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• Saryn

  

  • 12 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 3:00 PM EST

  My little brother says that everything in life is a competition. I disagree with him. Sometimes things are competitions, but sometimes things are just for fun. He says that no matter what, someone is always competing.

  We haven't settled the argument. He even says that arguing about everything being a competition or not is a competition in itself.

  I just wanted to know what you guys thought. Is there some underlying competition in everything that we humans do, or are there some moments where no one is competing or out to beat someone at something?

  Post your thoughts down below.

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 3:05 PM EST

  Everything is a competition. It's a basis for Shadow Magic 

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 3:09 PM EST

  This  But seriously, I agree with him, although I don't think it's that pronounced. Like you may compete but you might not even know about it...

• Matt Feeney the New Guy

  

  • 1124 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 3:13 PM EST

  It depends. Is one person competing enough to make it a competition?
• Nelaf

  

  • 365 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 5:53 PM EST

  There is always going to be someone trying to out-do other people when they see how good they are at that particular thing

  It's a fact. It's human nature to want to be able to better not only ourselves, but everyone around us, too.

  It doesn't matter if some things are 'just for fun', someone else might not see it that way.

  Even in the animal kingdom, they're ALWAYS competing. Pecking order, friends, potential 'mates', food,...anything.

• Okan-Zeeus

  

  • 149 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 5:54 PM EST

  Start from the beginning. Define "competition" as it is being used in this context.

• Boom2215

  

  • 25 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 6:04 PM EST

  I hate saying it from a purely biological perspective every living thing is hardwired for competition. Whether it is a lion hunting better than another or CEO buying another's company. Even play is a competition in itself. Hide and seek or hockey too. Fun is the healthy side effect to competing and is often the motivation to compete. Acting as a resistance to one person competing is still competing to maintain a status quo of sorts. So we often compete with each other without thinking about it the important part is what we compete about.

• Okan-Zeeus

  

  • 149 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 6:14 PM EST

  I see. Your stance, then, implies that competition is voluntary. Conversely, your brother thinks it's involuntary, that everyone does it all of the time whether they acknowledge it or not.

  ...This argument is going to make my brain hurt something fierce.

• Boom2215

  

  • 25 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 6:18 PM EST

  Have you ever had a moment where you and your friend have argued over what to watch? Or during the commercials over what will happen next?

• Okan-Zeeus

  

  • 149 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 6:22 PM EST

  That's not the point. Saryn is saying that his younger brother believes that there are absolutely NO moments where competition doesn't exist. 

  Arguing over what to watch is obvious competition. But what about the act of watching itself? Is that a competition?

• Matt Feeney the New Guy

  

  • 1124 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 6:24 PM EST

  Everything is an incredibly encompassing concept. Based on that, I'm going to say no. Eating dinner with your family, for instance, isn't a competition. I'm sure you can make it a competition but it isn't inherently a competition.
• The Bard

  

  • 74 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 8:08 PM EST

  Yes.
• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 8:28 PM EST

  You should have used a question mark.

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 8:32 PM EST

  And by the way, every social endeavor is a competition. It all comes down to a certain 'hierarchy' created by humans for humans, but on a subconscious level.

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 8:48 PM EST

  "Oh, but you are wrong. The only reason you could disagree, is because you are losing so badly you cannot see it."

  -J'zargo

• Matt Feeney the New Guy

  

  • 1124 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 8:58 PM EST

  Eating isn't inherently competitive. You can make it competitive. But if you're just eating and looking at your phone while your dad is eating and reading the newspaper, where's the competition?
• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 9:02 PM EST

  There is no social interaction in that. Just two people being in the same room. And by the way, if you and your dad are coexisting, the issue of dominance has probably already been settled.

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 9:12 PM EST

  There are neurologists who would agree with you. Are you familiar with neuroplasticity? The idea that actions and experience can actually change neurostructure? It's worth looking into.
  
  

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 9:25 PM EST

  Hey, big bro. Having fun speaking for me?

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 9:31 PM EST

  If you truly think that I believe that LITERALLY everything is a competition, then you have not understood my argument. Every SOCIAL interaction is a competition, not every action.

• Matt Feeney the New Guy

  

  • 1124 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 9:43 PM EST

  Is asking an honest question competitive? No ulterior motives of making someone look foolish or trying to outsmart them.
• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 10:22 PM EST

  Knowledge is never gained for the sake of knowledge. An honest question levels the playing field between two people in regards to the knowledge of that fact. You don't have to dislike or distrust someone to be in competition with them.

• Indoril Nerevar

  

  • 45 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 10:23 PM EST

  If the point is to watch tv, then it isn't a social interaction. Side conversations should be treated as separate events.

• ShinJin

  

  • 457 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 10:27 PM EST

  Survival instincts die hard. There were six kids in my family, and my folks rarely ordered out. So, on those blessed occasions when we got pizza we inhaled it--anyone who took the time to enjoy it only got a slice. One of my younger brothers (who I'll swear could take as few as two bites before swallowing) would walk away with six slices to my three. I don't think I ever really tasted a pizza until I moved out and started buying my own.
  
  Funny thing is now that I have a large family of my own I find it happening all over again... the little devils are going to make a draugr out of me :D
• RuneRed

  

  • 856 posts
   

  December 9, 2013 10:33 PM EST

  Social Interaction that's not competitive...Why is everyone missing the obvious? And if you think that is competitive, then you're not doing it right.