance running. why do these competitors indulge in such illegal acts? the reason is obvious - to beat the other guy, to be the champion, by all means. Such a bad attitude among competitors is a result of our obsession with competitive sports. The original purpose of participating is forgotten. The main purpose now is to win, regardless the costs and the number of people that we trample on the way.

Competitiveness has spilled over to our everyday life. Nobody actually knows why we study so hard to get better grades. We only knoe that we have got to have good grades in order to further our education. Why do we have to further our education? The common answer is that so that we can get a good job and so on and so forth.

Those who obtain many distinctions in an important examination wear distinctive smile. A happy smile is a sign of success. Yet there are many by the side who at best can manage an indifferent look. Most wear frowns and sad faces. These are people who did not quite make it. In the competition for good grades, the achievers rejoice, the non-achievers grieve. The education system has produced generation of people who judge a person by the amount of certificate he has. A graduate is automatically a respected person. An unskilled labourer is to be avoided. We have forgotten how to see a man for what he really is.

As long as we compete, we will have to put up with the bad effects as well as enjoy the good effects. We will have to suffer increased unemployment while we produce more graduates. We will have to live with pollution as we produce more motor rides. We will see more broken limbs as we see more goals scored. This is all about competition in life, and we have to live with this fact. I have to come to the end of this talk. I could still go on indefinitely if I extract many of my own stories to tell, but I'd rather to pause here because it's all just about the scandal competitions I have done. Any comments for this talk would be appreciated. Thus again I have to give in to expectation and sign off.


rEbuildinG,