A Time For Honesty

Today we're going to talk about mistakes made when competitiveness collides with situations where competition doesn't belong. These situations illustrate the limitations of writing with a competitive lens focused only on the positive aspects of competition. In the end, they also illustrate our own limitations as humans, creatures of thought and emotion.

Over the weekend, I headed down to the Palmer House in downtown Chicago with a bunch of my classmates to participate in Model United Nations, run by University of Chicago students. In theory, each committee hosted by MUNUC should work together towards a common goal: writing a resolution. However, many delegations who participate focus to at least some degree on winning an award at the end of the conference. When taken to the extreme, this creates problems. Delegates might hold the speaking floor purely for the purpose of gaining attention, not caring whether they are making substantive arguments. Sponsoring the "winning" resolution becomes more important than the quality of the resolution itself. Competition supersedes cooperation. In contexts like this, it becomes a force of regression, driving all those involved not towards progress, but strife. As those who should be allies become enemies, the path forward is forsaken.

Most MUNUC participants don't exhibit behavior like this; there's a bigger picture to see. Simulations of international conferences are obviously not the only situations that require a suppression of competitive spirit. When approaching one's relationships with others, remaining clearheaded is essential. Allowing friendship to become a game to be won or lost will inevitably lead to the end of that game. All of us, especially the hardheaded writer of this post, are guilty of playing this game with the closest of our friends at one point or another.