The Dark Side of Competition
Growing up I lived next door to someone I should still be close with.
But the adults never taught collaboration.
Only competition.
All we ever cared about was being better than each other.
It tore us apart.
This pattern from my youth reverberates today.
We’ve become disposable.
Whoever throws someone away first — wins.
Being bred to compete has us seeing each other as inferior — someone to beat.
So when we experience existential dread — feeling like no one cares — we should know it’s true.
No one does care — and it’s our own fault.
By focusing solely on winning — we’re perpetuating the cycle.
They could have been life long friends — but we preferred they lose to us instead.
In doing this — we’ve pushed away the people we love.
We’ve let this society isolate us.
Our own private islands — but we’re Tom Hanks with the volleyball.
It’s a mistake we keep making that’s being exploited by the powers that be.
So what’s the fate of the subjugated too busy infighting to fend off a common oppressor?
United we stand.
Divided we fall.
