Unhealthy and Healthy Competition (Free Essay Sample)

Do you believe there is such a thing as healthy competition? Unhealthy competition? Alfie Kohn, an author and lecturer, claims that “competition by its very nature is always unhealthy.” While competition has its pros and cons, many would argue that competition is healthy. As people from all around the globe have enjoyed the excitement of competitive sports, competition has become such a popular term regarding most everything. However, Kohn states in his essay, ''the cost of any kind of competition in human terms is incalculable.” Likewise, to agree with Kohn, I believe that competition is unhealthy. I agree because competition can harm one’s self esteem, ruin relationships and friendships, and cause people to focus more on competition rather than the moment or having a good time.

For instance, there are various types of competition. The most omnipresent type of competition is sports; sports are popularized all over the world… as entertainment, fun, and even exercise. Regarding competition, fans compete with their family, friends, etc. during games to argue which team is better. For athletes, winning is the goal. As someone who has grown up with an athletic family, I have noticed many ways that competition ruins one's self esteem. My brother, who has been playing baseball for almost 14 years, is so hard on himself when it comes to baseball. He and his teammates get angered when they don’t win. My mom and dad, who like different sports teams, compete to determine which is better; if their team doesn’t win, they feel ashamed. 

Additionally, this competition with people you have relationships with, may cause those relationships to fade; that is how impactful competition can be. For another example, in 2017, Marina Lenderman, a psychotherapist, told NBC News, “Unhealthy competition is when the majority of the relationship revolves around comparison and trying to outdo the other person.” Competitive relationships drive people to hurt each other unconsciously; although competition is scientifically proven to be a part of our own nature, competitive relationships can stop people from working in teams and to develop selfishness. However, there are types of relationships that survive off healthy competition. 

Lastly, competition can cause people to be more focused on winning or losing rather than having fun and enjoying themselves and the people around them. This may cause narcissism; extremely self-centered people with little to no selflessness for others. Unhealthy competition pulls people in the opposite direction instead of uniting them to work together. 

To conclude, while there is such a thing as healthy competition; unhealthy competition is unfortunately more common in society today. Creating a better society starts with the ability to compete in a healthy way.